Barasingha
Encyclopedia
The Barasingha or Swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii) is a deer
species
currently found in isolated localities in north and central India
, and southwestern Nepal
, and is extinct in Pakistan
and Bangladesh
.
The binomial commemorates the French naturalist Alfred Duvaucel
.
The most striking feature of a barasingha is its antler
s, with 10 to 14 tine
s on a mature stag
, though some have been known to have up to 20. The name is derived from this characteristic and means 12 tined or horned in Hindi
.
In Assamese
, barasingha is called dolhorina; dol meaning swamp. In Central India it is called goinjak (stags) or gaoni (hinds).
A stag may stand 132 cm (52 in) at the shoulder and weigh 170 to 180 kg (374.8 to 396.8 lb). Average antlers may measure 75 cm (29.5 in) round the curve with a girth of 13 cm (5.1 in) at mid beam. A record antler measured 104.1 cm (41 in) round the curve.
Barasinghas used to inhabit the basins of the Indus
, Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, as well as central India
as far as the Godavari River
. Bones aging over a thousand years have been found in the Langhanj site in Gujarat. Today, barasinghas have disappeared entirely from the western part of their range. In 1964, the total population in India was estimated at 3000 to 4000 individuals.
In the Terai they mainly live in marshland. In central India they live in grassland
s in the proximity of forests.
In northeastern India, the surviving animals are found in Assam. The Swamp deer's main concentration in Assam is in Kaziranga National Park
with a few survivors in Manas National Park
. It is in all probability extinct in Arunachal Pradesh
.
Two geographic races were earlier recognized. The nominate duvauceli which is swamp-dwelling and found in the Terai of Uttar Pradesh
, Assam and in the Sunderbans. This race has splayed hooves that help in moving on the soft ground and has a larger skull. The race branderi (named after A. A. Dunbar Brander) is found on hard ground in Central India, chiefly in Madhya Pradesh
. The race in Assam was subsequently assigned to a new race ranjitsinhi after M. K. Ranjitsinh. This race is considered the most threatened.
In central India, Barasingha disappeared from all but the Kanha National Park
. Even here, from an estimated 3000 individuals in the early 1950s, within a decade less than 100 survived. And the number touched an all time low of 66 in 1970.
they form large herds of adults. The breeding season lasts from September to April, and births occur after a gestation
of 240-250 days in August to November. The peak is in September October in Kanha National Park
.
They feed in the mornings and in the evenings. They are less nocturnal than the Sambar deer
. When alarmed they give out a shrill baying alarm call.
They give birth to a single calf. Captive specimens live up to 23 years.
George Schaller
wrote in The Deer and The Tiger, "Most of these remnants have or soon will have reached the point of no return." The warning, however, was heeded in time. Concerted efforts at saving this species from extinction were made and have now borne fruit. Today, their count has crossed the five hundred mark.
Along with Indian Blackbuck
, Nilgai
and many other exotic
deer
and antelope
from Africa
, there are also swamp deer living wild in hunting ranches in Texas
. They were brought to USA almost 100 years ago for sport hunting. Hunters for whom bagging a stag
with huge antlers with as many points as possible is a novelty, pay about $4000 as trophy fees for hunting a swamp deer, 10% of which is supposed to go back to India
to preserve it and its habitat in its true home range where it is close to extinction. It is US Government policy now that 10% of trophy fees for hunting an exotic species found on hunting ranches in USA should be sent back for the preservation of that species and its original habitat.
in The Second Jungle Book
featured a barasingha in the chapter "The Miracle of Purun Bhagat" by the name of "barasingh." It befriends Purun Bhagat because the man rubs the stag's velvet off his horns. Purun Bhagat then gives the barasinga nights in the shrine he is staying at with his warm fire, along with a few fresh chestnuts every now and then. Later as pay, the stag warns Purun Bhagat and his town about how the mountain they live on is crumbling.
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
currently found in isolated localities in north and central India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and southwestern Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, and is extinct in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
.
The binomial commemorates the French naturalist Alfred Duvaucel
Alfred Duvaucel
Alfred Duvaucel was a French naturalist and explorer. He was the stepson of Georges Cuvier.- Journeys in South and Southeast Asia :...
.
The most striking feature of a barasingha is its antler
Antler
Antlers are the usually large, branching bony appendages on the heads of most deer species.-Etymology:Antler originally meant the lowest tine, the "brow tine"...
s, with 10 to 14 tine
Tine
Tine may have one of the following meanings:*Tine – a 'prong' on a fork or similar implement, or any similar structure*Tine – the biggest dairy producer in Norway...
s on a mature stag
STAG
STAG: A Test of Love is a reality TV show hosted by Tommy Habeeb. Each episode profiles an engaged couple a week or two before their wedding. The cameras then follow the groom on his bachelor party...
, though some have been known to have up to 20. The name is derived from this characteristic and means 12 tined or horned in Hindi
Hindi languages
The Hindi languages, also known as Madhya and the Central Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages, is a subset of the varieties of Hindi spoken across northern India that descend from the Madhya prakrits, and includes the official languages of India and Pakistan, Hindi and Urdu...
.
In Assamese
Assamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
, barasingha is called dolhorina; dol meaning swamp. In Central India it is called goinjak (stags) or gaoni (hinds).
Characteristics
Distribution and habitat
Indus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
, Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, as well as central India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as far as the Godavari River
Godavari River
The Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
. Bones aging over a thousand years have been found in the Langhanj site in Gujarat. Today, barasinghas have disappeared entirely from the western part of their range. In 1964, the total population in India was estimated at 3000 to 4000 individuals.
