Academic Social Research ISSN NO. 2456 2645 Status Ecology of Brow antlered deer Cervus eldi eldi Dr.Jitendra Kumar Shukla & Dr.Alpana Parmar (M.L.K.P.GCollege Balrampur) Dr. Vijay Prakash Singh Department of Environment Science Y.D. College, Lakhimpur Abstract: Conservation measures are being carried out both in In-situ by habitat manipulation, rescue centre setups, anti- poaching camps and engrossing local community in conservation efforts whilst in ex-situ a captive breeding centre has been constructed in the Langol Reserve forest hosting 15 deer in number at present. Only the authorities of Manipur Zoological Garden are responsible for the care and perpetration of measures to for fend the deer. The above data was collected by field analysis and questionnaire. And hence it can be concluded that the conservational activities have stepped up and the government is also taking substantial measures to bring the species to sturdiness. Keywords: Cervus eldi eldi, conservation, brow antlered deer. Introduction The Manipur brow antlered deer is unique mammal and is one of the most beautiful deer on this planet. The name bro antlered deer is on the basis of its prominent brow tine of antler over the brow. It has been famous for the beauty of its eyes since long. In Sanskrit literature the beauty of its eyes has been illustrated at the places by many poets. The greatest Sanskrit poet Mahakavi Kalidas has described it in his famous work ‘Meghadootam’. He has compared the beautiful eyes of the Yakshini (heroine) with the beautiful eyes of the deer. The Yaksh (hero) a departed lover asks the clouds to convey his message to his beloved wife, Yakshini as they can reach anywhere while he himself has been punished for the one year of excitement. But, now this is unfortunate that we are going to lose this glorious animal ‘The Brow Antlered Deer’ which has been the symbol of beauty. The Sangai is the essence of life in Manipur and the pride of the land. It has charmed and endeared itself to the people, since many years. Many had sung its praises composed poems, written about its uniqueness and it is a subject of fog tail down the years. It exists only in this tiny fringe of India bordering Myanmar, no other animal is known to possess this artistic yet clever maneuver ability and survive in such unique habitat for generations. It is highly endangered species. It has been put under ‘Red Data Book’ of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources). It has been listed as “endangered” in IUCN Red Data List (Limmins & Duckworth, 2008) based on estimated rates of decline and Appendix 1 of the on International trade in endangered species (CITES). In India the species is listed in schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The family cervidaeincludes 40 species of the deer, out of which 29 species are under threat of extinction. Seven species viz, Muntajac Muntjacus muntjak, Sambhar Cervus unicolor, 143 PAGE UGC APPROVED IMPACT FACTOR 3.213 VOL.4NO.1(2018)JAN TO MARCH Academic Social Research ISSN NO. 2456 2645 Chital Axis axis, Hog Deer Axis porcinus, Swamp Deer Cervusduvauceli duvauceli, Hangul or Kashmir Stag Cervus elaphus hanglu and Manipur Brow Antlered Deer Cervus eldi eldi in India all above species are in close relation. These species are put under sub-family cervinae. This deer is also known as ‘sangai’ due to its unique posture adopted by the deer while running, particularly the ‘stag’ would stop momently after running some distance and then would begin to run again as he is waiting for his mate or someone else (Fig. 2). Literally the ‘Sangai’ derived from local language the word ‘sa’ meaning animal and ‘nagai’ meaning waiting while looking on. Due to its peculiar behaviour it is also known as ‘Dancing’ deer. This deer is popular subjectin local folk lore and dance tradition. The south East Asia is known to be home of this species. It was formerly distributed across much of penimular South East Asia from north eastern India through Myanmar, Thailand and Indo-China. It has three subspecies. The other two are – Myanmar’s brow antlered deer or Thamin Cervus eldi thamin which found in upper and lower Myanmar as well as in western Thailand. Siamese brow antlered deer Cervus eldi siamensis. It is found in eastern Thailand and on the island of hainan. So the three subspecies are – 1- Brow antlered deer Cervus eldi eldi 2- The thamin deer Cervus eldi thamin 3- Siamese brow antlered deer Cervus eldi siamensis 144 PAGE UGC APPROVED IMPACT FACTOR 3.213 VOL.4NO.1(2018)JAN TO MARCH Academic Social Research ISSN NO. 2456 2645 For the survival of this species it is necessary to protect the species both in in-situ as well as ex-situ. The in-situ conservation is only in