Fresh Sangai census starts today
Source: The Sangai Express

Bishnupur, March 21 2018: Forest Department Manipur has organised a training programme on 'Pre Census Wild Life Population Estimation 2018' at the Keibul Lamjao National Park today.

The training programme was organised to equip the trainees about the various rules and precautions that needs to be employed for the actual conduction of the wildlife census which will begin from tomorrow (March 22) till March 28.The fresh census will find the latest number of the endangered brow antlered deer Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii) and other wildlife in the park.

About 100 trainees from various institutions- students from Manipur University, DM College of Science, NERIST, officials and members from Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, forest guards and volunteers from various clubs and NGOs participated in the training programme.

Fresh Sangai census starts today

Deputy Conservator of Forest Park and Sanctuary Aran RS, former member of International Union for Conservation of Nature and Deer Specialist Dr Kh Samungou Singh, State Coordinator of India Bird Conservation Network RK Birjit Singh, ACF Park and Sanctuary E Nirmala Chanu spoke at the event as resource persons.

Speaking to the trainees, Dr Kh Samungou said there is chance that the census might disturbed the deers (Sangai).

February and March being the mating months of the Sangai, the census may disturbed the animal and may become a cause for the decline in the number of the animal, he said.

Acknowledging the importance of the census, he appealed the concerned authorities to conduct the census months before the mating season.

December and January would be ideal for the census, he said.

Deputy Conservator of Forest RS Aran said the census which will start from tomorrow will be conducted in 31 locations of the National park using Machans (tree houses) .

Census in Keibul Lamjao National Park will be conducted on March 22, 24 and 26 while census at Yawa Lamjao and Laipham Phumlak will be conducted on 27 and 28, he said.

RS Aran further appealed surrounding villagers to cooperate in the successful conduction of the census.