In the Terai they mainly live in marshland. In central India they live in grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s in the proximity of forests.
In northeastern India, the surviving animals are found in Assam. The Swamp deer's main concentration in Assam is in Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. A World Heritage Site, the park hosts two-thirds of the world's Great One-horned Rhinoceroses. Kaziranga boasts the highest density of tigers among protected areas in the world and was...
with a few survivors in Manas National Park
Manas National Park
Manas National Park or Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is a Wildlife Sanctuary, UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, a Project Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Reserve and a Biosphere Reserve in Assam, India. Located in the Himalayan foothills, it is contiguous with the Royal Manas National park in Bhutan...
. It is in all probability extinct in Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
.
Two geographic races were earlier recognized. The nominate duvauceli which is swamp-dwelling and found in the Terai of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, Assam and in the Sunderbans. This race has splayed hooves that help in moving on the soft ground and has a larger skull. The race branderi (named after A. A. Dunbar Brander) is found on hard ground in Central India, chiefly in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
. The race in Assam was subsequently assigned to a new race ranjitsinhi after M. K. Ranjitsinh. This race is considered the most threatened.
In central India, Barasingha disappeared from all but the Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park is a national park and a Tiger Reserve in the Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. In the 1930s, Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries, Hallon and Banjar, of 250 and 300 km² . Kanha National Park was created on 1 June, 1955. Today it stretches over an...
. Even here, from an estimated 3000 individuals in the early 1950s, within a decade less than 100 survived. And the number touched an all time low of 66 in 1970.
Ecology and behaviour
In central India, the herds comprise on average about 8-20 individuals, with large herds of up to 60. There are twice as many females than males. During the rutRut (mammalian reproduction)
The rut is the mating season of ruminant animals such as deer, sheep, elk, moose, caribou, ibex, goats, pronghorn and Asian and African antelope....
they form large herds of adults. The breeding season lasts from September to April, and births occur after a gestation
Gestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
of 240-250 days in August to November. The peak is in September October in Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park is a national park and a Tiger Reserve in the Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. In the 1930s, Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries, Hallon and Banjar, of 250 and 300 km² . Kanha National Park was created on 1 June, 1955. Today it stretches over an...
.
They feed in the mornings and in the evenings. They are less nocturnal than the Sambar deer
Sambar Deer
The Sambar ' is a large deer native to southern and southeast Asia. Although it primarily refers to R. unicolor, the name "Sambar" is also sometimes used to refer to the Philippine Deer and the Rusa Deer...
. When alarmed they give out a shrill baying alarm call.
They give birth to a single calf. Captive specimens live up to 23 years.
Threats
Hunting, poaching and, more important, diversion of the bulk of grassland to agriculture, are considered the main causes of their reduced numbers. Tall grass is not only their food but also provides security for young fawns during the breeding season.George Schaller
George Schaller
George Beals Schaller is an American mammalogist, naturalist, conservationist and author. Schaller is recognized by many as the world's preeminent field biologist, studying wildlife throughout Africa, Asia and South America. Born in Berlin, Schaller grew up in Germany, but moved to Missouri as a...
wrote in The Deer and The Tiger, "Most of these remnants have or soon will have reached the point of no return." The warning, however, was heeded in time. Concerted efforts at saving this species from extinction were made and have now borne fruit. Today, their count has crossed the five hundred mark.
Introduced populations
Blackbuck
Blackbuck is a species of antelope native to the Indian subcontinent. Their range decreased sharply during the 20th century. Since 2003, the IUCN lists the species as near threatened....
, Nilgai
Nilgai
The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...
and many other exotic
Exotic
Exotic can mean:*In mathematics:**Exotic R4 - differentiable manifold homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to the Euclidean space R4**Exotic sphere - differentiable manifold homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to the ordinary sphere*In physics:...
deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
and antelope
Antelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
from Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, there are also swamp deer living wild in hunting ranches in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. They were brought to USA almost 100 years ago for sport hunting. Hunters for whom bagging a stag
STAG
STAG: A Test of Love is a reality TV show hosted by Tommy Habeeb. Each episode profiles an engaged couple a week or two before their wedding. The cameras then follow the groom on his bachelor party...
with huge antlers with as many points as possible is a novelty, pay about $4000 as trophy fees for hunting a swamp deer, 10% of which is supposed to go back to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to preserve it and its habitat in its true home range where it is close to extinction. It is US Government policy now that 10% of trophy fees for hunting an exotic species found on hunting ranches in USA should be sent back for the preservation of that species and its original habitat.
Cultural references
Rudyard KiplingRudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
in The Second Jungle Book
The Second Jungle Book
The Second Jungle Book is a sequel to The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. First published in 1895, it features five stories about Mowgli and three unrelated stories, all but one set in India, most of which Kipling wrote while living in Vermont...
featured a barasingha in the chapter "The Miracle of Purun Bhagat" by the name of "barasingh." It befriends Purun Bhagat because the man rubs the stag's velvet off his horns. Purun Bhagat then gives the barasinga nights in the shrine he is staying at with his warm fire, along with a few fresh chestnuts every now and then. Later as pay, the stag warns Purun Bhagat and his town about how the mountain they live on is crumbling.
Further reading
- M. Acharya, M. Barad, S.Bhalani, P. Bilgi, M.Panchal, V.Shrimali, W. Solanki, D.M. Thumber. Kanha Chronicle, Centre for Environment Education, AhmedabadAhmedabadAhmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
in collaboration with the United States National Park Service.