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Recent records of the Pallas’s cat in Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, Ladakh, India

Authors:
Neeraj Mahar
Neeraj Mahar
Neeraj Mahar
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Shivam Shrotriya at Wildlife Institute of India
Shivam Shrotriya
Bilal Habib at Wildlife Institute of India
Bilal Habib
Jigmet Takpa at Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India
Jigmet Takpa
  • Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India
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Abstract and Figures

Despite a wide distribution in Asia, Pallas’s cat or manul Otocolobus manul is a rarely recorded small carnivore in India. Here, we report three observations of this majestic furry carnivore in Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary CWLS. In India, there is little information available on the ecology and status of this threatened species.
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ISSN 1027-2992
CAT
news
N° 65 | Winter 2017
CATnews 65 Winter 2017
02
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short communication
NEERAJ MAHAR1*, SHIVAM SHROTRIYA1, BILAL HABIB1, SARWANDEEP SINGH2, JIGMET
TAKPA3 AND SYED AINUL HUSSAIN1
Recent records of the Pallas’s
cat in Changthang Wildlife
Sanctuary, Ladakh, India
Fig. 1. Sighting locations in Changthang
Wildlife Sanctuary.
Despite a wide distribution in Asia, Pallas’s cat or manul Otocolobus manul is a
rarely recorded small carnivore in India. Here, we report three observations of this
majestic furry carnivore in Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary CWLS. In India, there is
little information available on the ecology and status of this threatened species.
The Pallas’s cat or manul, a small furry felid,
is found throughout northern and central Asia
with a broad but fragmented distribution
(Ognev 1935, Allen 1938, Heptner & Sludskii
1972, Nowell & Jackson 1996, Aghili et al.
2008). Its largest population is thought to
live in Mongolia (Jutzeler et al. 2003, Mur-
doch et al. 2006). However, little information
exists on populations elsewhere and it is
considered rare particularly in the southern
portion of its range (Nowell & Jackson 1996,
Jutzeler et al. 2003, Aghili et al. 2008). In
South Asia, the Pallas’s cat is reported from
Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and
Bhutan, which forms the southern limits of
its distribution (Belousova 1993, Nowell &
Jackson 1996, Habibi 2003, Chanchani 2008,
Thinley 2013, Hameed et al. 2014, Shrestha
et al. 2014). In India, it is restricted to the
Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh and Sik-
kim, where its occurrence could be nominal
(Prater 1972, Pfister 2004, Chanchani 2008,
Menon 2014). The Pallas’s cat prefers emp-
ty burrows of marmots and foxes as a den
and proximity to pika Ochotona spp. habitats
(Pfister 2004, Menon 2014). The Pallas’s cat
is listed as a Near Threatened species on
the IUCN Red List (Ross et al. 2016) and is
included into Appendix II of CITES, due to its
population decline and habitat degradation.
It is also legally protected as a Schedule I
species under the Indian Wildlife Protection
Act, 1972.
The CWLS spreads over ca. 4,000 km2 and
lies between 34°79’ to 33°79’ E and 78° to
79° N in eastern Ladakh (Fig. 1). Tempera-
ture falls to -40 °C during winters in this
landscape of broad open valleys and the
rugged terrain in CWLS (Hartmann 1983).
In spite of the existence of 13 major lakes
and flood plains of the Indus River and its
tributaries, the area is relatively dry, barren
and characterised as a cold desert (Kichloo
1997). The Tibetan ass or kiang Equus kiang,
wolf Canis lupus, red fox Vulpes vulpes,
snow leopard Panthera uncia and black-
necked crane Grus nirgicollis are among
the key faunal species of the sanctuary. The
Pallas’s cat is locally known as "Ribilik" or
"Trak Sham" in Ladakh. Considering its rare
appearance in Ladakh, recent and updated
reports of its presence hold utmost im-
portance for conservation and management.
We sighted a pair of Pallas’s cat on the bank
of Hanle River (tributary of Indus) near Lal Pa-
hari area (32°57’36.86’’ N / 78°54’06.30” E)
at an elevation of 4,202 m on 31 August 2013
at 9:45 h. The pair was seen at about 300 m
distance and disappeared into the rocks when
approached. The second sighting was made
on 14 May 2015 at 7:07 h when a single in-
dividual was sighted at a distance of about
100 m near Staklung (33°09’24.08” N /
78°42’01.72” E) at an elevation of 4,160 m. In
the third incidence, we sighted a group of four
cats on 4 September 2015 at 09:00 h about
500 m away from Hanle (32°47’22.39” N /
78°59’15.83” E; Fig. 2). All observations took
place in the morning hours and close to the
water bodies, ideal places to find prey, such
as the pikas and marmot Marmota himalyan-
sis. Our sighting locations were separated by
about 45 km aerial distance, implying that
this area could be valuable for the species.
