The elusive Himalayan serow has been recorded on camera in the Dalhousie catchment forests adjoining the Kalatop-Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary for the first time in two decades.Field staff captured the rare animal on video during a routine forest patrol on Jattvibeday, providing the first confirmed visual record of the Near Threatened mountain ungulate from the Dalhousie landscape.Forest officials described the discovery as an important addition to the region’s faunal inventory, saying it highlights the ecological richness of forests under the Dalhousie Forest Division.The Himalayan serow (Capricornis thar) is among the least-seen large mammals of the Himalayas. Solitary and highly secretive, it inhabits steep, densely forested mountain slopes, making sightings extremely rare. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the species as Near Threatened due to habitat degradation, fragmentation and hunting pressure in parts of the Himalayas. It is the state animal of Mizoram.A 2021 study indicated that the Himalayan serow was last seen in the Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary in 2005-06. It was believed to have gone extinct from the area following an outbreak of mouth-hoof disease during that time.”The videographic documentation of the Himalayan Serow from the Dalhousie catchment area is a significant milestone for wildlife conservation in the region. This record highlights the rich biodiversity of the forests under the Dalhousie Forest Division and reinforces the need for continued scientific monitoring and habitat protection,” said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Dr Kuldip Singh Jamwal.He said such findings strengthen our understanding of wildlife distribution in the Western Himalaya and would support future conservation and management initiatives.Jamwal said video documentation provides stronger scientific evidence than anecdotal sightings and contributes valuable baseline data for long-term biodiversity monitoring, habitat management and conservation planning. Continued camera-trapping and systematic wildlife surveys, he added, would be crucial for assessing the distribution and population status of the species and identifying habitats requiring protection.The Forest Department remains committed to conserving these ecologically important landscapes through research, monitoring and community participation,” he said.The latest documentation continues a series of important wildlife discoveries in Chamba district. Conservation efforts under Dr, Jamwal, who earlier served as DFO wildlife, Chamba, had led to first ever record of Sambar Deer in the Kalatop-Khajjiar, extending the known range of the species in the high-altitude forests of Chamba.The biggest breakthrough came when the department documented the presence of the elusive Himalayan Brown Bear in the Gamgul Wildlife Sanctuary.Jamwal said these successive discoveries indicate that Chamba’s protected forests continue to support a remarkably diverse assemblage of native mammals despite increasing ecological pressures.“Scientific documentation of rare species is vital for strengthening conservation strategies, improving habitat management and guiding future research in the fragile ecosystems of the Western Himalayas,” he said.