Srinagar, Oct 21: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has adopted Kalij Pheasant as the new union territory bird while Hangul continues to be the UT animal.
News agency KNO quoted Commissioner Secretary, Forests, Environment and Ecology, Sanjeev Verma confirming that Kalij Pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos) has been adopted as the new UT bird.
“J&K had to adopt new bird as UT bird because black-necked cranes are only found in Ladakh,” Verma said.
Erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state had the black-necked crane and Kashmir stag (Hangul) as its state bird and animal respectively.
After reorganization of J&K, Ladakh adopted black-necked crane as its UT bird.
Verma said Hangul would continue to remain as UT animal of Jammu & Kashmir.