News Excerpt:

The Manipur government has conveyed concerns to the Centre regarding a hydroelectric modernisation plan in the state's renowned Loktak Lake.

About Sangai:

• The sangai is a critically endangered native of Manipur. It is also extremely important to Manipur's culture.
• The Sangai deer are on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
• The scientific name of this species is Rucervus eldii eldii. It is also called a dancing deer. They are the state animal of Manipur.
• The Sangai deer has a very long brow line. 
• It has uniquely distinctive antlers that can reach a height of 1 m or 100 cm. 
• It was named the brow-antlered deer because the forward protruding beam of the antlers comes out from its brow tine.
• It is a medium-sized deer. The female Sangai deer is about 90-100cm in height, and the males are 115-130cm in height. A male Sangai deer weighs 90-125kg, and a female weighs 60-80 kg.
• Its dark, reddish brown winter coat progressively gets lighter towards the summer. It has an undefined rump patch and a short tail. 
• The female Sangai deer can reproduce all year.
• The Sangai deer are only found in Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur.
• A ten-day festival is celebrated every year from November 21st to November 30th. It is called the Sangai festival

Factors leading to threat to Sangai:

• The Sangai deer are in danger of losing their habitat phumdi - 
• The decrease in phumdi is due to floods and inundation. 
• The area of phumdi has decreased from 31.60 km in 1993 to 23.72 km in 2010. 
• Some other reasons for the decrease in phumdi are the degrading water quality due to pollution, the stoppage of nutrient supply, and the invasion of foreign plants.
• Poaching is another important threat.
• Inbreeding, depression, and disease from other livestock are other reasons for endangerment.
• The modernisation plan of the Loktak Hydel Project could be detrimental to the endangered species of Sangai deer apart from disturbing the lake's biodiversity.