VISIT LADAKH —» Wildlife of Ladakh

Wildlife of Ladakh

Ladakh's flora and fauna are more similar to those of Tibet than to the main Himalaya and are a product of the dry climate, cold winters and short growing season. An outline of what you can expect to see is given here:-

FLORA
The main plants in the temperate and subalpine zones are willow and poplar trees which grow wherever there is water, which is usually along man-made irrigation channels. Walnut and apricot trees are found at lower altitude. Conifers can also occasionally be found. In the alpine zone you may find bushes of wild roses and sea buckthorn and sometimes junipers which are usually clinging to steep cliffs, out of reach of the woodcutter's knife. Alpine meadows with wild flowers are rare in this arid landscape and this zone is characterised by scrub and low shrubs. However, even when crossing high passes the trekker will notice plants that have adapted to the harsh environment by growing hairy leaves which capture any moisture in the air. Where there aren't any other signs of life you can still find the occasional lichen clinging to the rocks.

MAMMALS
Ladakh is home to several rare and endangered species of mammal as well as having some of the richest diversity of sheep and goats. Trekkers outside the busiest tourist season or on less frequented trails are likely to see at least one or two different species. The most commonly encountered is the marmot. This member of the squirrel family lives in deep burrows on mountain sides and will allow you to get quite close before giving a whistle of alarm and disappearing underground. Occasionally you'll come across martens, weasels, hares and pikas (a relative of the hare, but with round ears and no tail) and see foxes (Vulpes vulpes) along the trails in summer. Wolves (Canis lupus), common and widespread throughout the mountains, rarely appear until winter when they descend to the villages to prey on the villagers' livestock. They have occasionally worried trekkers' ponies in parts of the Chang Tang during the summer months. Among the various wild sheep and goats, bharal (Pseudois nayaur), or blue sheep, are the most numerous and are commonly seen. These homed, grey-brown sheep-like animals have characteristics of both sheep and goats. They prefer rugged, steep terrain and large herds are often encountered in the Hemis National Park on the Markha Valley trek where they help maintain the healthy snow leopard population that preys on them.

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Siberian ibex (Capra ibex sibirica) live in the west of Ladakh and are the second most common hoofed mammal here but this wild goat's preference for steep and high ground means that they are rarely spotted by trekkers. The Ladakh urial (Ovis orientalis vignel) is a rare wild sheep found in and around the Indus Valley but this proximity to a large population of humans means that it is constantly under threat from hunters. Another rare sheep is the argali (Ovis ammon hodgsoni) which can be found at higher altitude and has huge curled horns.

Herds of Tibetan wild ass (Equus hemionus /dang), or kiang, are not as common a sighting as they once were, but trekkers in the Rupshu and Chang Tang areas are still likely to see groups of this beautiful horse-like ass. Other animals of the grasslands and steppes of the Chang Tang are the Tibetan gazelle and the rare Tibetan antelope. Every trekker hopes to stumble across the legendary and endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) but the chances of doing so are extremely small. This solitary high-altitude cat is found in Zanskar and in the Hemis National Park (where there is a population of 50-75). It's about the size of a large dog and has a grey coat with black spots; sightings are very rare because of its depleted numbers and ability to blend into the landscape. There are a few lynx (Felix lynx) in Ladakh's wilder areas and also Pallas's cats (Felis manu/) which are about the size of a domestic cat. Brown bear (Ursos arctos) are found in very small numbers in northern Zanskar and the Suru Valley.

BIRDS
A large variety of both resident and migratory birds are found in Ladakh and some 240 different species have been recorded. Most visitors will see magpies, sparrows and crows which are all common around villages. Other common birds include various species of lark, twite, fmches and snow pigeon.

In the mountains you are likely to see the chukor partridge and the occasional kestrel, while soaring high on the thermals are huge scavenging lammergeyer (bearded vulture) with a 205m-wingspan, and also HImalayan griffin vultures, buzzards and the occasional golden eagle.

Of the migratory birds, the black-necked crane is one of the rarest, its numbers have been reduced to just a handful of breeding pairs in the Chang Tang lakes. The barbeaded goose also makes the incredible journey over the Himalaya each spring to breed on these high-altitude lakes having spent the winter in the wetlands of the Ganges floodplain. The great crested grebe also breeds here. Another visitor is the boopoe, which is easy to spot with its long curved beak, and pink and black crest. This bird's arrival traditionally heralds the beginning of summer.

