The majestic Hangul (Cervus elaphus hanglu) is the only surviving race of the Red Deer family of Europe in the Indian sub-continent since the Shou (Cervus elaphus wallichi) of Bhutan is now considered extinct by experts.

The Hangul is listed as 'endangered' in the IUCN Red List. In India, it is included in the Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and Kashmir Wildlife (Protection) Act 1978. Dachigam National Park is home to the last viable population of Hangul in the world which dwindled from 2000 animals in 1947 to a distressing 170 in 2003. Latest figures indicate that the population may be well below 150 animals with less than 20 adult males.

Wildlife authorities in Kashmir are now planning to fit the Hangul with Global Positioning System (GPS) collars and also to set up captive breeding centres and deer parks in Pahalgam and Gulmarg. Finally the authorities are thinking of more logical schemes than than the earlier hare-brained scheme of exchanging the Hanguls for monkeys from other Indian states. Read this link:
Monkey outweighs Hangul


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Kashmir's rare red deer to get hi-tech protection