Himalayan serow, a mammal somewhere between a goat and an antelope, has become the newest creature to be spotted in Assam.
Key Points
- On December 3, various nature guides had spotted the Himalayan serow, a goat-antelope, in the Manas Tiger Reserve.
- Himalayan Serrow, which is a high-altitude dweller usually found 2,000-4,000 metres above sea level, was seen being chased by wild dogs.
- The animal was then confirmed as the Himalayan serow. It was spotted close to the border with Bhutan in Manas’s Bansbari-Mathanguri forest.
- The Himalayan serow has been spotted for the first time in the tiger reserve or anywhere else in Assam.
- The sightings of rare animals and birds in Manas Tiger reserve are a result of better access to remote parts of the protected area where extremists and hunters once ruled.
- It is believed that more faunal species, found in the higher reaches, can be spotted in the park.
- After the serow, a medium-sized mammal with a large head, long and coarse hair, and mule-like ears, the black-necked crane was spotted in Manas.
- A pair of each of such cranes were spotted on January 10 and February 18.
- A critically endangered white-bellied hero was also spotted in Manas a few weeks ago in the Latajhar area of the park.
- In February, birders had sighted the colorful Mandarin duck in the Maguri-Motapung wetland near eastern Assam’s Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. This duck was last sighted in Assam 118 years ago.
Manas Tiger Reserve
Manas Tiger Reserve is located in Assam and is spread over an area of 950-sq. km. The reserve shares its border with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan. It is also a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site. It was established in the year 1950.