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Yak
The largest animal of the cold desert is the yak (dong), a wild ox. First described only a century ago by the famous Russian naturalist-- explorer, N. M. Przewalski, the wild yak is definitely more imposing than its placid domestic counterpart. Immensely shaggy and weighing about a tone it has curved horns whose tips can be as wide apart as 90 cm. and measure 76 cm. over the curves. It can easily be distinguished by its long black hair, which is tinged with gray at the muzzle. Spending its summers at a height above 6,000 meters, in winter it moves in herds to the lakes, marshes and lower valleys.

Nyan
All the world's sheep are closely related and zoologists generally believe that each kind is only a variation of the same species. The largest and most magnificent of wild sheep is the nyan also called the Great Tibetan sheep (Ovis ammon). Roughly 200 of these antelope - like animals are found in the extreme eastern portion of Ladakh. The horns of the nyan measure up to 145 cm. and the animal normally remains at a great height, rarely descending to a level below 4,500 meters.

Urial
The urial or shapu, (Ovis orientalis), which weighs 85 Kg. and has horns measuring upto 99 cm., is the smallest of the world sheep in eastern Asia, its body just about as tall as its horns. These sheep prefer the grassy mountain slopes, usually at a height of 3,000 - 4,000 meters. The meeting of this species, as is the case with most sheep during December-January and they give birth to their young around May. The need for protection of the urial is great as they are with in easy reach of hunters. Their numbers have been declining rapidly and it is estimated that there are no more than 500 in Ladakh, while a survey by the Wildlife Department of Jammu & Kashmir puts another population in the Markha and Rumbak valleys at only around 34-50. The most common and wide spread of the sheep in the Ladakh region is the bharal or the blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur). Found at an altitude of almost 6,000 meters, in summer they graze in huge herds on the rich and abundant grasses of the alpine meadows. Their brownish-gray coloring provides them with protective camouflage and as they often stand motionless they can be extremely difficult to spot but, when alarmed, bharal will bolt swiftly to safety. Strangely, bharal seem to bear some morphological traits of both sheep and goats.

Ibex
Of the goats in the region, ibex (Capra ibex) are the most distinctive and beautiful. Sporting a pair of fine curved, spiral horns measuring as much as 147 cm. (the largest on record), the large stocky ibex normally move in herds of 10-16.They prefer the black precipitous rocks and cliffs and consequently roam much higher than the smaller wild goats, descending, however, in winter to lower altitudes to feed and shelter. The Wildlife Department of J&K estimate that around 250 ibex exist in Kanji Nala.Inhabiting the steppes of this Tibetan plateau are too small creatures not generally associated with high altitudes, the Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) and the chiru (Pantholops hodgsoni). The former, sighted very rarely on the eastern fringe of Ladakh, sport horns measuring 36 cm. and are generally seen in herds of 5-10. The later also called Tibetan antelopes, are strange little animals with beautiful horns measuring up to 69 cm. Chiru inhabit the Aksai Chin and Tibetan plateau, usually above 5,000 meters. Also found in western Ladakh are the much persecuted musk deer and kiangs- the handsome , sleek, rust and white colored wild asses, whose estimated population is around 1,500.

