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BARASINGHA/SWAMP
DEER (RUCERVUS DUVAUCELII)
THE BARASINGHA,
SCIENTIFICALLY KNOWN AS RUCERVUS DUVAUCELII AND COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE
SWAMP DEER, IS A MAGNIFICENT DEER SPECIES THAT HOLDS CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL
SIGNIFICANCE. HERE ARE THE FULL DETAILS ABOUT THE BARASINGHA:
DESCRIPTION: THE BARASINGHA IS A LARGE DEER SPECIES WITH SEXUAL
DIMORPHISM. ADULT MALES, KNOWN AS STAGS, ARE LARGER THAN FEMALES, KNOWN AS
HINDS. STAGS CAN REACH A SHOULDER HEIGHT OF ABOUT 130-150 CENTIMETERS (51-59
INCHES) AND WEIGH BETWEEN 150 AND 280 KILOGRAMS (330-617 POUNDS), WHILE HINDS
ARE SLIGHTLY SMALLER. THE MOST STRIKING FEATURE OF THE BARASINGHA IS THE
ANTLERS OF THE MALES. "BARASINGHA" MEANS "TWELVE-HORNED" IN
HINDI, REFERRING TO THE IMPRESSIVE TWELVE-TINED ANTLERS THAT ADULT STAGS
POSSESS. THE ANTLERS ARE COMPLEX, WITH MULTIPLE BRANCHES. THE COAT COLOR VARIES
FROM LIGHT BROWN TO REDDISH-BROWN, AND DURING THE WINTER SEASON, IT BECOMES
DARKER AND SHAGGIER.
DISTRIBUTION: HISTORICALLY, BARASINGHAS HAD WIDESPREAD DISTRIBUTION
ACROSS THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT. HOWEVER, DUE TO HABITAT LOSS AND HUMAN
ENCROACHMENT, THEIR RANGE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED. TODAY, THEY ARE
PRIMARILY FOUND IN A FEW ISOLATED POPULATIONS IN INDIA AND NEPAL. IN INDIA,
THEIR RANGE EXTENDS ACROSS THE STATES OF UTTAR PRADESH, MADHYA PRADESH, ASSAM,
AND PARTS OF BIHAR, WEST BENGAL, AND RAJASTHAN. IN NEPAL, THEY ARE FOUND IN THE
TERAI GRASSLANDS.
HABITAT: THE BARASINGHA IS WELL-ADAPTED TO WETLAND HABITATS
AND IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE SWAMP DEER. THEY PREFER FLOODPLAIN AREAS,
ALLUVIAL GRASSLANDS, MARSHES, AND SWAMPS. THEY ARE PARTICULARLY ASSOCIATED WITH
TALL GRASSES AND REEDS FOUND IN AND AROUND WATER BODIES. BARASINGHAS HAVE
EVOLVED SPECIALIZED HOOVES THAT ALLOW THEM TO NAVIGATE THROUGH MARSHY TERRAIN.
THEY ARE EXCELLENT SWIMMERS AND ARE CAPABLE OF MOVING THROUGH WATERLOGGED AREAS
WITH EASE. THESE ADAPTATIONS ENABLE THEM TO ACCESS ABUNDANT VEGETATION IN THEIR
HABITAT, INCLUDING GRASSES, AQUATIC PLANTS, AND SHRUBS.
BEHAVIOR: BARASINGHAS ARE PRIMARILY DIURNAL ANIMALS, MEANING
THEY ARE MOST ACTIVE DURING THE DAY. THEY EXHIBIT SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND CAN BE
FOUND IN HERDS RANGING FROM A FEW INDIVIDUALS TO SEVERAL DOZEN. THE HERDS ARE
USUALLY SEGREGATED BY SEX, WITH STAGS FORMING BACHELOR GROUPS AND HINDS
CONGREGATING IN FEMALE GROUPS. THE DOMINANT STAG TYPICALLY LEADS THE HERD AND
DEFENDS HIS TERRITORY DURING THE BREEDING SEASON. BARASINGHAS COMMUNICATE
THROUGH VARIOUS VOCALIZATIONS, INCLUDING BELLOWING, GRUNTING, AND ALARM CALLS.
