Musk Deer Spotted In Lahaul Valley

Population of musk deer, on the verge of extinction once, is on the rise after local mahila mandals banned hunting.

Updated on: 17 December 2020 8:24 pm

After the sighting of a serow, a rare species of wildlife in the Spiti valley, now a Himalayan musk deer has been spotted in the Lahaul valley, the cold deserts of Himachal Pradesh.

Wildlife photographer Inderjeet of Rashel village had captured the musk deer in his camera two days ago and later informed the forest department.

The wildlife teams in Lahaul-Spiti got into action to ensure the safety of the rare species. The musk deer count was increasing in Lahaul-Spiti and they were spotted by villagers and forest officials over the past few years regularly during winter.

Musk deer are on the verge of extinction in Lahaul-Spiti, but after the intervention of local mahila mandals, their count is on the rise. In 2012, the mandals banned hunting and decided to impose a fine on offenders and boycott them socially.

It helped in checking hunting in the area. As a result, the count of ibex, a species of wild goat, which was also on the verge of extinction, is increasing rapidly. The movement of ibex can be noticed in Lahaul easily during winters.

Divisional forest officer, Keylong, Dinesh Sharma said Inderjeet had captured the movement of the musk deer in his camera.

“Under the Wildlife Act, no one is allowed to disclose the exact location of such a rare species, which may pose a threat to them. During the winter, animals reach lower regions because of heavy snowfall in higher areas. During winters, poachers get active to kill animals,” he added.

The DFO said, “For the protection of wildlife, adequate staff has been deployed for patrolling to check the hunting. The cooperation of mahila mandals is also commendable.

Musk deer is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and there is a constant need to protect them from poachers who kill the animal for its high valued musk pod. The musk deer is kept in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

Earlier, evidence of musk deer had been recorded at Kalatop Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary in Chamba district last year.