DROWNING IN ITS HOME

The dancing deer stares at near-extinction as its marshy habitat thins and fragments

- ANUPAM CHAKRAVARTTY

To the people of Manipur, the sangai deer is more than a species. It is a symbol of grace, restraint and a way of life grounded in peace, moral discipline and artistic expression—whether in dance, sport, craft or everyday culture.

A medium-sized cervid, the sangai deer (Rucervus eldii eldii) lives in the moist lowlands of the Imphal valley. Over generations it has adapted to one of the world’s most unusual wetland habitats: the floating meadows of Keibul Lamjao National Park, located just south of Loktak Lake.

The area was declared the world’s only floating national park in 1997, and is the lone habitat of the endangered species. Their delicate, measured gait over these floating vegetation, paired with their antlers, creates the illusion that the deer are dancing, earning it the monicker of “dancing deer.” Male sangai, easily recognised by the brow tine arising from its forehead, appear to pause mid-flight, turning back as if looking for someone.