 The Indian Swamp Deer, known scientifically as Rucervus duvaucelii, is commonly referred to as barasingha or sometimes barasinghe. In Assamese, it is called dolhorina, with "dol" translating to swamp. This species of deer is native to the Indian subcontinent, with its populations being fragmented across northern and central India, and two isolated groups found in southwestern Nepal. The swamp deer is unique among Indian deer species due to its antlers, which have more than three tines. This distinct characteristic has led to its name "barah-singga," meaning "twelve-horned" in Hindi. Mature males typically have antlers with 10 to 14 tines, although some individuals have been recorded with up to 20 tines.
Physical Characteristics of Indian Swamp Deer The barasingha is a large deer species, exhibiting a shoulder height ranging from 44 to 46 inches and a head-to-body length approaching six feet. The deer’s hair is woolly and yellowish-brown on the upper body, while the lower parts are paler, featuring white spots along the spine. The throat, belly, inner thighs, and area beneath the tail are white. During the summer, the coat turns a bright rufous-brown. Additionally, the neck is maned. Females display a paler coloration compared to males, and juveniles are marked with spots. The average length of antlers is approximately 30 inches along the curve, with a mid-beam girth of five inches. The largest recorded antler measured 104.1 cm along the curve. Male barasinghas weigh between 170 to 280 kg, while females are lighter, typically weighing between 130 to 145 kg. Larger males have been documented to weigh between 210 to 260 kg. Distribution in India Swamp deer were once widespread in various regions, including parts of the Upper Narmada Valley and southern areas such as Bastar, prior to the 19th century. They typically inhabit flat or gently rolling grasslands, floodplains, and marshes, often remaining on the periphery of forests. Occasionally, they can also be found in open forest areas. Being almost exclusively grazers and preferring the vicinity of water, swamp deer are found principally on grasslands near rivers, a habitat which has been almost completely converted to agriculture. The finest remaining deer populations are found in the Sukla Phanta reserve in Nepal, the Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh and the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, all three supporting a total of about three thousand animals. These northern deer are considered to be a different subspecies (Cervus duvauceli duvauceli) from the ones in central India, where a viable population of about three hundred survives only in Kanha National Park. Habitat of Indian Swamp Deer Swamp Deer are social animals; as many as nine hundred having been seen together, except that stags frequently wander alone and females become solitary when fawning. At the time of rut many may congregate at a favourite meadow. The time of rut varies, reaching a November peak in Nepal and a January one in central India. Several distinctive behaviour patterns are associated with the rut. At dawn and dusk, stags bugle, a mournful tow-toned note, repeated ten or more times. Stags also wallow in muddy depressions. Many stags use the same wallow whose location is traditional year after year. A Swamp Deer stag does not collect a harem of females. Instead, many stags gather near the females and establish a rank order among them. The dominant stag has priority to an estrous female. Both intimidation and direct aggression are used to achieve or maintain rank. A stag may approach another with a stiff gait, his muzzle raised high, making himself impressive. Or he may lower his antlers and spar. Such fights are seldom serious, the animals merely testing strength or reasserting themselves. True dominance battles are violent affairs, antlers clashing and sod flying. After the rut, stags drop their antlers, beginning to do so in March in northern India and in May in central India. After a gestation period of two hundred and forty to two hundred and fifty days, females have a single young. Females have their first young at the age of three years and one young per year thereafter. Swamp deer primarily consume grasses and aquatic plants, with a diet that includes species such as Saccharum, Imperata cylindrica, Narenga porphyrocoma, Phragmites karka, Oryza rufipogon, Hygroryza, and Hydrilla. They graze throughout the day, with peak feeding periods occurring in the mornings and from late afternoons to evenings. During the winter and monsoon seasons, they typically drink water twice daily, increasing to three or more times in the summer. In the hot season, they seek shade to rest during the day. When threatened, swamp deer emit sharp, baying alarm calls. In comparison to other deer species, barasingha exhibit a more relaxed approach to vigilance. They have fewer sentinels and devote the majority of their time to grazing, unlike species such as the spotted deer or sambar deer. Threats and Conservation Swamp deer populations outside protected areas, as well as those that migrate seasonally, face significant threats from poaching for their antlers and meat, which are sold in local markets. The species has lost much of its former range due to the conversion of wetlands for agricultural purposes, resulting in the reduction of suitable habitats to small, isolated fragments. Even within protected areas, their remaining habitat is jeopardized by changes in river dynamics, reduced water flow during the summer, increased siltation, and degradation caused by local communities who harvest grass, timber, and fuelwood. Additionally, illegal farming on government land exacerbates the problem. In India, the swamp deer is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. |
| |||
Indian Swamp Deer
| The Indian swamp deer, or barasingha, is a majestic deer species native to India. Known for its impressive antlers with up to twelve points, it inhabits marshes and grasslands. Once endangered, conservation efforts have helped stabilize its population in India. |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
