Hangul conservation corridor suffers amid bureaucratic lapse

Srinagar, Aug 1: The Shikargah Tral Wildlife Sanctuary in south Kashmir has emerged as a vital ecological corridor for the critically endangered Hangul, or Kashmir stag, linking Dachigam National Park with its historical habitats in Overa and Aru.

However, despite its growing conservation significance, the sanctuary suffers from staffing shortages, delayed forest transfers, and a lack of formal protection, according to the latest Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) report.

The 2020-2025 MEE report, which rated Dachigam’s conservation status as “very good,” identified Shikargah Tral as a key part of the proposed ‘Greater Dachigam Landscape, ’ a broader conservation strategy aimed at ensuring the long-term survival of Hangul.

Declared a sanctuary in 2019, Shikargah Tral is spread over 154.15 sq km, including the former game reserve and adjoining forests in Khiram, Bijbehara and Khangund near Dachigam.

However, an additional 113 sq km of forest under the Awantipora Forest Division has yet to be formally handed over to the Wildlife Department, hindering integrated management.

“There is an effective presence of anti-poaching camps at Tral and Khangund, along with support from the Wildlife Institute of India, local universities like SKUAST-K and the University of Kashmir, and various NGOs,” the MEE report states.

The sanctuary is free of human settlements and benefits from coordination between the Wildlife Department, Forest Protection Force, and security agencies.

Still, conservationists warn that the delayed transfer of forest compartments and the pending Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) notifications are undermining protection efforts.

“Merely declaring an area a sanctuary on paper is not enough,” said a senior wildlife researcher. “As long as conventional forestry practices like grazing and firewood extraction continue, the habitat remains degraded.”

Wildlife Warden South, Suhail Wagay, said four forest compartments in Tral sanctuary are yet to be transferred, although the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests has issued notices.

To address the gaps, officials have proposed designating Awantipora as a separate wildlife zone with its warden, incorporating Tral Wildlife Sanctuary.

The proposed zone would also cover the Khiram Bijbehara Conservation Reserve and Khangund near Dachigam, forming a continuous corridor to facilitate Hangul migration.

Wagay said the Forest Ministry had issued ESZ notifications in compliance with Supreme Court directives, and a meeting was scheduled with the Deputy Commissioner Pulwama to finalise zone boundaries.

ESZs typically range from 1 to 10 km, depending on terrain, with human activity prohibited in the core zone and limited research or eco-tourism allowed in buffer areas under strict guidelines.

“Despite active anti-poaching teams and institutional partnerships, the sanctuary lacks a formal management plan, adequate staff, and equipment,” the report says.

Experts say a landscape-level conservation model backed by legal safeguards and infrastructure is needed to secure not just Hangul, but also other threatened species like the Himalayan musk deer.

Shikargah supports 15 species of mammals and more than 200 bird species, making it a key biodiversity hotspot and a potential hub for eco-tourism.

However, in contrast to larger protected areas like the Kishtwar National Park, most ESZ notifications in J&K, including Overa Aru (Pahalgam), Thajiwas (Baltal, Ganderbal), and Herpora (Shopian), have been limited to narrow 1-km zones, raising concerns about inadequate habitat protection.

Hangul numbers, once estimated at 3000 to 5000 in the early 1900s, dropped to a low of 127 in 2008. Conservation efforts have shown signs of success in recent years, with a 2023 census recording a 10.72 percent rise over two years from 261 in 2021 to 289.

That marks a 47 percent increase since 2004 and a 125 percent recovery from the 2008 low.