Kashmir stag

Kashmir stag 

About:

  • The Kashmir stag also called hangul is a subspecies of Central Asian red deerendemic to Kashmir and surrounding areas.

  • It is found in dense riverine forests in the high valleys and mountains of Jammu and Kashmir and northern Himachal Pradesh.
  • In Kashmir, it is found primarily in the Dachigam National Parkwhere it receives protection, and elsewhere it is more at risk.
  • In the 1941s, the population was between 3000 and 5000 individuals, but since then habitat destruction, over-grazing by domestic livestock and poaching have reduced population dramatically.
  • Earlier believed to be a subspecies of red deer, but a number of mitochondrial DNA genetic studies later had the hangul as a part of the Asian clade of the elk.

Appearance:

  • This deer has a light rump patch without including the tail.
  • Its coat color is brown with a speckling to the hairs.
  • The inner sides of the buttocks are greyish white, followed by a line on the inner sides of the thighs and black on the upper side of the tail.
  • It is protected under appendix I of the CITES.
  • It is listed under critically endangered list in IUCN.

Distribution:

  • This deer lives in groups of two to 18 individuals in dense riverine forests, high valleys, and mountains of the Kashmir valley and northern Chambain Himachal Pradesh.
  • In Kashmir, it’s found in the Dachigam National Park(and its nearby areas at elevations of 3,035 meters), Rajparian Wildlife Sanctuary, Overa Aru, Sind Valley, and in the forests of Kishtwar& Bhaderwah.

Syllabus: Prelims

Any Doubts ? Connect With Us.

Related Links

Connect With US Socially

Request Callback

Fill out the form, and we will be in touch shortly.