Ladakh sets up Pashmina goat kid havens for harsh winter

Kargil, Jan 8: In a significant step towards saving the high-value Pashmina goat kids during winter from extreme weather conditions, the Lieutenant Governor’s administration of Ladakh Union Territory has set up the Pashmina goat kid pens in several areas of Ladakh.

“These Pashmina goat kid pens installed by the Department of Sheep Husbandry, Leh under the Vibrant Village programme would benefit the people of villages of Korzok, Kharnak, Koyul, Demjok, Dungti, Hanle, Durbuk and Rongo,” officials said.

These Pashmina goat kid pens have been designed based on the modifications made to the traditional enclosure to make it more durable, help withstand attacks from wild animals and trap heat from the sun to prevent mortality in winter months.

The structure of these pens is covered with a double-layered poly-carbonated sheet to trap heat from the sun.

These have been installed around 2 feet deep into the ground and 1 foot of the structure would be left open for ventilation.

As these Pashmina goat kids pens have now been installed, the administration hopes to reduce the mortality of Pashmina goat kids in the winter, especially when the temperature drops below zero degrees.

An official said that the Pashmina goat kids pens have been installed by the Department of Sheep Husbandry, Leh, under the Vibrant Village programme.

The Vibrant Village programme aims to create a more sustainable and resilient environment for livestock rearers in the region, particularly during the challenging winter season.

Officials said that two months after Lieutenant Governor, Brigadier B D Mishra flagged off these for their distribution among the livestock rearers in the region, the Ladakh administration has installed 448 kid pens in the Nyoma subdivision of Ladakh, marking a significant step in the region’s quest for minimising the death of young animals during the harsh period of the winter season.

Officials said that the LG Ladakh has reiterated that there should be zero mortality of Pashmina goat kids in the winter.

Instructing the concerned officials to ensure that there is zero mortality of Pashmina goat kids in the winter, the LG said that these pens should be distributed equally among the nomads transparently.

Notably, the Changthang area of Ladakh has an estimated population of about 2.20 lakh Pashmina goats that provide high-quality fibre.

The Pashmina goat is exotic and is only found 15,000 feet above sea level in Ladakh.

Around 45 tonnes of Pashmina wool are produced in Ladakh annually.