SANGAI
- ENVIRONMENT
News: Lake project threat to Sangai:
Manipur to Centre
What's
in the news?
●
The Manipur Government has expressed its
reservations to the Centre over a hydro-electric modernisation plan in the
state’s famous Loktak Lake saying it could be detrimental to the endangered
species of Sangai deer apart from disturbing the biodiversity of the lake.
●
It has also said it was not consulted
before a detailed project report (DPR) was prepared.
Key
takeaways:
●
Sangai is endemic to Manipur and endangered.
●
It also has immense cultural relevance to Manipur.
●
Loktak
Lake
is regarded as among the most beautiful and ecologically diverse lakes in the
Northeast.
Sangai
Deer:
●
It is also called Brow antlered deer,
Dancing Deer.
●
State animal of Manipur.
Habitat
and Distribution:
●
It is found only in Keibul Lamjao National Park – the largest single mass of phumdi is
in the Loktak Lake – in Manipur’s Bishnupur district.
Characteristics:
●
Sangai is a medium-sized deer, with
uniquely distinctive antlers, with extremely long brow tine, which form the
main beam.
●
The forward protruding beam appears to
come out from the eyebrow, hence called the brow-antlered deer.
●
It has a dark reddish-brown winter coat,
which turns paler in summer.
●
The deer walks on the hind surface of its
pasterns with mincing hops over floating foliage, and is hence also called the Dancing Deer.
Conservation
Status:
●
Schedule-1
of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
●
Endangered
on IUCN Red List.
Threats:
●
Sangai faces threat from steadily
degenerating habitat of phumdi as a result of continuous inundation and
flooding caused due to artificial reservoir.
●
There is also invasion of non-native
plants like Paragrass.
●
It also faces threats of diseases from the
livestock, inbreeding depression and poaching.