Understanding the distribution of wildlife species and their response to diverse anthropogenic pressures is important for conservation planning and management of wildlife space in human-dominated landscapes. Assessments of anthropogenic impacts on mammals of the Indian Himalayan Region have mostly been limited to locations inside protected areas. We studied the occurrence of mammals in an unexplored landscape, the 7,586 km2 Bhagirathi basin, at an altitude of 500–5,200 m. The basin encompasses wilderness areas of various habitat types and protection status that are exposed to a range of anthropogenic pressures. Camera trapping at 209 locations during October 2015–September 2017 confirmed the occurrence of 39 species of mammals, nine of which are categorized as threatened (four Vulnerable, five Endangered) and four as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. We recorded five mammal species that were hitherto undocumented in Uttarakhand State: the argali Ovis ammon, Tibetan sand fox Vulpes ferrilata, woolly hare Lepus oiostolus, Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx and woolly flying squirrel Eupetaurus cinereus. In addition, we recorded two Endangered species, the dhole Cuon alpinus and tiger Panthera tigris. Threatened species such as the sambar Rusa unicolor, common leopard Panthera pardus and Asiatic black bear Ursus thibetanus occur in a wide variety of habitats despite anthropogenic disturbance. We recorded the snow leopard Panthera uncia in areas with high livestock density but temporally segregated from human activities. The musk deer Moschus spp. and Himalayan brown bear Ursus arctos isabellinus were recorded in subalpine habitats and appeared to be less affected by human and livestock presence. Our findings highlight the potential of the Bhagirathi basin as a stronghold for conservation of several threatened and rare mammal species.
Of the 13 known species of water shrews in the world, two water shrews are known from India, the Elegant Water Shrew Nectogale elegans and Himalayan Water Shrew Chimmarogale himalayica. Of these, the Elegant Water Shrew was earlier reported only from streams of north Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, India. During the period 2014–2016, the Elegant Water Shrews were sighted at three different locations in Uttarakhand State in the western Himalayan region. The present records are evidence for the broader range of distribution of Nectogale elegans in India indicating that the species is more widely distributed than previously thought. We present the details of sightings, habitats and behavior of shrews that were recorded during our study on impact of climate change on the aquatic ecosystem of the Himalaya.
Camera trap photographs of solitary individuals of Asiatic wild dog or dholes (Cuon alpinus, Pallas 1811) have been recorded from Kheda Tal area in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. This is the first photographic confirmation of the presence of this species in the Himalayan habitats of Uttarakhand. The presence of dholes here seems to be confined to a relatively small area of unprotected habitats affected by various anthropogenic uses. The population of endangered dhole is rapidly declining especially in Himalayan region. Thus, it is imperative that local stakeholders are aware of their presence, and it is highly recommended that investigations of the ecological parameters of this population are continued.
The woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus Thomas, 1888) is one of the least-known endangered mammals of the Himalayas and recorded only from few localities at 2400–3600 m in Hindu Kush and North-Western Himalayas. We report first confirmed record of this species from Upper Bhagirathi Basin, Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya. The squirrel was photo-captured twice in camera traps placed in temperate and alpine habitats. The photo-capture at 4800 m is higher than the described upper elevation range limit of any other flying squirrels. Continuous monitoring would reveal the extent of threats to this rare species in its newly described range.
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