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Wild Mammalian Diversity in Jammu and Kashmir State

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Book cover Biodiversity of the Himalaya: Jammu and Kashmir State

Part of the book series: Topics in Biodiversity and Conservation ((TOBC,volume 18))

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of the unique diversity and conservation status of wild mammalian fauna of the Jammu and Kashmir State. The State owing to the diverse habitats, wide altitudinal gradient, and climatic variations, ranging from lowland subtropical Jammu plains, temperate region of Kashmir to high-altitude cold desert of Trans-Himalaya of Ladakh, is home to an impressive faunal diversity, including mammals, many of which are endemic to this Himalayan State. The State possesses 112 species of mammals: including 34 globally threatened with 1 Critically Endangered, 6 Endangered, 12 Vulnerable, and 8 Near Threatened species. Looking ahead, recommendations for better and effective management and conservation of the wild mammalian fauna of the State have been proposed for early implementation.

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Acknowledgments

We are highly grateful to Prof. Nazeer Ahmad, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir, Shalimar, for his help and support. Dr. Zaffar Rais Mir, NPDF Fellow, Division of Wildlife Sciences, SKUAST-Kashmir, is thanked for helping in sorting and formatting of the manuscript. We owe thanks to Rashid Y. Naqash, Department of Wildlife Protection, J&K Government, for providing some historical distribution records of some of the mammals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Wildlife Sciences, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Khursheed Ahmad

  2. Department of Zoology, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Bilal A. Bhat

  3. Wildlife Trust of India, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Riyaz Ahmad

  4. Department of Wildlife Protection, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Intesar Suhail

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  1. Khursheed Ahmad
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  2. Bilal A. Bhat
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Ghulam Hassan Dar

  2. Centre for Biodiversity and Taxonomy, Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Anzar A. Khuroo

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Ahmad, K., Bhat, B.A., Ahmad, R., Suhail, I. (2020). Wild Mammalian Diversity in Jammu and Kashmir State. In: Dar, G., Khuroo, A. (eds) Biodiversity of the Himalaya: Jammu and Kashmir State . Topics in Biodiversity and Conservation, vol 18. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9174-4_36

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