Wild Kashmir brings you freely downloadable maps of Dachigam National Park and other protected forest areas courtesy of Yawar Ali of the Coalition of Concerned Citizens and Majid Farooq, RS-GIS expert. Click the thumbnails to download the maps.










Yawar Ali and Majid Farooq at the International Conference on Hangul Conservation 2009


In other news, the man-animal conflict in Kashmir is slowly but surely developing into an imminent catastrophe. Here is an update:
Man-Animal Conflict in Kashmir

Yawar Ali Masoodi is a young lawyer deeply commited to environmental issues in Kashmir. He has compiled a list of serious environmental threats that he feels need to be addressed immediately :

1. Limestone Mining/ Pollution from cement production in Greater Dachigam [Khrew, Khanmoh etc.]
2. Gypsum Mining in Choolan, Dara, Gawashir, Jabadar, Niloosa, Bhagna and Bimyar at Uri [Limber Wildlife Sanctuary]
3. Sheep Breeding Farm at Dachigam and Daksum
4. Unplanned Tourism activities in Aru Wildlife Sanctuary
5. Unplanned Tourism activities in Baltal-Thajwas Wildlife Sanctuary
6. Unplanned Tourism activities in Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary
7. Encroachment of wetlands in particular Narkara And Hokersar

Meanwhile top officials confirm that little progress is being made even on well-publicised environmental issues:

Human intervention threatens Kashmiri Hangul

Govt, industries encroach upon forests

The beautification drive launched by the government along the banks of the Jehlum river has the makings of another eco-disaster. This drive was meant to provide a much needed facelift to the river as it flowed through the city. There is no doubt that the river presents a much more attractive picture in the civil lines area but like most quick-fixes this beauty may come at a high price. Dozens of chinars in the ambit of the beautification drive are dying. Nobody seems to have told the powers-that-be that river banks form an extensive eco-system in themselves with unique plant and animal populations. Aquatic birds like waders and kingfishers thrive here, as do dragonflies and a wide variety of aquatic plants. The chinars around the Kashmir Arts Emporium and Radio Kashmir complexes are home to the largest surviving heronry in Srinagar. Otters are probably already extinct in kashmir, as readers may remember from an earlier post.

You cannot just dig up all the banks and cut down all the trees and replace them with walls of stone and cultivated grass. But that is exactly what is happening. Such environmental disasters due to lack of foresight have occurred earlier, most notably when the conversion of the Mar canal to a metalled road choked Srinagar's main water-bodies, and when the diversion of the Doodh Ganga river into the Hokersar Game Reserve condemned it to a slow death by siltation.

I have a suggestion - a green belt of chinars, willows and similar trees along the embankments, along with creation of some sandbanks and reed-beds can provide the necessary habitat for aquatic wildlife. In other other states projects are assessed for environment impact assessment. Since I am not an expert we need specialists in this field to get involved in increasing the eco-friendliness of the Jehlum River Project. Any takers?

One of the great pleasures of birding is sighting a new species which has not been recorded earlier in the region.

Earlier this week I observed and photographed a Rosy Starling in the Zabarvan foothills. It is quite a rare sighting since the Rosy Starling is classified as a "not common passage migrant" in Kashmir on the basis of individual records.


In March 2007, I photographed this Chaffinch on the banks of the Dal Lake. It is the first time ever that this species has been reported from Kashmir.


Unlike its cousins, the Plumbeous and White-capped Redstarts, which are quite common near water, the Common Redstart has never been reported from Kashmir. I photographed this bird in May 2006 in a willow on the banks of the Jehlum at Shivpora. The photo caused a fair bit of interest and was studied by the foremost avifauna experts. However, due to the sub-optimal quality of the photograph, the verdict was inconclusive.

As per the 2009 official census the Hangul population has been estimated at 175 individuals. The census of 2004 estimated the population at 197 while in 2008 it had reduced to 127. The census was carried out in Zabarwan and adjoining forest ranges by the Department of Wildlife, Wildlife Trust of India and Wildlife SOS.

The Central Wildlife Warden, Rashid Naqash, stressed the importance of the the male, female and fawn ratio. The 2009 census indicated that for every 100 females, there are 27 males and 28 fawns as compared to 23 and 9 in the last census.

A word of appreciation for Arif Shafi Wani, who regularly highlights ecological and wildlife issues in Greater Kashmir. His efforts along with a handful of other concerned citizens may yet save the Hangul. More power to your pen, brother.


News Links:

Rare Kashmir deer makes comeback

Silver Lining For Endangered Hangul

Hangul not to hang from fine thread




Image copyright Dr. Bakshi Jehangir