Hangul population has lessened in Kashmir: JK govt

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New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday claimed that the existing Hangul population the valley has severely gone down.

The population of world famous Hangul deer in Dachigam National Park on the outskirts of Srinagar, has declined to 186 in 2015 from 234 in 2009.

In a written reply to a question of CPI(M) MLA MY Tarigami in Assembly here today, Minister for Forests Lal Singh said, the Hangul population estimation exercise was conducted in Dachigam National Park and adjoining habitats (in Kashmir valley), and recorded their population as 186 in 2015 as compared to 234 in 2009.

He also said in the 2011 census, the Hangul population was estimated at 218.

The government has formulated a Hangul conservation action plan as the deer has been accorded highest priority in terms of its conservation and protection as it is a state animal of J&K, he added.

The Dachigam National Park, which was earlier divided administratively between two wildlife divisions, has now been made a single administrative unit under the wildlife division (central) to ensure better management in the last known habitat of Hangul, he said.

(With PTI inputs)