Only 160 red deer left in Kashmir, says census

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.