The previous record of the Pallas’s cat in La-
dakh by Mallon (1991) was also from Hanle
area, eastern Changthang region.
The area is seasonally inhabited by a local
pastoralist community called the Changpas,
who carry along large herds of livestock.
Major threat to the Pallas’s cat is habitat loss
and degradation due to development activi-
ties, which continue to grow. Precise infor-
mation on such species is earnestly desirable
to minimise the threats. Our report updates
and adds information on the presence of
the Pallas’s cat in Ladakh, India, its southern
range limit.
Acknowledgments
We thank Department of Wildlife Protection, Jam-
mu and Kashmir and Wildlife Institute of India for
funding and support. We also acknowledge Stan-
zin Dorje, Dawa Tashi and Rabgyas for their assis-
tance during field work. We thank Dr. Parvia for her
comments on the initial draft.
References
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CATnews 65 Winter 2017
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Fig. 2. Pallas’s cat records in Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary (Photo 1 & 2 N. Mahar; Photo 3 S. Singh).
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1 Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehra
Dun, Uttarakhand, Pin-248001, India
2 Indian Birding, House no. 86, Sector-37, Noida,
Uttar Pradesh, India
3 Department of Wildlife Protection, Jammu and
Kashmir, India
*<neeraj.mahar88@gmail.com>
<neerajmahar@wii.gov.in>
Pallas's cat in Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary
... Pallas's cat or manul is listed as near threat� ened (Ross et al. 2017) and is a rarely re� corded small carnivore in India (Mahar et al. 2017). Though widely distri�uted in Asia, the knowledge on its distri�ution is inconsistent (Allen 1938, Heptner & Sludskii 1972, Nowell & Jackson 1996 especially in its southern distri�ution limit which includes Trans�Him� alayan region of India and neigh�ouring countries (Prater 1972, Chanchani 2008, Mahar et al. 2017, Hameed et al. 2014, Thin� ley 2013, Shrestha et al. 2014. ...
... Pallas's cat or manul is listed as near threat� ened (Ross et al. 2017) and is a rarely re� corded small carnivore in India (Mahar et al. 2017). Though widely distri�uted in Asia, the knowledge on its distri�ution is inconsistent (Allen 1938, Heptner & Sludskii 1972, Nowell & Jackson 1996 especially in its southern distri�ution limit which includes Trans�Him� alayan region of India and neigh�ouring countries (Prater 1972, Chanchani 2008, Mahar et al. 2017, Hameed et al. 2014, Thin� ley 2013, Shrestha et al. 2014. In India, the information on Pallas's cat is limited to oc� casional sightings from Ladakh (Mahar et al. 2017) and Sikkim (Chanchani 2008). ...
... Though widely distri�uted in Asia, the knowledge on its distri�ution is inconsistent (Allen 1938, Heptner & Sludskii 1972, Nowell & Jackson 1996 especially in its southern distri�ution limit which includes Trans�Him� alayan region of India and neigh�ouring countries (Prater 1972, Chanchani 2008, Mahar et al. 2017, Hameed et al. 2014, Thin� ley 2013, Shrestha et al. 2014. In India, the information on Pallas's cat is limited to oc� casional sightings from Ladakh (Mahar et al. 2017) and Sikkim (Chanchani 2008). We are reporting the first occurrence of Pallas's cat in Trans�Himalayan ha�itats of Nelang Valley of Gangotri NP from Uttarakhand State, India ( Fig. 1, 2). ...
View
... The presence of Pallas's cat in Ladakh was mentioned in the Indian literature since the early 1970s (Prater & Barruel 1971). To date, the species has only �een confirmed from the Trans�Himalayan landscapes of Ladakh and Sikkim, where its occurrence is nominal (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Chanchani 2008, Mahar et al. 2017. In Ladakh, the species has �een reported from Hanle, Staklung (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Mahar et al. 2017, at altitu� dinal ranges �etween 3,000 and 4,800 m (Pfister 2004). ...