natural habitat home is Keibul Lamjao National Park. But there are a number of adverse factors in natural habitat. Therefore ex-situ conservation is necessary for the survival of the species. In natural habitat following problems are to be faced by this species. Therefore it should be understood that under such unfavourable conditions the future of Brow antlered deer in natural habitat is not safe. Therefore ex-situ conservation in zoological gardens is necessary. The important zoological parks are given below where the Brow antlered deer is surviving in different climatic conditions. Need of ex-situ conservation It is known that small populations suffer higher rate of extinction than larger populations. It is also important to consider that small population have greater susceptibility to a number of deleterious genetic effects such as in breeding depression, loss of evolutionary flexibility and out breeding depression leading to a decline in the population size and a greater probability of extinction. The extinction of a species is directly related to a reduction in the genetic variability which is crucial factor. Reduction of genetic variability can reduce the ability of a species to cope with adverse environmental condition cause a reduced population density and in some cases lead to extinction of the species. The combination of genetic & ecological studies is necessary to obtain better understanding of the population dynamics of species. The key component is the effective population size based on the number of individuals that actually produce offspring and hence contribute to the gene pool. The ex-situ conservation of brow antlered deer can be learned from the Pere David’s deer, which is now extinct in wild from its natural habitat according to fossil record. This species is endemic to the Chinese region. The Pere David’s deer Elaphurus davidianus also known the ‘milu’ or ‘elaphure’, is a species of deer mostly found in captivity, which was semi aquatic animal use to prefer marshland and was native to the subtropics of China. It is closely related to the deer of the genus cervus. This species of deer was first known to western science in 1866 by Armand David. He was French missionary working in China. He obtained the carcasses of an adult male, and adult 145 PAGE UGC APPROVED IMPACT FACTOR 3.213 VOL.4NO.1(2018)JAN TO MARCH Academic Social Research ISSN NO. 2456 2645 female and young male and sent them to Paris where the species was named Pere David’s deer by French biologist Alphonse Milne –Edwards. The adult Pere David's deer reaches a head-and-body length of up to 1.9– 2.2 meters (6.2–7.2 ft) and stands about 1.2 meters (3.9 ft) tall at the shoulder. The tail is relatively long for a deer, measuring 50–66 centimeters (20–26 in) when straightened. Weight is between 135 and 200 kilograms (298 and 441 lb). The head is long and slender with large eyes, very large preorbital glands, a naked nose pad and small, pointed ears. The branched antlers are unique in that the long tines point backward, while the main beam extends almost directly upward. There may be two pairs per year. The summer antlers are the larger set, and are dropped in November, after the summer rut. The second set-if they appear- are fully grown by January, and fall off a few weeks later. The coat is reddish tan in the summer, changing to a dull gray in the winter. Long wavy guard hairs are present on the outer coat throughout the year, with the coat becoming woollier in winter. There is a mane on the neck and throat and a black dorsal stripe running along the cervicothoracic spine. The tail is about 50 centimetres (20 in) in length, with a dark tuft at the end. The hooves are large and spreading, and make clicking sounds (as in the reindeer) when the animal is moving. A semi aquatic animal, Pere David’s deer swims well, spending long periods standing in water up to its shoulders. Although predominantly a grazer, the deer supplements its grass diet with aquatic plants in the summer. The average lifespan of a Pere David’s deer is up to 18 years. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In the late 19thcentury, the world's only herd belonged to Tongzhi, the Emperor of China. The herd was maintained in the Nanyuan Royal Hunting Garden in Nan Haizi, near Peking. In 1895, one of the walls of the hunting garden was destroyed by a heavy flood of the Yongding River, and most of the deer escaped and were killed and eaten by starving peasants. Fewer than thirty Pere David's deer remained in the garden. Then in 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, the garden was occupied by troops and the remaining deer were shot and eaten, leaving the Pere David's deer extinct in its native China.