Hog Deer to be declared mascot species of Kathlour-Kaushalya wildlife sanctuary: Lal Chand Kataruchak

CHANDIGARH: In keeping with the efforts to conserve wildlife throughout the State, the Punjab State Wildlife Board today gave go ahead to the declaring of Hog Deer (Axis Porcinus) as the Mascot Species of the Kathlour-Kaushalya Wildlife Sanctuary.

In a meeting of the Standing Committee of the board held at the Forest Complex in Sector-68 and presided over by the Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, the above said decision was taken as the Hog Deer truly represents the natural habitat of the Kathlour-Kaushalya Wildlife Sanctuary as it is found in large number here.

Divulging more in this regard, the Minister said that the Hog Deer is recorded in the category of the Endangered Species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is mentioned in the schedule-1 of Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022.

Among other issues, the approval was also given by the committee to send the proposal for constructing Aqua duct on R.D. 71000 of the Arnouli distributary, to the National Board for Wildlife’s Standing Committee. The project is to be implemented in the Bir Bhunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary in Patiala and its adjoining eco-sensitive zone. It would be useful in saving the villages adjoining the sanctuary, from the floods during the Monsoon.

Besides, the Committee also gave sanction for the simplification of the policy aimed at limited hunting of Wild Boars and Nilgai in order to save the crops from the destruction caused by these boars.

Among others present on the occasion included the Financial Commissioner (Forests) Vikas Garg, PCCF R.K. Mishra and Chief Wildlife Warden Dharminder Sharma.