The
Barasingha or
Barasinga (
Rucervus duvaucelii) is a
species of
deer, native to
India,
Pakistan and
Nepal. In
Assam in the
North-East India,
barasingha is traditionally known as
dolhorina, similar to its English name (
swamp deer) as
dol in
Assamese means swamp. In Central India it is called
goinjak (stags) or
gaoni (hinds). The most striking feature of a
barasingha is its
antlers, with 10-14 tines on a mature
stag, though some have been known to have up to 20. The name is derived from this and means
12 tined or horned in Hindi.
The binomial commemorates the French naturalist Alfred Duvaucel.
Description and ecology
Two geographic races were earlier recognized. The nominate
duvauceli which is swamp-dwelling and found in the Terai of
Uttar Pradesh, Assam and in the
Sunderbans. This race has splayed hooves that help in moving on the soft ground and has a larger skull. The race
branderi (named after A. A. Dunbar Brander) is found on hard ground in Central India, chiefly in
Madhya Pradesh. This race is considered the most threatened of the three.
A stag may stand 132cm (52 in) at the shoulder and weigh 170-180kg (375-400 lb). Average antlers may measure 75 cm (30 in) round the curve with a girth of 13cm (5 in) at mid beam. A record antler measured 104.1 cm (41 in) round the curve. They give birth to a single calf. Captive specimens live up to 23 years.
In central India, the herds are mixed with twice as many females as males. The herds were on average about 8-20 in size with large herds of up to 60. During the rut they form large herds of adults.
Hunting, poaching and, more important, diversion of the bulk of grassland to agriculture, are considered the main causes of their reduced numbers. Tall grass is not only their food but also provides security for young fawns during the breeding season.
George Schaller wrote in The Deer and The Tiger, "Most of these remnants have or soon will have reached the point of no return." The warning, however, was heeded in time. Concerted efforts at saving this species from extinction were made and have now borne fruit. Today, their count has crossed the five hundred mark.
Introduced populations
Along with Indian
Blackbuck,
Nilgai and many other
exotic deer and
antelope from
Africa, there are also Barasingha living wild in hunting ranches in
Texas.
Barasinghas were brought to USA almost 100 years ago for sport hunting. Hunters for whom bagging a
stag with huge
antlers with as many points as possible is a novelty, pay about $4000 as trophy fees for hunting a Barasingha, 10% of which is supposed to go back to
India to preserve it and its habitat in its true home range where it is close to extinction. It is US Government policy now that 10% of trophy fees for hunting an exotic species found on hunting ranches in USA should be sent back for the preservation of that species and its original habitat.
Cultural references
Rudyard Kipling in
The Second Jungle Book featured a
barasingha in the chapter "The Miracle of Purun Bhagat" by the name of "barasingh." It befriends Purun Bhagat because the man rubs the stag's velvet off his horns. Purun Bhagat then gives the
barasinga nights in the shrine he is staying at with his warm fire, along with a few fresh chestnuts every now and then. Later as pay, the stag warns Purun Bhagat and his town about how the mountain they live on is crumbling.
References
M. Acharya, M. Barad, S.Bhalani, P. Bilgi, M.Panchal, V.Shrimali, W. Solanki, D.M. Thumber. Kanha Chronicle, Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad in collaboration with the United States National Park Service.
External links
Animal Info: Barasingha
Category:Megafauna of Eurasia
Category:Mammals of South Asia
Category:Mammals of Nepal
Category:Mammals of India
Category:Mammals of Bangladesh
Category:Animals described in 1823