Predators(Snow leopard, Brown bear, Wolf, Lynx)
High in the mountains, this solitary animal hunts goats, ibex, blue sheep and shapu by following them up and down the slopes in their seasonal migration. During the winter, snow leopards stalk the lower mountains, often feeding on domestic stock. Observations seem to indicate that this animal hunts in the early morning and late afternoons. Despite the heavy toll taken by poachers, the population of the snow leopard in Ladakh is estimated to be roughly 200. With almost 40-50 skins smuggled out of Ladakh in the 1950's, 30-40 in the 1960's and 10-15 still being slipped out, the main enemy of this animal is, undoubtedly, man. Two other carnivores inhabiting this mountain home for the great bears. The medium-sized Himalayan black bear (Selenarctos thlbetanus), a forest dweller, is found up to heights of 4,500 meters in the summer. Like most bears it feeds on practically anything ranging from fruit and ripe corn to sheep, goats, deer and even termites. Its usual home is in dug-out hollows or caves. Further up the mountain lives the more adaptive brown bear(Ursus arctos) which has a population of around 200(of which approximately 20 are found in the Kargil area- the rest in the Zanskar valley). Three or four pairs of black bears have also been spotted here during the months of July and August when fruits like apricots and apples ripen.The wolf population in Ladakh is likely to be around 300 and consists of two basic varieties. The northern race is light fawn and brown whereas the southern is invariably darker. These wolves, probably the most hated predators in Ladakh, hunt in pairs and move over vast territories. It is observed one particular regularly moving across a narrow valley at dusk. The red fox exists in larger numbers but many are, unfortunately trapped for fur. From western Ladakh alone, about skins are possibly smuggled out every year. The stone marten, a pretty, alert and active animal is also hunted for its fur; again about 400 skins are smuggled out annually.

Snow leopard
The snow leopard inhabits the high mountains of Central Asia, and within India, is found along the northern border, in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.The Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir includes a large area of potential habitat and reports indicate that a relatively undistributed snow leopard population may exist in a few sites. Since the Ladakh area is known to support snow leopard populations, and some of the habitat is fairly accessible, this may prove to be a feasible study site for ecological investigation. The snow leopard is considered endangered in every region in which it is found. Three factors contribute towards a decline in its population.Firstly, the animal is hunted by the locals for its valuable pelt and also to protect livestock. Secondly, ungulate prey of the snow leopard, wild sheep and goats, have been reduced by hunting for human consumption and thirdly, domestic livestock has displaced wild ungulates from their grazing areas. If this trend continues, it is doubtful whether the snow leopard will survive, except in a few isolated areas or in captivity. The Fifth International Snow Leopard Symposium , which took place from October 13-15,1986, in srinagar, was attended by representatives from over 21 countries. Its basic purpose is to promote measures and exchange information which will help to ensure the perpetuation of viable breeding populations of the species.

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Avifauna
The Himalayan and Tibetan snowcocks-large majestic birds much hunted for their meat, and partridges breed at a height about 5,000 meters. The rest are visitors, moving down to the foothills in autumn in an annual ritual of altitudinal migration. Other birds move still further, horizontally following ancient routes of global migration.The highest realm belongs to the birds of prey and carrion eaters. These include choughs, griffon vultures, ravens and lammergeiers(bearded vultures), which follow man and animal wherever they roam. Choughs and ravens have been seen as high as 6,150 meters along with the lammergeiers, which have a spectacular three meters wingspan, which enables them to glide on high powerful upcurrents. Lammergeiers are never found far from mountains and locals awed by their size falsely believe them to be capable of carrying away young lambs.

Habitat
Biologically, everything about the crane group, Gruidae, seems to indicate that the birds are of very old origin having appeared on earth some 60 million years before man. Now, probably, they are on their way out. They are not found in abundance anywhere except in several Buddhist countries like Japan and Korea, where they receive socio-religious protection. Small groups of cranes do exist elsewhere in Asia, Europe, Africa, North America and Australia, but nowhere in South America, the Malayan archipelago, Pacific Islands or New Zealand. Most species of cranes are migratory and some of them travel awesome distances each year. As for the black-necked crane, it chooses to migrate to higher altitudes to nest.

Vital Statistics
The black-necked crane has a very pale gray, almost white, body with a black neck, head, feet and well-developed secondaries. Its bill is greenish. All cranes have long legs, long straight bills and necks and an elevated hind toe ,which normally bears none of the bird's weight when it walks. They fly with their heads and necks straight out, their legs and feet stretched out behind and with a regular, steady and slow downward wing beat matched by a rapid upstroke. They may circle at tremendous heights (sometimes 5 km above the ground) to form long V-s - an extremely beautiful sight. Cranes seldom glide, except when preparing to land. A distinctive feature about this bird is its windpipe,which is shaped differently in each species but is always elaborately coiled somewhat like a trumpet.

Wildlife of Ladakh Mammals in Ladakh :: Birds in Ladakh :: Snow Leopard in Ladakh