Important Species of India - Antelopes and Deers

The Chinkara or Indian Gazelle (Gazella gazelle) :

The Chinkara

• The Chinkara is a gazelle found in India. 
• It is listed as Least Concern by IUCN.

Distribution : 

• It is found in grassland and desert habitats.

Threats : 

• The population of chinkaras is in sharp decline due to hunting for game.

The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra)

The blackbuck

• The blackbuck is an antelope species native to the Indian Subcontinent. 
• It is the only true antelope found in india. 
• It has been classified as near threatened by IUCN.

Distribution : 

• the blackbuck population is confined to areas in Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with a few small pockets in central India.

Threats : 

• The main threats to the blackbuck species are poaching, predation, habitat destruction, overgrazing, diseases, inbreeding.

The four-horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis), or chousingha :

chousingha

• The Chousingha is a species of small antelope found in open forest in India.
• The unique feature of four-horned antelope is that they possess four permanent horns. 
• It is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

Distribution : 

• It is found all over India except Northeast and extreme north.

Threats : 

• The four-horned antelope is threatened by loss of its natural habitat to agricultural land. 
• The unique four-horned skull has been a popular target for trophy hunters.

The Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) :

The Nilgai

• The Nilgai is the largest Asian antelope. 
• It is one of the most commonly seen wild animal in wild life sanctuaries. 
• The word nilgai literally means "blue cow". 
• It is classified as Least concern by IUCN.

Distribution : 

• It is found throughout most of India.

Threats : 

• It is threatened by loss of habitat due to human population growth. 
• The Nilgai have been declared as vermin in some places of northern India, and they may be legally hunted after obtaining a permit.

Deer Species

The Swamp Deer or the Barasingha (Cervus duvauceli) :

Barasingha

• The barasingha is a deer species currently found in isolated localities in northern and central India. 
• The most striking feature of a barasingha is its antlers, with 10 to 14 tines on a mature stag.

Distribution : 

• In the Terai, they mainly live in marshland. In central India, they live in grasslands in the proximity of forests. 
• In northeastern India, the surviving animals are found in Assam.

Threats : 

• Hunting, poaching and, more important, diversion of the bulk of grassland to agriculture.

The Sambar (Cervus unicolor) :

The Sambar

• The Sambar deer is a large deer native to southern and southeast Asia. 
• It is listed as vulnerable by IUCN. 
• They are a favourite prey item for tigers and Asiatic lions.

Distribution : 

• They can be found throughout India.

Threats :   

• Hunting, poaching and habitat loss.

The Chital or the Spotted Deer (Axis axis) : 

The Chital

• The spotted deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions. 
• It has ben observed that the chital deer and troops of Langur (Presbytis entellus) help each other by using alarm calls when a predator is spotted.

Distribution : 

• It is the most common deer species in Indian forests.

Threats : 

• Hunting and competition with domestic livestock.

Hangul or the Kashmir Stag (Cervus elaphus hanglu) : 

• The Hangul is a subspecies of Red Deer native to India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir where it is the state animal. 
• Kashmir Stag is listed as critically endangered by IUCN as population is counted 160 mature individuals in 2008 census. 

Distribution : 

• They are now found within the Dachigam National Park located on the outskirts of Srinagar.

Threats : 

• Habitat destruction, over-grazing by domestic livestock, and poaching.

The Thamin or Brow-Antlered Deer (Cervus eldi) or Sangai or the Manipuri brow-antlered deer : 

Sangai

• The Sengai is found in Manipur, India. 
• It is called sangai in Manipuri language.

Distribution :  

• Manipur.

Threats : 

• Limitd habitat, poaching, cultivation, fish farming.

Difference between Antelope and Deer :

The male deer of all species grow and shed new antlers each year, unlike antelopes which have permanent horns.

Other Deer Species : 

The Hog Deer (Axis porcinus)
The Muntjac or the Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak)

 References :
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/
2. http://www.wildlifeindia.co.uk/wildlife-species-india/index.html