Title
Bactrian deer (Cervus elaphus bactrianus) still exist in Afghanistan
Author(s)
Moheb, Zalmai ;Jahed, Nasratullah ;Noori, Hafizullah
Published
2016
Publisher
Deer Specialist Group News (DSG Newsletter)
Abstract
The Darqad District in Takhar Province, which forms the biggest floodplain on the Panj River in northern
Afghanistan, was known to have a Bactrian deer (Cervus elaphus bactrianus) population, and was
proposed as a protected area in the 1970s. However, due to four decades of political unrest, very little is
now known about the area and its wildlife. We conducted a field survey of Darqad in November and
December 2013 and confirmed the presence of Bactrian deer more than 40 years after the last
documented record of the species in the area. From direct observation of a single live animal, indirect
field evidence and community reports, we found that Bactrian deer are resident in the north and
occasionally visit the west, southwest, and southern parts of Darqad. The estimated global population of
Bactrian deer increased from 350 – 400 in the 1960s to ca. 1,900 free-ranging animals in 2011 thanks to
conservation efforts in the former Soviet Union territory in Central Asia. In Afghanistan Bactrian deer
have been declining due to habitat loss, hunting, pet trade, and other anthropogenic activities and are
currently in urgent need of conservation.
Keywords
Darqad District;Cervus elaphus bactrianus;Bactrian deer;re-discovery;threats
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