Campaign to conserve endangered Sangai at Manipur Sangai Festival
Imphal, 30 November, 2013:
In a bid to create a mass awareness, a campaign for the endangered Sangai, Manipur Brow Antlered Deer was held on Saturday at the Manipur Sangai Festival in Imphal. This public awareness campaign is a joint initiative by the North East Centre for Environmental Education and Research (NECEER) and the Youth Street News (YSN) in association with the Forest Department, Govt. of Manipur.
Over the time, Sangai, also known as the dancing deer of Manipur, has become a critically endangered species and is on the verge of extinction. Sangai is also an endemic species, meaning restricted to a certain place, in the case of Sangai, it is Keibul Lamjao, Manipur. It is very unfortunate that only about 200 of them are left in the wild. The decrease in the population of this rare species is due to extensive human activities like hunting, poaching and habited destruction among others.
This public awareness programme on Sangai will surely highlight the above hardships in the conservation of Manipur Eld’s deer. Various pamphlets, leaflets, brochures and stickers among others highlighting the plights of Sangai were distributed to the visitors focussing mainly to the student visitors.
Expressing his thoughts, Th. Ibobi Singh, Addl. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest/Wildlife and Director, LDA, said: “I am glad that now more and more people will be aware about Sangai, Keibul Lamjao National Park and of course, Loktak lake through this campaign. Also, I am very thankful that NECEER and YSN have come up with this brilliant initiative to conserve natural possessions of our state.” He also affirmed that Forest Department, Govt. of Manipur will always support such cause in future too.
Asserting his view, Khuraijam Jibankumar Singh, Managing Trustee, NECEER, said: “Carrying forth NECEER's National Save Sangai Campaign started in 2008, NECEER joined hands with YSN in organising this campaign to create mass impact on saving Sangai with the support of Manipur Forest Department. We have also been organising Worldwide Save Loktak Lake Campaign 2010-2020 since 2010 in order to conserve the wetland as well as the Keibul Lamjao National Park, which is part of the lake and also the last refuge of the critically endangered Sangai.”
“The basic motive behind this campaign is to awaken public conscience in the conservation of Sangai, the pride of Manipur. As we can’t afford to lose our pride, we need to save Sangai and its habitat Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only floating park in the world and the only dwelling place of Sangai,” cited Mehnaz Nasreen, Founder, Youth Street News and Managing Trustee, Youth Street Foundation.
Visitors at the Manipur Sangai Festival applauded the campaign and vow to save our prize possession, Sangai. “I am very pleased with the effort of the organisers in holding this campaign to save Sangai as public awareness is very much needed. And I vow to conserve Sangai and will spread the word among my friends as well,” quipped Reema Chanam, an enthusiastic visitor at the Sangai Fest.
Let’s help ensure the future of Sangai and Keibul Lamjao National Park.
North East Centre for Environmental Education & Research (NECEER)
http://www.neceer.org.in/
* This post was provided by Neceer Imphal who can be contacted at neceer(d0t)imp(at)gmail(dot)com
This Post was uploaded on December 01, 2013
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