Sangai Critically Endangered

A thousand years ago!
When the world was kinder and nobler
Than it ever was!
When love and romance echoed through the ages,
And when it was closer to the truth than ever before
With man and nature mingled in unison,
Thou were born, Oh! Dear Sangai.
The mind that hath conceived thee into what thou art,
Of grace, meekness, innocence and splendor,
Of the gentle noble soul of the wild world,
And a loving tender pride;
The hands that curved thy majestic antlers
And shaped thee into eternal beauty!
May praises be His! For His ingenuity!
Bliss was it in that wild of Siam and Shan,
Frolic was it in that wild,
Trotting thine way
From the Chindwin to the Loktak,
To find a new Haven like Heaven!
And like a flower afloat on the Loktak!
Captivating all that liveth! Oh! Deer Sangai.

L.M. Khaute

Locally known as Sangai, the Manipur Brow- Antlered Deer is one among the three sub-species of Eld’s Deer (first described by Col. Percy Eld) and is the most endangered wild animal in Asia. It is also one of the rarest mammals of the world. All the three sub-species are considered ‘at risk’ but the Manipur Brow- Antlered Deer is perhaps the most endangered of the entire world’s cervids. The endemic Brow-antlered deer as per Red List IUCN 2007 is classified as critically endangered (CR). The scientific name of the Manipur Brow-antlered deer is Cervus eldi eldi (McClelland) but the Sangai deer is known by other names such as the Brow-antlered Deer, Eld’s Deer, Thamin Deer, and it is even called the Dancing Deer. The name Sangai broken down to the base of the word can be literally read as ‘Sa’ meaning animal and ‘Nga’ meaning waiting while looking on, thus collectively translating to animal waiting for you. The Sangai deer has a unique habit of breaking its run to turn and wait to glance for any onlookers or passerbys. The Brow-Antlered Deer is nearly 4 feet high and is considered a medium-sized deer, with uniquely distinctive antlers measuring 100-110 cm. in length which are exceptionally long, easily noticeable brow tine and which are peculiar in having a continuous arc from highly developed brow tine without the angular junction displaying a graceful curve which give the Sangai some of the most fascinating features when compared to other deer. This is perhaps the reason for it also being called a Brow-Antlered Deer. However, the hind has no antlers and is comparatively smaller in size while the stags bear a darker color and shorter tail.
The habitat of the Sangai is restricted to Keibul Lamjao National Park of Manipur which is the only floating national park in the world. The Sangai habitation is equally unique as it consists of mats of vegetation or floating biomass (locally known as Phumdi in the Manipuri language) floating on the water surface of the biggest natural fresh water lake in the North-Eastern part of India, Loktak. The Phumdi along with small hillocks and a thin strip of land was given the legal status of a National Park in 1977 and is named ‘Keibul Lamjao National Park’. The Sangai are shy creatures which prefer the cover of scrub jungle, undulating land, hills and marshy area. They feed on a variety of water plants, tree leaves and fruits available in their vicinity.
The destruction of their habitat is the foremost reason for the plight of the Sangai today. Destruction of their habitat by continuous inundation and flooding by way of the rise of the water level due to the artificial reservoir of the Loktak hydroelectric power project and rampant poaching pose a constant threat to the Sangai deer. The impact of human activities such as fishing, poaching and grazing in the vicinity compounds the threat to habitat stability. The population of the Sangai has been decreasing alarmingly over the years. The existing population appears to be below the assumed potential carrying capacity. Therefore, in view of this diminishing threat, improved methods of protection and enhancing their habitat quality should be the top priority of efforts to save the Sangai. The plight of the Sangai is not widely known but all animal lovers around the world would have something to say if the imminent danger of Sangai extinction was brought to their notice. As former U.S President John F Kennedy once said, “It is our task in our time and in our generation, to hand down undiminished to those who come after us…the natural wealth and beauty which is ours.” Creating awareness about the imminent danger of Brow-antlered Deer extinction must be at large a constant concern and a wake-up call for all concerned citizens. Constituting better concerted actions than ever before to save the Sangai is the need of the hour. Lastly, for those eager to know more about the Sangai, I strongly suggest going through the pages of a book entitled The Sangai: The Pride of Manipur which provides a substantial narrative description of the Sangai.