Barasingha or Swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii)
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 grasslands in the proximity of forests. In northeastern India, the surviving animals are found in Assam.[4] The Swamp deer's main concentration in Assam is in Kaziranga National Park with a few survivors in Manas National Park.[5][6][7] 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.[3] The race in Assam was subsequently assigned to a new race ranjitsinhi after M. K. Ranjitsinh.[9] 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.
Size: 4394px × 2929px
Location: Port Lympne Safari Park & Zoo
Photo credit: © Pete Reynolds / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: barasingha, deer, detail, duvaucelii, eyes, face, grass, laying, rucervus, swamp
