The administration of Jammu and Kashmir has adopted Kalij Pheasant as UT bird.
Talking to news agency-Kashmir News Observer (KNO), commissioner secretary, Forests, Environment and Ecology, Sanjeev Verma confirmed that Kalij Pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos) has been adopted as UT bird.
“J&K had to adopt new bird as UT bird because black-necked cranes are only found in Ladakh,” he 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-(KNO)