The fresh census is likely to give exact count of the endangered species. The hangul population has seen a drastic reduction over the past two decades. The last hangul census before the onset of militancy put their number at 918 in 1989. Nine years later, in 1998, this dwindled to its lowest tally ever—between 107 and 190. Wildlife officials blame the decrease on poaching and loss of habitat in the decline in the Hangul population

Wildlife Warden Rashid Naqash said the census started on Saturday and will continue for three days. “Volunteers from Wildlife Trust of India, Wildlife SOS, Department of Zoology Kashmir University, Veterinary College of Science (SKUAST), Forestry College Wudora Sopore, and volunteers from Peace (NGO), besides all the ranks field of staff of Wildlife Division Central, Srinagar are taking part in this exercise,” he said

Giving more details Naqash said that the hangul population estimation is being conducted in areas like Dachigam National Park, Dara, Nishat, Brain, Cheshmashahi, Khonmoh, Khrew, Wangath wildlife areas besides adjoining forests like Akhal, Najwan, Surfrao, Kulan, Mammar, Ganiwan falling in Sindh Forest Division.

Hangul (Cervus elaphus hanglu) is critically endangered species and it assumes a great significance as the only Asiatic survivor of red deer. Hangul however, has had a limited global distribution and were once distributed widely in the mountains of Kashmir, with small population outside Jammu & Kashmir in Chamba district of the neighboring state Himachal Pradesh.