... To date, the species has only �een confirmed from the Trans�Himalayan landscapes of Ladakh and Sikkim, where its occurrence is nominal (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Chanchani 2008, Mahar et al. 2017. In Ladakh, the species has �een reported from Hanle, Staklung (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Mahar et al. 2017, at altitu� dinal ranges �etween 3,000 and 4,800 m (Pfister 2004). In Sikkim, the first occurrence record consists of a single sighting at Tso Lhamo Plateau at an elevation of 5,073 m, the then highest altitudinal record of the Pallas's cat (Chanchani 2008). ...
Dhendup et al 2019 Distributtion and status of manul in the Himalayas and China
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2019
In this article, we used published and grey literature and expert observations to review the distribution and conservation status of the Near Threatened Pallas’s cat or manul Otocolobus manul in Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal. The species appears widespread in China; however, distribution in the Himalayas is patchy and not clearly understood. Recent sightings and camera trap records from north Sikkim in India and Bhutan extend the species range to the east of the Himalayas and suggest a wider distribution than previously thought. Nevertheless, the population size and trend in the region remain unknown. The Pallas’s cat is likely to be threatened by habitat degradation and fragmentation from traditional pastoralism, unregulated tourism, infrastructural developments such as roads and petrochemical industry, and also by poaching (including their prey). Climate change is also an emerging threat to the species although the potential impacts remain uncertain. Moreover, the species remains one of the lesser known wild cats, and in-place research and monitoring are highly lacking. There is a strong need for active conservation actions and dedicated studies on their presence and distribution followed by a more detailed investigation of their ecology and the impact of ongoing anthropogenic activities.
View
... The presence of Pallas's cat in Ladakh was mentioned in the Indian literature since the early 1970s (Prater & Barruel 1971). To date, the species has only �een confirmed from the Trans�Himalayan landscapes of Ladakh and Sikkim, where its occurrence is nominal (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Chanchani 2008, Mahar et al. 2017. In Ladakh, the species has �een reported from Hanle, Staklung (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Mahar et al. 2017, at altitu� dinal ranges �etween 3,000 and 4,800 m (Pfister 2004). ...
... To date, the species has only �een confirmed from the Trans�Himalayan landscapes of Ladakh and Sikkim, where its occurrence is nominal (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Chanchani 2008, Mahar et al. 2017. In Ladakh, the species has �een reported from Hanle, Staklung (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Mahar et al. 2017, at altitu� dinal ranges �etween 3,000 and 4,800 m (Pfister 2004). In Sikkim, the first occurrence record consists of a single sighting at Tso Lhamo Plateau at an elevation of 5,073 m, the then highest altitudinal record of the Pallas's cat (Chanchani 2008). ...
Dhendup et al 2019 Distributtion and status of manul in the Himalayas and China
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2019
In this article, we used published and grey literature and expert observations to review the distribution and conservation status of the Near Threatened Pallas’s cat or manul Otocolobus manul in Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal. The species appears widespread in China; however, distribution in the Himalayas is patchy and not clearly understood. Recent sightings and camera trap records from north Sikkim in India and Bhutan extend the species range to the east of the Himalayas and suggest a wider distribution than previously thought. Nevertheless, the population size and trend in the region remain unknown. The Pallas’s cat is likely to be threatened by habitat degradation and fragmentation from traditional pastoralism, unregulated tourism, infrastructural developments such as roads and petrochemical industry, and also by poaching (including their prey). Climate change is also an emerging threat to the species although the potential impacts remain uncertain. Moreover, the species remains one of the lesser known wild cats, and in-place research and monitoring are highly lacking. There is a strong need for active conservation actions and dedicated studies on their presence and distribution followed by a more detailed investigation of their ecology and the impact of ongoing anthropogenic activities.
View
... The presence of Pallas's cat in Ladakh was mentioned in the Indian literature since the early 1970s (Prater & Barruel 1971). To date, the species has only �een confirmed from the Trans�Himalayan landscapes of Ladakh and Sikkim, where its occurrence is nominal (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Chanchani 2008, Mahar et al. 2017. In Ladakh, the species has �een reported from Hanle, Staklung (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Mahar et al. 2017, at altitu� dinal ranges �etween 3,000 and 4,800 m (Pfister 2004). ...
