Dachigam Calling

Home to numerous wildlife species, Dachigam National Park in Srinagar has recently achieved a feat for conservation measures, but more needs to be done!

During a survey conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dachigam National Park achieved a remarkably high score of 92.97% in Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE). Dachigam has emerged as the highest-scoring individual Protected Area among 438 protected areas assessed across the country. A feat well achieved for conservation measures from 2020-22, but this has to sustain for protection and survival of wildlife.

Spread over 141 sq. km in the Zabarwan mountain range. Dachigam is home to the last viable population of the critically endangered Hangul and one of the largest Asiatic black bears. From 1910 to 1947, Dachigam National park was a game reserve of the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. For this purpose, 10 villages were relocated. Thus Dachigam, meaning 10 villages, got its name. After 1947, subsequently the park’s management was handed over to the Department of Hospitality and Protocol, Fisheries Department, Directorate of Game Preservation and finally to the Forest Department. It was designated as a National Park in 1981.

Dachigam stream, which is fed by a network of alpine lakes and glaciers, is a major source of drinking water for Srinagar city. The stream also feeds Dal Lake with fresh lease of waters.

There are many factors which are detrimental for Dachigam National Park. The increasing human activities in the park hamper the movement of wild animals. The grazing in its alpine pastures pose threat to wild animals especially Hangul. Besides, the park is prone to wildfires in summer posing a risk to the habitat of the wild animals. Movement of vehicles to Draphama has been resulting in road kills especially of Himalayan Grey Langur.

Frequent blasting for extraction of raw material for cement factories in the northern side of Dachigam disturbs the wild animals.

A study conducted under the National Mission for Himalayan Studies in 2023 reveals that Dachigam has lost nearly 8 percent forest cover. The study states that the changes are indicative of fragmentation of natural habitats with direct bearing on Dachigam’s biodiversity. It notes that the pastures and shrub-lands will grow by 48% and 37% respectively while the forest cover is not expected to change much by the end of this century.

What makes conservation of Dachigam more significant is that it is the last bastion of critically endangered Hangul (Cervus hanglu hanglu) or Kashmiri stag. Hangul is famed for its magnificent antlers with 11 to 16 points, it was once widely distributed in the mountains of Kashmir. During the early 20th century their number was believed to be about 3000 to 5000. Kashmir’s ‘shikar map’ prepared by Maharaja Hari Singh depicts distribution of Hangul in a radius of 40 km spreading from Keran in Kishenganga catchments over to Dorus in Lolab Valley, catchments in Bandipora, Tulail, Baltal, Aru, Tral and Kishtwar. In view of its importance, Hangul enjoys the status of Union Territory animal of Jammu and Kashmir. It was the State animal in the erstwhile J&K state. The species is under threat based on the vulnerability of population with regard to viability and structure, dwindling population, and habitat vulnerability.

Hangul is a critically-endangered species as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of IUCN, Red List Data, a Schedule I Specie in Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Studies have revealed that despite availability of ideal summer habitats for the Hangul in upper Dachigam, these alpine meadow habitats are not being explored or used by Hangul possibly due to the anthropogenic pressure owing to livestock grazing.

Results of satellite collaring of Hangul spearheaded by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science (SKUAST-K) has providing valuable information on the Hangul movement ecology, seasonal Hangul home ranges, movement patterns, and migration and in identifying and validating important stop-over sites of migration, movement corridors, and barriers to migration of Hangul in and outside Dachigam National Park.

Based on the findings, experts from SKUAST-K and the Wildlife Department have recommended several measures and management interventions towards expansion of the Range of Hangul to alpine meadows of Upper Dachigam and potential corridor areas outside Dachigam National Park. It must be noted that research has proven that summer habitats are being used by Hangul to ensure gene flow between the Dachigam and adjoining range populations.

Experts recommend that the identified corridor areas in Sindh Forest Division need to be delineated and brought into Protected Area Network as part of the Greater Dachigam landscape to ensure effective protection and surveillance. There must be immediate effective corridor management interventions for the long-term survival of the species and its corridor habitats in the landscape.

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has recommended slew of measures for conservation of Dachigam. It includes making the Hangul Conservation Breeding Centre fully functional, phasing out the animal rescue center, improving coordination with police, revenue, and territorial administrations, enhancing staff amenities and capacities, creating a Greater Dachigam Landscape by adding Hangul corridors in Protected Areas and nearby habitats, promoting eco-tourism, and extending road connectivity from Pehlipora.

Dachigam National Park must be treated as an eco-sensitive zone. There is a need for sustained scientific measures for the park’s habitat management for free movement of wild animals. We must strive to protect Dachigam which has immense ecological and geomorphological significance. Let the wild animals thrive, let’s make Dachigam a gene pool, a model for conservation of wildlife.

 The author is Executive Editor, Greater Kashmir