Sambar Deer Recorded at High Altitudes in Himachal Pradesh's Chamba District

The Himachal Pradesh Forest Department's Wildlife Wing has, for the first time, recorded sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) in high-altitude protected areas of Chamba district using camera traps. Typically found in lower Shivalik hills and moist deciduous forests, sambar deer were documented in Kalatop-Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary (over 2,500 metres) and Gamgul Wildlife Sanctuary (above 3,000 metres). The presence is attributed to dense coniferous forests, perennial water sources, and undisturbed habitats. Notably, three deer species—sambar, musk, and barking deer—now coexist in Kalatop-Khajjiar, indicating changing wildlife patterns and ecological significance.