Sangai, the Critically Endangered Species
- Part 2 -

N Munal Meitei *

Sangai - A jewel in the crown for Manipur - Picture Credit :: Rocky Pebam

Danger Of Extinction

The Sangai was believed to be almost extinct by 1950. However, EP Gee found six heads of the Sangai hovering at its natural habitat in 1953. Since then, the State Government has taken serious and positive measures for the protection of this rare and endangered species. A census conducted in 2003 in the park showed that there were 180 deer.

But during the past more than fifty years of protection, we are not able to increase the Sangai population above 300, the unsafe magic figure from extinction threat for any endangered species. The Sangai faces a multi-pronged danger to its life. Firstly, its habitat is steadily degenerating by reason of continuous inundation and flooding by high water caused as the result of artificial reservoir of the Loktak Hydroelectric Power Project.

Secondly, poachers are out there to trap and slay the deer at the slightest opportunity. Thirdly, Encroachers are inside the Park in many forms including the fish farmers.

The local peoples are cutting up many of the phumdi into sizable circular pieces and then towing away these with large dugout center holes for annual fishing. This is another potential danger to the Sangai habitat. Fourthly, increase in the pollution level of the Loktak water due various pesticide and insecticides coming in the water from the catchment areas.

The Nambul River which drains into the Loktak Lake has also huge tones of Plastic pollutants thereby making the habitat lost of the precious deer. About 4.5 million tons of siltation is brought annually to the Manipur valley due to lack of vegetation from the degraded catchment areas. Out of it, 0.65 million tons are deposited into the Loktak Lake every year thereby decreasing 175 million cu.m. of water holding capacity in the last 10 years.

As a Holocene, many woman flock used to enter inside the Park area to collect Zizania latifolia (Ishing kambong), Alpinia galanga (Pullei), Polygonum barbatum (Yelang) and Ipomea aquatic (Kolmani) etc. This continuous collection of herbaceous plants not only disturbs the habitat of the animal but also causes challenge to phumdi Eco-system. Intrusion of the domestic cattle which overgraze the area has also an impact in the biotic composition and subsequent lost of vegetation. Diseases from these animals are also a menace to the deer population.

Role of Phumdi in Sangai Protection

In 1983, the 103 megawatt capacity Loktak hydroelectric power project was commissioned with the objective of ensuring rapid development in the State. A maximum high water level of 168.5 meters above mean sea level (MSL) is maintained in the Loktak Lake to feed the reservoir for the hydel project. This high water level had wreaked havoc in the Keibul Lamjao National Park.

The high water level, maintained continuously through the year, had disturbed the natural life cycle of the vegetation growth, the phumdi, upon which the Sangai thrives. The deer feed on several types of vegetation that grow on the phumdi. The vegetation also provides shelter to the deer and other wildlife in the park. The life-cycle of the phumdi involves floating on the water surface during season of high water as in the monsoons.

In the lean season, when the water level receded, the biomass comes into contact with the lake bed and they secure the required nutrient from there. When the rains come again and they become afloat, the biomass has enough food nutrients stored in their roots and their life continues. This continued process simultaneously helps in the process of decaying of the growing mass thereby maintaining the Phumdi eco-system. But now, with continuous high water in the lake throughout the year, much of this process of feeding for the nutrient in the lakebed had discontinued. The result—the biomass are losing weight and getting thinner by the year.

Expert said that about 48 species of plants are recorded growing on the phumdi but due to this permanent deep water flooding have led to loss of some of these species. Sometime due to sudden heavy downpour, submergence of phumdi inside the polluted water for more than 3/4 days has also led to death of valuable micro organisms and some of the plants. This has also made a bad rotten smell discomforting the animal.

Excessive removal of Phragmitis karka (Tou) by the villagers for firewood and walling has also disturbed the phumdi eco-system. Now-a-days, due to rapid flow of the Khuga river stream in the high water, it is reported that a large chunk of phumdi biomass are broken apart up into pieces and drifted freely from the park area. This spelled out a bad sign for the Sangai habitat. It meant humans are now aiding the process of annihilating the habitat area, supplementing to the rapid degeneration of the habitat.

Conservation Status of Manipur Sangai

The Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) covering an area of 40 km2 with marshland called the Phumdis covering an area of 26 sq. km and the rest with water body within the larger Loktak Lake was gazetted as the Keibul Lamjao National Park on 18-3-1977 specifically to protect the Manipur Sangai. Over time, public awareness and local support have evolved for conserving the subspecies of the endemic endangered Elds' Deer. Concerted actions have been initiated to stop encroachment of the park and adequate security arrangements have been made to stop poaching.

