Hangul (Kashmir Stag) (Cervus hanglu hanglu)

Hangul Rutting Season

• Context (HT): Entry to Dachigam National Park is suspended as the Hangul rutting season begins.
• Rutting is the mating behaviour of certain mammals, like deer and ungulates.
• During the rutting season, males engage in aggressive and territorial behaviours to compete for the attention of females.

Hangul (Cervus hanglu hanglu)

• Hangul (or Kashmir stag) is the only Asiatic survivor or sub-species of Elk (the largest subspecies of Red deer, found in North America and Central Asia).
• It is the state animal of Jammu & Kashmir.
• Distribution: It is endemic to Kashmir and is now restricted to the Dachigam National Park. Previously, it was found in the mountains of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district.
• Habitat: Inhabits mountainous areas; spends summers in alpine meadows and winters in valleys.
• Threats: Habitat destruction, over-grazing by domestic livestock, and poaching.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: CR | CITES: Appendix I | CMS: Appendix I | WPA: Schedule I
• It is listed under the Species Recovery Programme of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Environmental Information System (ENVIS) of the MoEF&CC.
• In the 1970s, the J&K Government along with the support of IUCN and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) prepared a project for the protection and conservation of Hangul called Project Hangul.

Dachigam National Park

• It is located in the Zabarwan Range of Western Himalayas.
• Vegetation: Coniferous forest, alpine pastures, meadows, and scrub vegetation.
• Major Fauna: Kashmiri stag (hangul) (CR), musk deer (EN), Himalayan serow, Kashmir grey langur, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan brown bear.