Hangul population in J&K sees uptick, wildlife dept elated

Source: The post is based on the article “Hangul population in J&K sees uptick, wildlife dept elated”  published in Hindustan Times on 19th August 2023.

What is the News?

Hangul, the unique Kashmir stag and the state animal of Jammu and Kashmir has experienced a slight increase in its population after a period of two years.

What is Hangul?

Hangul is the state animal of Jammu & Kashmir. It is subspecies of Central Asian red deer endemic to Kashmir and surrounding areas.

The last viable population of Hangul in the Indian sub-continent exists only in the protected Dachigam National Park, a vast mountainous 141 sq km sanctuary on the outskirts of Srinagar.

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Indian Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule I

Census: A population census of Hangul species is conducted every two years.

Threats: Habitat fragmentation and poaching, livestock grazing, predation, ecological threats and disturbed corridors and landscapes.

What is the population of Hangul according to the latest census?

The population of Hangul species has increased to 289 in 2023 from 261 in 2021, a 10% increase.

The major factors which led to stabilization of the population of the Hangul are: One is the protection of its habitat in the form of Dachigam and another is the restricting of human movement inside the core area of the park to almost zero.