This fact is very somberly presented in a story form in a popular children's magazine called Chandamama, which gives a first person symbolic narrative by the affected 'Deer' itself. The final conclusion by the Deer quoted, below, concisely puts the security provided in the park in a proper perspective appreciation.

Thanks to these youngsters who live nearby, he said. I was happy and felt indebted to the youngsters for saving our lives. My friend added that these people really loved and respected the Sangai deer. They believed that killing the Sangai was an unpardonable sin. According to a Manipuri legend, the Sangai are the link between humans and nature. So, killing us would mean breaking a bond. My friend informed me that people concerned about animals like us have formed a group. They teach others to protect animals, too.

The news that people are trying their best to save the phumdis, deer like me, and the Loktak Lake, infuses new hope in me. How nice of them, I thought.

Anyway, it is getting dark and my friend and I have to return to our herd. And those of you who are around can enjoy our dancing gait as we trot back home. It would be great if I could meet you again. We could dance together at Keibul Lamjao National Park, if you can make it here some time!

The home range of Brow-antlered deer in the park is confined to 15–20 km2 in south–western part of the lake where Phumdis on which the deer thrive are abundant. The Sangai distribution dictated by shelter and availability of food is high near Toyaching, Pabotching and Yang Kokchambi area.

A census conducted by the wildlife wing of the Forest Department in 1975, 1990, 2000 and 2003 has shown that the Eld's Deer (Sangai) population were 14, 76, 162 and 180 respectively. The 2003 survey of 180 deer comprised 65 stags, 74 hinds and 41 fawns. This shows that the subspecies in Manipur is on the rise. But the annual growth rate is within the danger of extinction. A successful captive breeding programme is underway in various Zoos of the country including the National Zoological Park, Delhi and Alipore Zoological Gardens, Kolkata and as many as 127 Sangai have been counted as on March 2004 (Central Zoo Authority, India).

Conservation Strategies for Manipur Sangai

Research on population dynamics, habitat relationship, food habit, breeding behaviours and conservation of Sangai should be intensely conducted with strong initiatives from the Government and general public. Results from those studies should have the contribution to the management and conservation of the deer. As are done in the Kenyan Wildlife Conservation, a Data base record may be maintained for each of our Sangai. More number of ex-situ conservation centers should be established. The present Sangai second home established in Langol RF need to be improved for a satisfactory condition.

A success history of Datian Nature Reserve (DNR) in China where C eldi siamensis is conserved may be remembered. There were 26 deer only during 1976 but number have increased upto 1000 individuals in 2003 under the protection of enclosure building along the boundary of DNR. Moreover, an off-site conservation approach for the deer was launched since 1990. The other method they used were information relating to the historical and present distribution and status of Hainan Eld's deer was collected and compared with this species in its original distribution area for many years.

They classified the living condition of the off-site populations into three classes according to their food resources:
(1) captivity (Deer were in an enclosure, and their food was wholly provided by keepers),
(2) semi-captivity (Deer were in an enclosure where they could feed on their natural foods or pasture, but supplemented by small quantities of food, such as sweet potatoes), and
(3) natural state (Deer ranged freely and fed entirely on their natural food).

The annual growth rate, r, was calculated as r=[(Nt/N0)1/t]* 100%, where N0 = initial population size; Nt= the population size at time t (Caughley 1977). Whatever they found out was applied for the betterment of the Eld's deer. Chinese authority also included Hainan Eld's deer as a rare and endangered animal and listed as a rank I key species of national protection under the Wild Animal Protection Law. For our Sangai, also we need to rank the animal on a special category with a firm determination to save the animal from both Government and general public.

In order to assess the present status of Sangai, we should conduct an updated nationwide data survey for both on-site and ex-situ populations. Number of staffs enforcing to protect the Sangai need to be increased with new appointments. In addition, historical information about the deer should be presented.

In a research work of radio-collared for 11 Stags and 8 Hinds of Rucervus eldi thamin, which is closely related with our Rucervus eldi eldi, Scientist, Christen Wemmer revealed the following facts that—

1. Its life cycle was well tuned the seasonal rhythm of its environment.
2. An average group size of 5 deer per 3.2 sq. km (mother with young) appeared to be the basic Social unit.
3. Males were Velvet when they were bachelor groups.
4. After new grass sprouts in the ashes of February and March fires they gathered to graze on tendered shoots.
5. Males move through the herds seeking receptive Females.
6. February and April are the months of Rut.
7. Males with their newly hardened antlers were in a state of anorexia and sexual obsession during this period.
8. They operated in a specific home range of about 7.0 to 9.1 sq. km.
9. When food was short some animals migrated into farmlands for a few days before returning to the Park and during day they hid in small patches of degraded forests and during the night they forayed into the cropland.