About:

• The Changthangi goat,also known as Pashmina goat or Changra goat, is an animal found in the cold, arid region surrounding Ladakh in Kashmir. The breed is raised mainly for it’s ultra-fine cashmere wool production.
• This cashmere wool is known as Pashmina once woven. The breed was also reared for meat production in the past. Changthangi goat is a cashmere goat, and this type of goat grows a thick, warm undercoat which is the source of Kashmir Pashmina wool. And the Kashmir Pashmina wool is considered as the world’s finest cashmere, measuring between 12-15 microns in fiber thickness.
• This wool is used for Kashmir’s famous Pashmina Shawls. Shawls made from Pashmina wool are exported worldwide at a very high price and considered as the finest of its kind.
• The Changthangi goat is usually domesticated and raised by nomadic communities called the Changpa in the Changthang region of Greater Ladakh, Kashmir.

Why in the news?

• Due to the tussle between India- China in ladakh, the nomadic changpa community is not able to move for grazing.
• This has affected the pashmina goats. Timely survival is necessary for their survival.
• Lack of grazing has increased the mortality of newborn pashmina kids.