Barasingha  (Cervus duvaucelii)

The global population of the barasingha has undergone a dramatic decline principally as a result of habitat loss. The fertile floodplains in much of their range have been rapidly developed and drained for agriculture and industrial development. These deer are also seen as a threat to crops and may be persecuted as a result (4).

The barasingha persists in a number of National Parks, including Dudhwa in northern India, Mana Kaziranga in northeastern India and Kanha and Idnravati in central India (5). The species is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which bans international trade in this species (3). It is also protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 (6).