... To date, the species has only �een confirmed from the Trans�Himalayan landscapes of Ladakh and Sikkim, where its occurrence is nominal (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Chanchani 2008, Mahar et al. 2017. In Ladakh, the species has �een reported from Hanle, Staklung (Mallon 1991, Pfister 2004, Mahar et al. 2017, at altitu� dinal ranges �etween 3,000 and 4,800 m (Pfister 2004). In Sikkim, the first occurrence record consists of a single sighting at Tso Lhamo Plateau at an elevation of 5,073 m, the then highest altitudinal record of the Pallas's cat (Chanchani 2008). ...
Distribution and status of manul in the Himalayas and China
Chapter
Full-text available
  • Jun 2019
In this article, we used published and grey literature and expert observations to re- view the distribution and conservation status of the Near Threatened Pallas’s cat or manul Otocolobus manul in Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal. The species appears widespread in China; however, distribution in the Himalayas is patchy and not clear- ly understood. Recent sightings and camera trap records from north Sikkim in India and Bhutan extend the species range to the east of the Himalayas and suggest a wider distribution than previously thought. Nevertheless, the population size and trend in the region remain unknown. The Pallas’s cat is likely to be threatened by habitat degradation and fragmentation from traditional pastoralism, unregulated tourism, infrastructural developments such as roads and petrochemical industry, and also by poaching (including their prey). Climate change is also an emerging threat to the species although the potential impacts remain uncertain. Moreover, the species remains one of the lesser known wild cats, and in-place research and monitoring are highly lacking. There is a strong need for active conservation actions and dedicated studies on their presence and distribution followed by a more detailed investigation of their ecology and the impact of ongoing anthropogenic activities.
View
... However, killing by dogs, rodents poisoning, opportunistic predation by sympatric large carnivores (such as snow leopard Panthera uncia and woolly wolf Canis lupus chanco) and habitat degradation and fragmentation are believed to be the major threats to their survival (Liu et al. 2009, Ross et al. 2012, Dhendup et al. 2019, Ross et al. 2019. Limited to rare sightings in the Indian Trans-Himalaya, both the Pallas's cat and Tibetan fox are poorly studied in India and there is lack of knowledge in many aspects of their ecology and biology (Maheshwari et al. 2013, Mahar et al. 2017, Dhendup et al. 2019, Pal et al. 2019). This observation was made during a visit to Hanle during 29 June to 2 July 2022 (Fig. 1). ...
Pallas's cat and Tibetan fox standoff in Ladakh, India
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2023
The Pallas’s cat Otocolobus manul and Tibetan fox Vulpes ferrilata are two mesocarnivores co-occurring across a vast landscape in Tibetan Plateau and Trans-Himalaya. Our understanding of this species' basic ecology and interactions are limited in this re- gion, any noteworthy observation is valuable in improving our understanding of these species’ ecology and behaviour. Here, we report an interaction incident between the Pallas's cat and Tibetan fox in Ladakh, India. We also discuss the distribution overlap between the Pallas’s cat and Tibetan fox. Our preliminary observations suggest that the Pallas’s cat and Tibetan fox potentially share their habitat and compete for prey resources in the Indian Trans-Himalaya and Tibetan Plateau.
View
... The wetlands of Ladakh are the key breeding habitats of the black-necked crane Grus nigricollis, bar-headed goose Anser indicus and ruddy shelduck Tadorna ferruginea in India (Hussain, Singh, & Badola, 2008). The mammals found in CWLS include Himalayan blue sheep Pseudois nayaur, Ladakh urial Ovis vignei, Tibetan argali Ovis ammon, Tibetan wild ass Equus kiang, Himalayan marmot Marmota himalayana, red fox Vulpes vulpes, Tibetan gazelle Procapra picticaudata, snow leopard Panthera uncia, dhole Cuon alpinus, Himalayan or woolly wolf Canis lupus, lynx Lynx lynx and Pallas's cat Otocolobus manul (Pfister, 2004;Mahar et al., 2017). ...
