Swamp deer

About Swamp deer: 

• The swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii ) also called as barasingha is a deer species distributed in the Indian subcontinent.
• It belongs to the family Cervidae (order Artiodactyla), found in open forests and grasslands of India and Nepal. 
• It eats predominantly wetland plants and herbaceous plants which are common in this deer’s natural habitat. 
• Its population is now restricted to isolated and scattered locations in Nepal, Assam and the northern areas of India.
• It is now extinct in both Bangladesh, and in Pakistan 
• There are three subspecies of swamp deer found in the Indian Subcontinent.
  • The western swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii) found in Nepal,
  • Southern swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii branderi) found in central and north India and
  • Eastern swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii ranjitsinhi) found in the Kaziranga and Dudhwa National Parks.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Q1) What is CITES?

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international treaty established to regulate and monitor the international trade of wild animals and plants to ensure their survival in the wild. It was adopted on March 3, 1973, and came into force on July 1, 1975. Its main objective is to prevent the overexploitation and illegal trade of endangered species.

Source: Swamp Deer population sees a rise at Manas Tiger Reserve; number jumps to 174