Field Guide Mammals of Ladakh ¾-Hðgå-ÅÛ-Hýh-ºiô-;Ým-Mû-Ç+Ô¼-¾-Zçàz-Çeômü
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Field Guide Mammals of Ladakh ¾-hÐGÅ-ÅÛ-hÝh-ºIô-;Ým-mÛ-Ç+ô¼-¾-zÇÀz-Çeômü Tahir Shawl Jigmet Takpa Phuntsog Tashi Yamini Panchaksharam 2 FOREWORD Ladakh is one of the most wonderful places on earth with unique biodiversity. I have the privilege of forwarding the fi eld guide on mammals of Ladakh which is part of a series of bilingual (English and Ladakhi) fi eld guides developed by WWF-India. It is not just because of my involvement in the conservation issues of the state of Jammu & Kashmir, but I am impressed with the Ladakhi version of the Field Guide. As the Field Guide has been specially produced for the local youth, I hope that the Guide will help in conserving the unique mammal species of Ladakh. I also hope that the Guide will become a companion for every nature lover visiting Ladakh. I commend the efforts of the authors in bringing out this unique publication. A K Srivastava, IFS Chief Wildlife Warden, Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir 3 ÇSôm-zXôhü ¾-hÐGÅ-mÛ-ºWÛG-dïm-mP-¾-ÆôG-VGÅ-Ço-±ôGÅ-»ôh-źÛ-GmÅ-Å-h¤ÛGÅ-zž-ŸÛG-»Ûm-môGü ¾-hÐGÅ-ÅÛ-Å-GmÅ-;Ým-¾-»ôh-qºÛ-Åï¤Å-Tm-±P-¤ºÛ-MãÅ-‚Å-q-ºhÛ-¾-ÇSôm-zXôh-‚ô-‚Å- qôºÛ-PºÛ-¾Å-ºGm-»Ûm-môGü ºÛ-zô-P-¼P-W¤-¤Þ-;-ÁÛ-¤Û¼-¼Û-¼P-zŸÛm-D¤-ÆâP-Bôz-hP- ºƒï¾-»ôh-¤Dm-qôÅ-‚Å-¼ï-¤m-q-ºÛ-zô-¾-hÐGÅ-ÅÛ-Ç+h-hï-mP-P-»ôh-‚Å-qôº-È-¾Å-bï-»P- zÁh- »ôPÅü Åï¤Å-Tm-±P-¤ºÛ-MãÅ-‚ô-‚Å-qô-h¤ÛGÅ-zž-¾ÛÅ-GŸôm-mÝ-;Ým-¾-wm-‚Å-¾-ºwÛP-yï-»Ûm- môG ºô-zôºÛ-;-mÅ-¾-hÐGÅ-ÅÛ-h¤ÛGÅ-zž-Tm-mÛ-Åï¤Å-Tm-ÆâP-BôzÅ-¾-wm-qºÛ-¼Û-zô-»Ûm- hôm-m-®ôGÅ-¾ü ¼P-zŸÛm-D¤Å-¾-ºfh-qô-»ôh-¤Dm-±P-¤-¾ºP-wm-fôGÅ-qºÛ-¼ï-z-»Ûmü ºhÛ-®ßGÅ-ºô-zM¾-¤²h-hï-ºƒÛ-¤Dm-mÛ-ºhÛ-hqï-V-zô-q¼-¾-zMz-Çeï-Çtï¾-hGôÅ-»Ûm-môG Íï-;ï-ÁÙÛ-¶Å-b-z-ͺÛ-Íïw-ÍôÅ- mGÅ-±ôGÅ-Åï¤Å-Tm-ÆâP-Bôz-Çkï-DG-GÛ-hqôm-qô-G®ô-zô-W¤- ¤Þ-;ÁÛ-¤Û¼-GŸÝP.ü 4 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The fi eld guide is the result of exhaustive work by a large number of people. There are many to whom we owe a great deal for helping to produce this book. We would like to thank Dr. Parikshit Gautam, Director, Freshwater and Wetlands Programme, WWF-India, for his help in bringing out this publication. We also thank Sh. Pankaj Chandan, Project Manager, WWF-India for his suggestions during various stages of the production of the Field Guide. Our special thanks to Ms. Nisa Khatoon, Project Offi cer, WWF-India, Field Offi ce Leh, for her help. We wish to thank Sh. Abdul Rouf, Sh.Tsering Angchok and Sh. Lobzang Khatup-Range Offi cers, Wildlife division Leh, and other staff members of Wildlife Division Leh, especially Mrs.Tashi Lanzon, for their help. We want to thank Ms. Archana Chatterjee, Regional Coordinator WWF-India and Mr. Kishor Chandra, Admin. Offi