KAZIRANGA, Feb 19 - The second phase of translocation of Eastern swamp deer to Manas National Park from Kaziranga was completed today with the capturing of seventeen Eastern swamp deer from the central range (Kohora), of Kaziranga National Park.
Out of these, two were male and rest are female, said DFO, Eastern Assam Wildlife Division (Kaziranga), Rohini Saikia at a press meet held at Forest Heritage IB. The total population of eastern swamp deer during 2016 census was 1,148.
Earlier on December 26, 2015 nineteen eastern swamp deer were translocated to Manas National Park and the population had increased to twenty-five as the breeding rate was satisfactory according to the sources.
A team of about eight persons including the official and veterinary experts from the Wildlife Trust of India and forest personnel had been accompanying the trucks carrying the swamp deer towards Manas. The translocation is the part of the joint initiative of ONGC, WTI and State Forest department. The objective of the translocation was to save the swamp deer species from any kind of either natural calamities or epidemic. Secondly the habitat conditions of Manas remained suitable for the eastern swamp deer said DFO, Saikia. So it was better to translocate few deer to Manas for better conservation and improve the gene pool instead of keeping all of them in Kaziranga.
It is noteworthy that eastern swamp deer which is a sub species of Barasingha is available only in Kaziranga and Manas. Sources added that before translocation, the wildlife experts had comprehensively studied the habitat and feasibility status at Manas for eastern swamp deer.
