 In Kashmir, it's found in the Dachigam National Park where it receives protection but elsewhere it is more at risk.In the 1940s, the population was between 3000 and 5000 individuals, but since then habitat destruction, over-grazing by domestic livestock and poaching have reduced population dramatically.Earlier believed to be a subspecies of red deer ("Cervus elaphus"), a number of mitochondrial DNA genetic studies have revealed that the hangul is part of the Asian clade of the elk ("Cervus canadensis").