The Sangai, the brow-antlered deer, is found in India only in:

The Sangai, or brow-antlered deer ("Rucervus eldii eldii"), is found in the wild only in Manipur. It is the state animal of Manipur.

About the Sangai:

• It is a subspecies of Eld's deer.
• It is called the "brow-antlered deer" because its antlers extend forward from the brow (above the eyes) in a long curve.
• It is also called the "dancing deer", because it moves gracefully on the floating vegetation of its habitat, appearing to dance.
• It is listed as "Endangered" and is protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
• It was once thought to be extinct (in 1951), but a small population was rediscovered in the Loktak Lake area in 1953.
• Its population is now a few hundred animals.

About its habitat:

• It lives only in the Keibul Lamjao National Park, located on the south-eastern part of Loktak Lake in the Bishnupur district of Manipur.
• Keibul Lamjao is the only floating national park in the world.
• It is made up of "phumdis": floating masses of decaying vegetation, soil and organic matter that float on the lake.
• It was declared a national park in 1977, mainly to protect the Sangai.
• Threats include the thinning of phumdis because of the Ithai Barrage (built for the Loktak hydroelectric project), which keeps water levels high, as well as habitat degradation and inbreeding.

About Loktak Lake:

• It is the largest freshwater lake in north-east India.
• It was designated a Ramsar site in 1990 and is on the Montreux Record.

Cultural importance:

• The Sangai is part of Manipuri folklore and is considered a link between humans and nature.
• The "Manipur Sangai Festival" is held every year in November to promote tourism and culture.

Other state animals of the north-east:

• Assam: one-horned rhinoceros.
• Mizoram: Himalayan serow.
• Tripura: Phayre's leaf monkey.
• Meghalaya: clouded leopard.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Assam's state animal is the one-horned rhinoceros.
• ✗Mizoram's state animal is the Himalayan serow.
• ✗Tripura's state animal is Phayre's leaf monkey.