Birds and Mammals of the Wakha Valley in Northern India

Ladakh in northern India harbours a diverse assemblage of birds and mammals. The species in the region show close affinity with the Palaearctic bio-geographic realm. We conducted a survey on mammals and birds in the Wakha Valley of Kargil district in Ladakh in 2013. This area remains virtually unknown in terms of its biodiversity. During the survey, we recorded mammalian herbivores like the Asiatic ibex Capra ibex siberica, Ladakh urial Ovis vignei vignei and long-tailed marmot Marmota caudata. Mammalian carnivores included the charismatic snow leopard Panthera uncia, Tibetan wolf Canis lupus chanko, Himalayan brown bear Ursus arctos isabellinus and red fox Vulpes v. montana. Avifauna comprised 45 species belonging to 19 families and five orders. Most of the bird species were of the order Passeriformes (36 species). Forty nine percent of the species were resident, while the rest were migratory that visit the area in summer as well as in winter. Bird species were mostly observed in riverine habitats. This is the first documentation of the diversity of birds and mammals in the Wakha valley of Ladakh.