cer, WWF-India, for their help. We are grateful to Sh. Konchok Phandey, a renowned Ladakhi Scholar, for translating the fi eld guide into the Ladakhi version. Without his help the fi eld guide in the local language would not have been possible. We want to acknowledge Dr. Yash Veer Bhatnagar-Scientist at Nature Conservation Foundation for critically reviewing the draft. His comments have helped in further improving the fi eld guide. Our special thanks to Sh. Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India and Dr. Sejal Worah, Programme Director, WWF-India, for their help and guidance. 6 PôÅ-¾ïmü Å-GmÅ-Åï¤Å-Tm-mÛ-MãÅ-‚ïh-qºÛ-hqï-V-zô-¤Û-¤P-qô-ŸÛG-GÛ-z¯ôm-ºIâÅ-Vïm-qô-‚Å-qºÛ-ºƒÅ- zÞ-ŸÛG-»Ûmü ºhÛ-hqï-V-zô-ºwÛP-‚Å-¾-¼ôGÅ-¤²h-¤Dm-¤P-qô-ŸÛG-GÛ-z;º-iÛm-im-hGôÅ- »ôhü Å-GmÅ-ÅÛ-¼ÛºÛ-Åï¤Å-Tm-ÆâP-Bôz-Çkï-DG-GÛ-hqôm-qô-Ç+Ý-ŸzÅ-ºWÛGÅ-¤ïh-IGÅ-q-hP-Vß- G®P-hP-Å-GÁï¼-V¼-GŸÛºÛ-hôm-Çeôm-q-Ç+Ý-ŸzÅ-^;-‡¼-q-¼Û-ÁÛ‡-GôºÞ-b¤-hP-^z¾ÛºÞ- ^z¾ÛºÞ-Íïw-»Ûm-^Û-»Å-q¼-Çtï¾-¤²h-‚Å-¾-¼ôGÅ-¤²h-qÅ-DôP-;Ým-¾-ljÛP-mÅ-fÞGÅ-Xï- Vï-ŸÝ-ºôÅ-»Ûmü hqï-V-ºhÛºÛ-Ç+ô¼-¾-hGôÅ-Çkô¤-»ôh-q-Ço-±ôGÅ-¾-¼ôGÅ-¤²h-¤Dm-^z¾ÛºÞ-^z-¾ÛºÞ-^z-¾ÛºÞ- Íïw-»Ûm-^Û-»ºÛ-ºV¼-GŸÛ-ºGm-ºDÞ¼-q-Ç+Ý-ŸzÅ-qP-;P-Tm-hm-¾ºP-fÞGÅ-Xï-Vï-ŸÝ-ºôÅ- »Ûm- hï-mP-zŸÛm-^¶-¾ÛºÞ-^¶-¾ÛºÞ-Íïw-JÀï-¾Å-DÞPÅ-ÅÛ-hqôm-qô-mô-¤ô-mÛ-Å-D-bàm-mÛ-¼ôGÅ-¼¤- ¤²h-qÅ-DôP-¾ºP-fÞGÅ-Xï-Vï-ŸÝ-ºôÅ-»Ûmü Ç+Ý-ŸzÅ-Íz-ºhݾ-¼-!Èàz-hP-Ç+Ý-ŸzÅ-±ï-¼ÛP-hzP-xãG-hP-Ç+Ý-ŸzÅ-„Àô-z¸P-¤DÅ-Iâz- zTÅ-JÀôºÛ-¼ÛºÛ-Åï¤Å-Tm-ÆâP-Bôz-¾Å-DÞPÅ-ÅÛ-²Ûm- W-hqôm-qô-GÅÞ¤-hP-Í-Wô-z=-ÁÛÅ-¿Ë- º²ô¤-z®ô-‚Å-qºÛ-¼ÛºÛ-Åï¤Å-Tm-ÆâP-Bôz-¾Å-DÞPÅ-ÅÛ-¾Å-‚ïh-q-±P-¤Å-¼ôGÅ-¤²h-q-¾- fÞGÅ-Xï-Vï-ŸÝ-ºôÅ-»Ûmü ^z-¾ÛºÞ-^z¾ÛºÞ-Íïw-»Ûm-^Û-»Û-¿YôPÅ-DG-GÛ-;ô-ºô¼-^Û-mï-‡¼-Ç+Ý-ŸzÅ-»¼-T-m-T-‡¼-WÛ-hqôm- qô-Ç+Ý-ŸzÅ-;Û-Áô¼-Tm-h-¼-GZÛÅ-¾ºP-fÞGÅ-Xï-Vï-ŸÝ-ºôÅ-»Ûmü ¾Å-hÐGÅ-ÅÛ-¤±m-ljm-Tm-DÅ-hzP-¤Dm-qô-h;ôm-¤VôG-wm-zhïÅ-hqï-V-ºhÛ-¾-hÐGÅ- Ç+h-¾-zNå¼-z¼-¤²h-qÅ-DôP-¾ºP-fÞGÅ-Xï-Vï-ŸÝ-ºôÅ-»Ûmü DôP-PÛ-¼ôGÅ-¼¤-¤hïm-Å- GmÅ-Åï¤Å-Tm-mÛ-MãÅ-‚ïh-qºÛ-hqï-V-zô-Å-GmÅ-ÅÛ-Ç+h-»ÛG-mP-¾-»ôP-fzÅ-¤ïh-q-»Ûmü »Ûm-ÅÛ-Íïq-¾-zŸÝGÅ-qºÛ-Ç+Ý-ŸzÅ-^;-‡¼-»Á-¶Ûº-¼-„ˇ-m-G¼-±m-¼ÛG-¾-¤DÅ-q-¤VôG- mÅ-¸Ûm-ƒÛÅ-¾-ŸÛzÅ-hrôh-¤²h-hï-zÇÀz-Çeôm-¤²h-qÅ-hqï-V-zô¤P-P-hG-qô-hP-zhï- ¤ô-ÅôP-z-PôÅ-¾ïm-‚ïh-PôÅ-»Ûmü ^z-¾ÛºÞü ‡z-¾ÛºÞüÍïw-M-G¼-¼Û-iâP-uÛ-Ç+Ý-ŸzÅ-¼-¶Û-ÅÛP-hP.ü ºV¼-GŸÛ-PôÅ-Çeôm-q-Ç+Ý- ŸzÅ-^G-‡¼-ÅÛ-W¾-¶ô-¼-n¤Å-GZÛÅ-mÅ-¼ôGÅ-¤²h-qÅ-DôP-¾-h¤ÛGÅ-zž-¾Û-fÞGÅ-Xï- Vï-ŸÝ-ºôÅ-»Ûm-môü 7 CONTENTS Foreword 3 Acknowledgements 6 Introduction 10 Mammals of Ladakh 12 Order Artiodactyla Family Bovidae 1. Blue Sheep/ Bharal 12 2. Tibetan Antelope/ Chiru 16 3. Ladakh Urial/ Shapo 20 4. Tibetan Argali/ Nyan 24 5. Asiatic Ibex/ Skin 28 6. Tibetan Gazelle/ Goa 32 7. Wild Yak/ Dong 34 Order Perissodactyla Family Equidae 8. Tibetan Wild Ass/ Kiang 38 Order Carnivora Family Felidae 9. Snow Leopard/ Shan 40 10. Lynx/ Eeh 44 11. Pallas’s Cat/ Trakshan 46 Family