Sangai: from declared extinct to a ground census count of 260
Background
Manipur is the home of the brow-antlered deer called Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii), one of the endangered deer species in the world.
It is now available only in the Keibul Lamjao National Park of the State and is also called the Manipur Dancing Deer.
The Sangai was declared extinct in 1951 and then re-discovered at Keibul Lamjao in 1953.
The first census of Sangai, conducted in 1975, counted 14 heads only.
The Forest Department took the initiative in 1975 and notified Keibul Lamjao National Park in 1977.
As per the 2016 ground census, the population of Sangai has reached 260.
Declared extinct:
1951
Re-discovered:
1953
First census count:
14 heads
2016 ground census:
260
Why it matters for exams: The extinction-rediscovery sequence and the census figures of the Sangai are precise, frequently asked facts.
Kerala PSCUPSC