Barasingha

Introduction

The Barasingha, also known as the Swamp Deer, is a type of deer that lives in the Indian subcontinent. This is a big area that includes many countries. In northern and central India, the populations of Barasingha are fragmented. There are also two groups that live all by themselves in southwestern Nepal. Sadly, there are no more Barasingha in Pakistan and Bangladesh and uncertain if there are any in Bhutan. The name “Barasingha” comes from a language called Hindi, and it means “twelve ends.”

Physical Characteristics

The Barasingha is a big deer with a shoulder height 44 to 46 inches (110 to 120 cm). The length from its head to its body is almost 6 feet (180 cm). Here are some key physical features:

• Woolly and yellowish-brown hair above, paler below
• White spots along the spine
• White throat, belly, inside of the thighs, and beneath the tail
• Antlers usually have 12 tines, but can have up to 20 in some

Distribution and Habitat

They like flat grasslands, floodplains, marshes, and the edges of forests. Sometimes, they’re also found in open forests.

In Nepal, they are found in the western part of the country, below the big Himalayan mountains, in places called Shuklaphanta and Bardiya National Parks.

In India, they live in six places in Uttar Pradesh and in a park called Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh. They’ve also been seen in Chhattisgarh, near a place called Dhamtari. This is probably the farthest south people can find them. Sadly, there are no more Barasingha in West Bengal, and they’re probably gone from Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Odisha too. Some Barasingha are still living in Assam’s Kaziranga and Manas National Parks.

Unique Behavior

Barasinghas are very social animals. They like to gather into single-sex herds of 10 – 20 individuals, and usually, all the deer in one group are about the same age. Sometimes, you might see groups with different sex and ages. These groups are usually led by one female deer, but not dominant.

The Barasingha has a loud call that sounds like a bark, which they use to warn others when there’s danger. This call is a lot like the sound a Roe Deer makes. In the winter, they form big groups, but in the summer, these groups break up into smaller ones, usually made up of female deer and their babies.

Reproduction

Barasinghas are polygynous. The dominant male, or stag, make a group of up to thirty female deer or hinds to mate, known as harem. Male has to fight with other males to be in the harem and to mate. Around mid-October, the herds start to split up and the males create wallows. Male Barasingha wallow by urinating and defecating in muddy pools and then roll, coating themselves in scent. The Gestation of female Barasingha is about 240 to 250 days. Usually, it has one calves, but sometimes it might have two.

Diet

Barasinghas are herbivores, they love to eat leaves and grass.

Threats and Conservation

The Barasingha is considered a vulnerable species. Their distribution has been reduced and fragmented due to unregulated hunting and conversion of large tracts of habitat into cropland. Poaching for antlers and meat, which are sold in local markets, is also a significant threat. However, successful breeding programs and conservation practices at Kanha National Park have helped bring the animals back from the brink. Conservation Force expanded its Barasingha Project in India to cover the remaining populations. They are now providing most of the conservation and support for nearly all of these endangered deer in India.

References:

1. Wikipedia
2. World Deer
3. Animalia Bio
4. All About Deer
5. Animal Diversity
6. Down to Earth