Antlers of Sangai, carcasses of others found
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 24 2009: A partially burnt antler of the rare Sangai and carcasses of other animals were found by Forest Department officials at Keibul Lamjao National Park today morning.

It is however not yet clear whether any Sangai was killed for the rare Sangai is known to shed its antler every year after the mating season.

The mating season is at its fag end, said Dr Kh Shamungou and expert on the Sangai, when contacted by The Sangai Express.

An antler of Sangai found and Forum members leading the inpection team at the Park

With the Army calling off Operation Storm, launched at Loktak lake this month to flush out militants holed up there, Forest officials are now free to venture out to the park and inspect it and incidentally this is the second time that carcasses of animals have been found in the park.

The Operation was launched in the wee hours of April 12 and it was called off on April 20, leading to wide spread apprehension that the Sangai may have adversely affected in the gun fights between the militants and the security forces.

With the Army calling off the operation, Forest officials who ventured into the park on April 21 came across the carcass of an animal, though it is yet to be confirmed whether the highly decomposed remains belonged to a Sangai or not.

The carcass was found Ungamen Pat which comes under the Keibul Lamjao Park.

The antler and the carcass were discovered during an inspection of the Park jointly conducted by the Environmental Social Reformation and Sangai Protection Forum, a conglomeration of 27 local clubs and officials of the Forest Department today.

A Forest Beat Officer who led the team said that burnt antler of the Sangai as well as the horn of a Hog Deer were found during the inspection today morning.

During the course of the inspection tour, the team also came across the decomposed remains of Hog Deer caught in a trap at a place called Uphulhoubi.

The trap was made from the clutch wire of a two wheeler vehicle.

The animal may have been trapped about 10 days back, said the inspection team.

The Beat Officer further disclosed that they came across the skeletal remains of a Snake bird (Ushai in the local parlance) at a place known as Yangkhokchabi.

Chairman of the Sangai Protection Forum Budhi said, "We came across two live Sangais during the inspection but it would be difficult to cover the entire length and breadth of the Park".

During the tour of the park the team also came across some half burnt camp suspected to have been used by the militants, informed the members of the Forum.

The members saw utensils, LPG cylinders and electronic items as the camp.

As per the latest census of the Sangai, the strength of the rare species at the Park was 180 .