Do we need to unfriend a few friends? Free‐ranging dogs affect wildlife and pastoralists in the Indian Trans‐Himalaya
Article
Full-text available
  • Apr 2023
  • ANIM CONSERV
Dogs Canis lupus familiaris, among canids, have emerged as the most successful predators and facultative scavengers, and have prevented other carnivores from approaching human habitats through intraguild competition. Over time with increasing population and livestock predation, they have become a matter of concern for pastoralists. The present study was conducted to understand the patterns of free‐ranging dogs' predation on livestock and wildlife, from 2015 to 2017 in Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary (CWLS), Ladakh, India. Information was collected on (a) dog populations in 10 sites using polygon search in Spatially Explicit Capture‐Recapture framework and block count, (b) their diet using scat analysis (n = 205) and (c) perceptions of pastoralists towards dogs through questionnaire‐based interviews (n = 210). Dog densities varied between 10 and 310 individuals/100 km² and were high in and around human habitations. A major part of their diet constituted of livestock (74.29%) and wild species (13.06%). Among wild prey species, birds (4.49%), lagomorphs (3.67%), rodents (2.45%) and Tibetan wild ass (1.63%) had high occurrence in dog diet. The local people admitted that dogs pose a threat to livestock and wildlife. As unowned free‐ranging dogs harm livestock and wildlife, about 40% of the respondents had negative perceptions towards them. The perception varied with occupation and pastoralists were more negative than non‐pastoralists (P < 0.001). We suggest that effective mechanisms need to be identified or developed to manage dog populations in ecologically and economically sensitive areas to minimise the threats and safeguard the endangered wildlife and local livelihoods.
View
... Pallas's Cat occurs in Nepal in upper Manang valley within broken and rocky habitats, rolling hill slopes with few cliffs, and in Dolpo in rocky hill slopes within montane grassland steppe (Shrestha et al. 2014. In India, the majority of records are from the Trans-Himalayan landscapes of Ladakh and Sikkim (Prater and Barruel 1971, Mallon 1991, Mahar et al. 2017, Pal et al. 2019). In the Tibetan region Pallas's Cat has been reported in desert steppe habitat at 5,050 m dominated by Stipa spp. ...
Otocolobus manul (errata version published in 2020). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Technical Report
Full-text available
  • Jul 2020
Pallas’s Cat has a wide but fragmented distribution across the grasslands and montane steppes of Central Asia. Pallas’s Cats are generally found at low densities, though in small rich patches in Russia they have been found at much higher density (Kirilyuk and Barashkova 2011). Their low density is believed to be a result of interspecific predation and the resulting habitat specialisation leading to a small percentage of the landscape being suitable for their needs. Due to their general low density and patchy distribution, relatively large areas are required to conserve viable populations (Ross et al. 2019a). Pallas’s Cats are also highly dependent on cavities to provide dens for daily use and rearing young, which further restricts habitat availability (Ross et al. 2010a). Predation by sympatric carnivores, herding dogs, and human offtake are the main known causes of mortality, but habitat disturbance and fragmentation is believed to be their main threat (Ross et al. 2019b). Mineral exploitation and infrastructure developments have increased throughout the species range. Pallas’s Cat also continues to be at risk from a declining prey base due to pika (Ochotona spp.) and rodent control programmes leading to prey depletion and secondary poisoning (Ross et al. 2019b). Due to the difficulty of observing the species, data generally consist of individual records, and there are no current monitoring programmes that would allow empirical estimates of population size or population trend. However, recent reviews have highlighted that the global population size is unlikely to be low enough to qualify as Near Threatened (Barashkova et al. 2019). In addition, we used the methods of Santini et al. (2019) to quantify habitat loss and disturbance across Pallas’s Cats range between 1994 and 2015 (or three generations). The analyses indicated that between these years the change in suitable habitat and level of habitat fragmentation was low, suggesting suitable habitat is likely to be disappearing at a lower rate than previously assumed, and indicating the population may be more stable than thought. Though caution is needed as information on the Pallas’s Cat is incomplete, and threats may be acting at a different scale than our analyses. We also have no information describing the species population dynamics and how the population may track prey availability. Nevertheless, based on distributional data, the Pallas’s Cat population as a whole appears more stable than previously thought leading to its inclusion in the Least Concern category.
View
Otocolobus manul. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015.