DURING THE MATING SEASON, STAGS ENGAGE IN DISPLAYS OF DOMINANCE AND
TERRITORIALITY BY ROARING, WALLOWING IN MUD, AND ANTLER WRESTLING.
DIET: BARASINGHAS ARE HERBIVOROUS ANIMALS, AND THEIR DIET
PRIMARILY CONSISTS OF GRASSES, SEDGES, AQUATIC PLANTS, AND VARIOUS OTHER
VEGETATION FOUND IN THEIR WETLAND HABITAT. THEY ARE KNOWN TO GRAZE ON SUBMERGED
AQUATIC PLANTS, MAKING THEM WELL-ADAPTED TO THEIR SWAMPY ENVIRONMENT. DURING
THE DRY SEASON WHEN FOOD RESOURCES BECOME SCARCE, THEY MAY BROWSE ON SHRUBS AND
TREE LEAVES.
REPRODUCTION: THE MATING SEASON, OR RUT, FOR BARASINGHAS, TYPICALLY
OCCURS FROM SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER. DURING THIS TIME, STAGS BECOME HIGHLY ACTIVE
AND COMPETE FOR MATING RIGHTS. THEY ENGAGE IN DISPLAYS OF DOMINANCE, SUCH AS
VOCALIZATIONS AND PHYSICAL CONTESTS WITH RIVAL MALES. ONCE A STAG ESTABLISHES
DOMINANCE, HE SEARCHES FOR RECEPTIVE HINDS WITHIN HIS TERRITORY. MATING OCCURS
WHEN THE STAG MOUNTS THE HIND FROM BEHIND, AND COPULATION TAKES PLACE.
GESTATION AND
BIRTH: THE GESTATION PERIOD FOR
BARASINGHAS LASTS APPROXIMATELY 240-250 DAYS. AFTER SUCCESSFUL MATING, HINDS
GIVE BIRTH TO A SINGLE CALF, RARELY TWINS. THE BIRTH USUALLY OCCURS DURING THE
MONSOON SEASON, FROM JULY TO SEPTEMBER. THE MOTHER FINDS A SECLUDED SPOT,
TYPICALLY IN TALL GRASS OR THICK VEGETATION, TO GIVE BIRTH. THE NEWBORN CALF
CALLED A FAWN, WEIGHS AROUND 7-8 KILOGRAMS (15-18 POUNDS) AT BIRTH. IT HAS A
SPOTTED COAT, WHICH PROVIDES CAMOUFLAGE AND HELPS IT BLEND INTO THE
SURROUNDINGS. THE MOTHER HIDES THE FAWN AND VISITS IT PERIODICALLY TO NURSE AND
GROOM IT.
CONSERVATION
STATUS: THE BARASINGHA IS LISTED
AS VULNERABLE ON THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES. THE PRIMARY THREATS
TO ITS SURVIVAL INCLUDE HABITAT LOSS AND DEGRADATION DUE TO AGRICULTURE, DAM
CONSTRUCTION, AND HUMAN ENCROACHMENT. POACHING AND HUNTING HAVE ALSO
CONTRIBUTED TO POPULATION DECLINES. HOWEVER, CONSERVATION EFFORTS HAVE BEEN
INITIATED TO PROTECT THIS SPECIES AND ITS HABITAT. SEVERAL PROTECTED AREAS,
INCLUDING NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES, HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED TO
SAFEGUARD BARASINGHA POPULATIONS. THESE CONSERVATION INITIATIVES INVOLVE
HABITAT RESTORATION, ANTI-POACHING MEASURES, AND PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS.
THE BARASINGHA IS NOT
ONLY A BEAUTIFUL AND CHARISMATIC SPECIES BUT ALSO PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE
ECOSYSTEMS IT INHABITS. ITS PRESENCE CONTRIBUTES TO THE BIODIVERSITY AND
ECOLOGICAL BALANCE OF WETLAND HABITATS. BY PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE
REMAINING POPULATIONS OF BARASINGHA, WE CAN ENSURE THE SURVIVAL OF THIS
REMARKABLE DEER SPECIES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
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