World | India
Only 160 red deer left in Kashmir, says census
A rare species of red deer found only in Indian Kashmir is on the verge of extinction, with only 160 animals in existence, a census by India's wildlife authorities showed on Monday.
Srinagar: A rare species of red deer found only in Indian Kashmir is on the verge of extinction, with only 160 animals in existence, a census by India's wildlife authorities showed on Monday.
The antlered red deer, commonly known as the hangul, was once the biggest draw of Dachigam, a mountainous sanctuary on the outskirts of Kashmir's summer capital, Srinagar, where they grazed in thousands decades ago.
Rampant poaching, neglect by authorities and a 17-year-old separatist rebellion in the region took its toll on the population of the majestic-looking deer which numbered in the region of about 900 in 1989, experts said.
"Hangul is a critically endangered species. There has been a steady decline in the hangul population from 2004 to 2008," the census report said.
Poachers continue to kill the deer for its antlers, which fetch a good price on the black market. India would now launch a Hangul Conservation Plan.
Share this article
News Editor's choice
-
Protest by rights group fails to stop gory Nepal festival
200,000 animals set to be sacrificed
-
Top Korean model found dead in Paris
Kim was an accomplished painter and video filmmaker who had a solo show of her artwork in Seoul
-
Slain journalist Pearl's widow busy with new film
Widow busy producing documentary on lives of inspirational women