Technical Report
Full-text available
  • Oct 2015
Pallas’s Cat has a wide but fragmented distribution in the grasslands and montane steppe of Central Asia. Even in optimal steppe habitat in Mongolia Pallas’s Cats occur at a very low density of two to six Pallas’s Cats/100 km2 (Ross in prep.). Their low density is believed to be a result of interspecific predation which restricts their use of habitats to those with good cover from predators, whilst maintaining access to prey. A consequence of habitat specialization is that a low percentage of the landscape is suitable for their needs, and their low density means that relatively large areas are required for conservation of viable populations (Ross et al. 2012). Pallas’s Cats are dependent on marmot burrows or other available cavities to provide dens for daily use and rearing young, which further restricts habitat availability (Ross et al. 2010a). Using the Pallas’s Cat studbook data (Barclay 2013) generation length has been estimated at 3.61 years. However, most populations now experience disturbances resulting in reduced lifespan and lower reproductive output (e.g. Ross 2009). Predation by sympatric carnivores, domestic dogs and human offtake are the main causes of mortality (Ross 2009). While recent records have resulted in small expansions of the species known range, increases in the number and extent of livestock, herders and herding dogs is resulting in increased habitat degradation, displacement and mortalities (Damdinsuren et al. 2008, Barashkova and Smelansky 2011, Ross et al. 2012). Mineral exploitation and infrastructure developments have also increased substantially in Central Asia increasing fragmentation throughout its core range (Selles 2013). Pallas’s Cat continues to be at serious risk from a declining prey base due to pika and rodent control programmes and secondary poisoning. A lack of range-wide data means there is little empirical bases on which to estimate population size and status of Pallas’s Cat. However, based on low detection rates, increases in habitat degradation and the species biological susceptibility to disturbance, populations are suspected to be fragmented and to have declined by 10–15% over the past 11 years (three generations). The species is listed as Near Threatened as it may qualify as Vulnerable under criterion C1 in the future when the population size drops below 10,000 mature individuals (it is currently about 15,000).
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First photographic evidence of a Pallas's cat in Jigme Dorji National Park, Bhutan
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2013
During a recent camera trap survey of snow leopards Panthera uncia in Jigme Dorji National Park (JDNP) in Bhutan, several photographs of a Pallas’s cat Otocolobus manul were captured. This is the first photographic evidence of a Pallas’s cat in the park and the second evidence of its presence in Bhutan after the first photographic evidence was collected in a similar study from Wangchuck Centennial Park in April 2012 (WWF 2012). These new records confirm an extension of the species’ distribution in the Eastern Himalayas.
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First Record of Pallas's Cat in Northwest Iran
Article
Full-text available
allas's cat Otocolobus manul is a wide-ranging small cat that occurs throughout northern and central Asia (Allen 1938, Ognev 1935, Heptner & Sludskii 1972, No- well & Jackson 1996). Although po- pulations are relatively robust in some areas like Mongolia, little information exists on populations elsewhere, par- ticularly in the southern portion of the species' range. Consequently, the distribution limits of the species are largely speculative and often inferred from the distribution of potentially suitable habitats.
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Pallas’ Cat ecology and Conservation in the Semi-desert Steppes of Mongolia
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2006
The Pallas’ cat Otocolobus manul is a unique, arid-adapted cat that ranges across the steppes of Central Asia. Known to occur from Tibet in the south to Siberia in the north, the Pallas’ cat inhabits a wide variety of grassland, semidesert, and desert habitats (Heptner & Naumov 1992). Despite its range, little is known of the ecology or behaviour of the species and few details exist on its population and conservation status. The paucity of information on the species poses considerable challenges to wildlife managers and conservationists in Asia.
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Status and conservation of large mammals in Ladakh
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 1991
  • BIOL CONSERV
The distribution and status of large mammals was surveyed in a 15 000 km2 study area in Ladakh, India. Snow leopard Panthera uncia, wolf Canis lupus, ibex Capra ibex and bharal Pseudois nayaur have an almost continuous distribution throughout; Ladakh urial Ovis vignei, Tibetan argali Ovis ammon, wild ass Equus kiang and brown bear Ursus arctos have a limited distribution. Snow leopard prefer lower altitudes and rocky, undisturbed areas. Ibex and bharal occupy similar rocky habitats but their ranges are mostly separate, with a small area of overlap. The Ladakh urial shows signs of recovery from an earlier decline. Natural resources are widely used for fuel, fodder and grazing, but favourable factors include a low human population, low level of hunting and the existence of some uninhabited and undisturbed areas. A comprehensive Protected Area Network has been proposed.
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Unified ecosystem manage� ment plan for the Changthang Wilderness area, Ladakh. Department of Wildlife Protec� tion
  • Jan 1997
  • N A Kichloo
Kichloo N. A. 1997. Unified ecosystem manage� ment plan for the Changthang Wilderness area, Ladakh. Department of Wildlife Protec� tion, Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir. 45 pp.
Hachette Book Pu�lishing India Pvt
  • Jan 2014
  • 250-251
  • V Menon
Menon V. 2014. Indian Mammals: A field guide. Hachette Book Pu�lishing India Pvt. Ltd. Gurga� on, India, pp. 250�251.