Pulwama, July 19: According to authorities, the relocation of two female Hangul into the facility has allowed the Hangul Breeding facility in Shikargah’s Tral to resume operations.
Shikargah Wildlife Sanctuary now has a Hangul breeding unit, on which authorities informed the news organization Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that millions of rupees were spent in 2011.
After it was finished, a Hangul was kept there, but the Hangul was killed by a leopard.
An official said that during the previous three years, all tasks required to prevent wild animals from consuming Hangul were completed.
“Our cameras had previously documented the movement of the Hangul, so we had stored veggies, salt, and other supplies close to the center’s entrance. We attempted to organically accustom them, and we were successful in relocating two female hangul there, the official said.
He said that efforts are being taken to relocate male hangul to the breeding facility.
The relocation of these two female Kashmiri Stag animals has great importance, according to Intisar Suhail, the WildLife Warden for the Shopian Division. This is because there are only two captive examples of the highly endangered Hangul species in the whole globe.
As he said, “Hangul were coming near to the breeding site over the previous several months, but as per our purpose, we were able to attract them and transport them effectively inside the centre.
He said that the reason this is an off-display facility is to prevent any form of disturbance to the species. No one is permitted inside unless there is an emergency since this is a research experiment for the protection of a natural species, he noted.
Three male hangul members may be found in the Shikargah woodlands, and attempts are being made to relocate them to the facility without using them in a breeding program.
The creation of this facility is one of several “in-situ and ex-situ measures that have been taken to conserve the critically endangered Hangul species,” he said.
He stated that the Central Zoo Authority of India was overseeing the project’s infrastructure, and that a population of 14 species, including males, females, and fawns, had been discovered during a census of the Shikargah woodlands that had been conducted in 2021 with the use of camera traps.
Notably, the refuge has welcomed a number of Bollywood superstars in the past.
The population of Hangul has been declining for many years due to poaching for its meat, antlers, and skin.
From 3,000 or so, the population decreased to 900 in 1989, then to 200 or so a few years ago. However, in recent years, there has been an increase in their numbers.
The preservation of Hangul is of utmost importance since it is listed as a Schedule-I species under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 and the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1978 (as amended through 2002). Additionally, it is classified in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora’s Appendix I (KNO).
