Umaisar Gull Ganie
Anantnag, Jan 8: A rare and threatened species of Musk Deer was rescued alive in Verinag forest belt of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, wildlife officials said on Wednesday.
A wildlife official said that the Musk Deer, commonly known as ‘Roose Kat’, was found roaming near Verinag Garden, after which it was captured alive by locals.
“The Kashmir Musk Deer (Moschus cupreus), categorized as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), will be taken to Dachigam National Park, a wildlife sanctuary on the outskirts of Srinagar,” the official said.
He said that the Musk Deer is one of the top conservation priority species, facing population decline due to poaching, habitat loss, and climate change. The animal is often hunted for its musk pod, making its survival increasingly difficult.
“It was a rare event for the deer to be found in the Verinag forests,” the official said.
“It was spotted by locals, who informed us. We immediately dispatched a team and rescued the Musk Deer,” Mushtaq Mir, a wildlife in-charge in Dooru, said.
He said the deer had a minor injury and had been given proper treatment. (KNO)
