KAZINAG NATIONAL PARK
Source: Frontline
LOCATION:
Kazinag(Kajang) or Qazinag National park is present in Baramulla district, Jammu and Kashmir. It is in the northern region of Kashmir, on the banks of the Jhelum river. The area of this national park is 160 sq.km.
Kazinag(Kajinag) national park is home for -
- Markhor-elusive goat with spiralling horns.
- Birds like Flamboyant Khalij Pheasant, the national bird of Jammu and Kashmir.
- Musk deer
- Himalayan Goral
- Himalayan black and brown bear
- Yellow-throated marten.
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The Markhor features in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) red list of threatened species.
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DISTRIBUTION OF MARKHOR-
- Spotting the markhor would not be an easy task.
- It is a shy animal with an acute sense of hearing and will swiftly disappear into the wilderness.
- In India, its habitat is restricted to the Hindu Kush-Himalayan mountain range i
- In Kashmir, the global population of the markhor is spread across Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikstan.
- The markhor has a brown coat, which is smooth in summer and turns thick in winter.
- Its horns are called flared horns.
- It is a sure-footed animal of incredible speed and can scale the mountains up to a height of 12,000feet in summer.
- The markhor population is in the Jammu and Kashmir is around 450 and the global population is 2500.
Kazinag National park includes migratory species of birds and flamboyant pheasants. There are five varieties of pheasants - the khalij pheasant, the western tragopan, the Himalayan monal, the koklass pheasant and the cheer pheasant. Jammu Kashmir is home to nearly 400 species of birds.
Kashmir Markhor Recovery Project-
The markhor, an endangered species, is protected by the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Protection Act, 1978.
Launched in 2010, the project is underway, although it may take a few more years for a significant breakthrough, as markhor sites and protected areas lack the infrastructure.
The Kazinag national park and the other three wildlife sanctuaries, Limber, Lachipora and Hirpora have a better markhor population.
The threats to the markhor population are greatly reduced.
The forest department strictly implements anti-poaching measures.
Under Fire-
The markhors have been caught in the military crossfire at the India-Pakistan border. The border disputes and exchanges of fire have caused serious setbacks to the animal's grazing range. The fate of the markhor was under fire.
Precarious Status-
The survey revealed that the markhor's range had shrunk from 300 square kilometres in the 1940s to 120 square kilometres in 2004.
The survey confirmed that large parts of Kazinag had the potential for the long-term survival of markhors.
The state of Jammu Kashmir prioritised markhor conservation along with Hangul stag.
Insurgency related effects, poaching, large scale developmental activities like building roads, establishing electric lines and overgrazing by cattle were threats to markhor conservation.
Militants of India and Pakistan have poached markhor.
BIRDS OF KASHMIR-
Some of the important spots for exploring birds in Kashmir are
- Dachigam national park
- Budgam
- Wular lake
- Dal lake
- Hokersar
- Sonamarg
- Pahalgam.
The Khalij pheasant is a mid-sized dark pheasant with a long, thin, recumbent crest, striking red facial skin and arched rooster like tail. It has a glaring bluish-black head and mantle wings. It has a high-pitched squeal, strained purring notes and harsh clucks and chuckles.
The metallic blue Himalayan Monal is another attraction. It has a fine dark crest and blue eye patches.
The Koklass pheasant and the cheer pheasant are also commonly spotted.
Other avian attractions of Kajinag include nuthatches, orange bullfinch, tawny owl and the Tibetan blackbird.
