Sambar spotted at high altitudes in Chamba for first time

The Wildlife Wing of the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department has recorded the presence of sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) in high-altitude protected areas of Chamba district through camera traps for the first time — a significant finding as the species is usually associated with the lower Shivalik hills and moist deciduous forests.

Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife), Chamba, Kuldeep Singh Jamwal, said the recordings highlight changing wildlife movement patterns and underline the ecological importance of the district’s protected forests. The finding has also been published in the February quarterly edition of the Records of the Zoological Survey of India.

“We have documented the presence of sambar in Kalatop-Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary and Gamgul Wildlife Sanctuary. This suggests that the species may be expanding its range into the higher Himalayas in search of safer habitats,” he said.

While the average elevation of Kalatop-Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary is over 2,500 metres, the Gamgul Wildlife Sanctuary lies at elevations exceeding 3,000 metres.

Jamwal said the presence of sambar at such heights could be attributed to the sanctuary’s dense coniferous forests, perennial water sources and relatively undisturbed habitat, which provide a safe haven for large herbivores.

Camera trap images captured adult and sub-adult males visiting a waterhole, with activity mostly recorded during the evening and night hours. He said a particularly interesting aspect of the finding in Kalatop-Khajjiar is that three different deer species — sambar deer, musk deer and barking deer — are now being recorded in the same landscape, despite typically occupying different habitats.

Sambar is the largest deer species in South Asia and plays a crucial ecological role as a primary herbivore. It also serves as an important prey species for large carnivores such as leopards and tigers. However, habitat loss, hunting and forest fragmentation have caused population declines in several regions.

The species is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Officials say the new records could indicate either an undetected resident population or a gradual range expansion linked to ecological connectivity with nearby forest tracts in the Dalhousie Forest Division. Chamba district has nearly 985 sq km of protected forest area, including Kalatop-Khajjiar, Kugti, Tundah, Sechu Tuan Nala and Gamgul wildlife sanctuaries, which collectively support diverse Himalayan wildlife.