Activists are opposing the government’s proposal of shifting some brow-antlered deer species – found only in Manipur’s Bishnupur district – to other areas.
About:
Scientific Name: Rucervus eldii.
Common Name: Sangai, Brow antlered deer, Dancing Deer.
Population: About 260 (acc. to a joint census conducted by the Forest Department in 2016).
Habitat and Distribution: It is found only in Keibul Lamjao National Park – the largest single mass of phumdi is in the Loktak Lake – in Manipur’s Bishnupur district.
Characteristics:
Sangai is a medium-sized deer, with uniquely distinctive antlers, with extremely long brow tine, which form the main beam.
The forward protruding beam appears to come out from the eyebrow, hence called the brow-antlered deer.
It has a dark reddish-brown winter coat, which turns paler in summer.
The deer walks on the hind surface of its pasterns with mincing hops over floating foliage, and is hence also called the Dancing Deer.
Status:
State animal of Manipur.
Schedule-1 of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Endangered on IUCN Red List.
Conservation Issues:
Sangai faces threat from steadily degenerating habitat of phumdi as a result of continuous inundation and flooding caused due to artificial reservoir.
There is also invasion of non-native plants like Paragrass.
It also faces threats of diseases from the livestock, inbreeding depression and poaching.
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