CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -Presence in India : Sambar deer is found in almost every corner of India, But it is mainly found in the central India. They can easily be spotted at Kanha, Corbett, Ranthambore, Bandhavgarh, Gir, Dudhwa, Manas, Kaziranga and Sariska.

Detailed explanation-2: -Ranging from the lower parts of Himalayas to south and eastwards till the Gangetic plain, these subtle creatures are widely found in the Indian Subcontinent, and prefer to stay in the grasslands, swampy meadows and scrublands. Male spotted deer have three pronged lyre-shaped antlers which can grow upto three feet long.

Detailed explanation-3: -The sambar (Rusa unicolor) is a large deer native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List since 2008. Populations have declined substantially due to severe hunting, local insurgency, and industrial exploitation of habitat.

Detailed explanation-4: -Under India’s Export Policy 2012, shavings and manufactured articles of shed antlers of cheetal and sambhar continue to be prohibited. In the wild, shed antlers if not eaten by the deer themselves as a source of nutrients, are gnawed at by porcupines causing unseemly marks on them.