Sambar deer recorded at high altitudes in Chamba for the first time

Key facts

• The Wildlife Wing of the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department recorded the presence of sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) in high-altitude areas of Chamba district through camera traps.
• The species was documented in the Kalatop-Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary and Gamgul Wildlife Sanctuary, which are situated at elevations exceeding 2,500 metres and 3,000 metres respectively.
• The finding has been published in the February quarterly edition of the Records of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
• The sambar deer is the largest deer species in South Asia and is listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
• The species is protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• The Kalatop-Khajjiar landscape now hosts three different deer species: sambar deer, musk deer, and barking deer.
• Chamba district contains nearly 985 sq km of protected forest area, including the Kugti, Tundah, and Sechu Tuan Nala wildlife sanctuaries.