Canidae 12. Tibetan Wolf/ Changu 50 13. Tibetan Wild Dog/ Phara 54 14. Red Fox/ Whatse 58 8 Family Ursidae 15. Himalayan Brown Bear/ Den-mo 60 Family Mustelidae 16. Stoat/ Lakimo 64 17. Mountain Weasel/ Lakimo 68 18. Stone Marten/ Kogar 70 19. Eurasian Otter/ Chusham 74 Order Rodentia Family Sciuridae 20. Himalayan Marmot/ Phia 78 21. Long tailed Marmot/ Phia 82 Family Muridae 22. Silver Mountain Vole/ Zabra 86 23. Royle’s Mountain Vole/ Zabra 88 24. Stoliczka’s Mountain Vole/ Zabra 90 Order Lagomorpha Family Leporidae 25. Cape Hare/ Ribong 92 26. Woolly Hare/ Ribong 96 Family Ochotonidae 27. Plateau Pika/ Zabra 98 28. Ladakh Pika/ Zabra 100 29. Nubra Pika/ Zabra 102 30. Large-eared Pika/ Zabra 104 31. Royle’s Pika/ Zabra 106 References 108 9 INTRODUCTION India is one of the twelve mega biodiversity rich countries of the world which together support nearly 60-70 percent of the world’s biodiversity. Ten biogeographic zones represent the biodiversity of our country. The country’s 4.77 percent of geographical area is under Protected Area Network which is one of the most extensive networks of the world and is represented by 96 National Parks and about 600 Sanctuaries. Ladakh, a region in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, comes under the Biogeographic zone 1A - the Trans Himalayas. This zone covers more than 92000 Sq. Km. of geographical area of Jammu & Kashmir. Being a high altitude cold desert region, it experiences harsh climatic conditions which include extreme low temperature and very low rainfall leading to low environmental productivity. This cold desert region appears barren with low number of wild animals per unit surface area. Nevertheless, more than 700 species of plants, predominantly herbs and shrubs, have been reported from this region. Thirty three species of mammals have been reported from this region so far. Two species of mammals viz., Himalayan weasel and Musk deer have not been reported after 1960 (Otto Pfi ster, 2004). The avifauna, most of which is migratory and vary seasonally, is quite rich representing about 276 species. Within India’s geographical limits, this region is the only area that provides breeding ground to the Black-necked crane - the state bird of Jammu and Kashmir. The fauna of eastern Ladakh have the Tibetan Plateau infl uence while Himalayan and central Asian species have infl uence of the central and western parts of this region. This region harbours the richest wild sheep and goat community represented by eight species and subspecies, all of them being listed under different Schedules of the Jammu & Kashmir Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1978 (Amended 2002) and Appendices of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).