India’s only extant red deer species, the Kashmir red deer, or hangul (Cervus hanglu hanglu) is restricted today to the confines of the 141 sq. km Dachigam National Park (NP) in Jammu and Kashmir, with about 200 surviving individuals. A continual population decline of hangul has necessitated the identification of relict populations and suitable habitats outside Dachigam NP, so that a meta-population approach to its conservation may be employed.

Keoladeo National Park (KNP) is an important wintering ground for thousands of birds that undertake a perilous journey over the Himalaya to make a seasonal home in a wetland ecosystem. However, this wetland is now getting polluted by various types of contaminants such as pesticides because of the agricultural practices in the catchment area from where the park receives water. Keeping this in mind, the present study has been undertaken to assess the organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues in the sediments inside and around KNP. Samples were collected from the different blocks of the park.