Mammals in the Himalaya

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As is obvious from the major part of the pictures, I prefer to depict animals in their natural surroundings, or studies of their behavior, rather than taking close-ups, which I find rather boring.

In case you find any errors on this page, I would be grateful to receive an email. You may use the address at the bottom of the page.

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for a she-goat. A billy-goat was called caper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elsewhere, this species has been introduced as a hunting object, including New Zealand, Argentina, and South Africa. In these countries numbers of tahrs have exploded, as they have no natural enemies here, and they have become a serious threat to the local environment through overgrazing.

In 1826, English artist, naturalist, antiquary, illustrator, soldier, and spy, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Hamilton Smith (1776-1859) named this animal Capra jemlahica, meaning ‘the goat from Himalaya’. However, in 1841, the outstanding British naturalist and ethnologist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894) renamed it Hemitragus jemlahicus, derived from Ancient Greek hemi (‘half’) and tragos (‘goat’), thus ‘goat-like’. Apparently, he found that this animal was not really a goat. Today, however, genetic research has revealed that it is in fact a goat.

A stunning encounter with this animal is related on the page Travel episodes – India 2008: Mountain goats and frozen flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It generally lives in forests at altitudes between 200 and 2,000 m, but may be observed down to sea level in Bangladesh, and it occasionally strays to high mountains, sometimes as high as 4,000 m. It is declining in many places due to hunting and habitat fragmentation.

 

 

 

 

The rhesus monkey has become well-known through its usage in medical research, which detected the rhesus factor, an inherited antigen in the blood of humans. Its fur is mainly brown, with an orange tinge on the hind parts, and the tail is rather short, 20-30 cm. This monkey lives in very diverse habitats, from semi-desert via various forest types to temple groves and cities, from the lowland up to about 2,500 m altitude.

Due to the great deeds, performed by the monkey army in the great Hindu epic Ramayana, monkeys are regarded as sacred animals among Hindus, and troops of monkeys often live around temples, where part of their diet consists of rice, sweets, or other edibles, brought as offerings by devout Hindus.

One such temple is Pashupatinath, a Hindu temple on the shores of the Bagmati River, Kathmandu, Nepal. Another temple with many rhesus monkeys is the great Buddhist stupa Swayambhunath, likewise in Kathmandu, which also contains Hindu shrines. At least two troops of rhesus monkeys live in the forest around this stupa.

The specific name is of unknown origin. The common name may refer to a person in Greek mythology, King Rhesus of Thrace, who sided with the Trojans during the Trojan War, related in the Iliad.

The role of monkeys in Ramayana is described on the page Animals – Mammals: Monkeys and apes.

 

 

 

 

 

The total number of terai langurs is probably only about 10,000 mature individuals, and the population is slowly declining, mainly due to habitat loss.

The specific name refers to a person in Greek mythology, Prince Hector of Troy, who was one of the foremost fighters among the Trojans during the Trojan War, related in the Iliad.

 

 

 

 

 

This monkey mainly lives in lush monsoon forests, occasionally found in scrubland and agricultural areas. It is quite common, and the population is fairly stable. Threats include habitat loss through logging, fire, and human encroachment, and it is hunted in Tibet for usage in traditional medicine.

The specific name is derived from Latin, meaning ‘slate-coloured’ – very pale slate, one must say!

 

 

 

 

 

Deer live in almost all types of habitats, ranging from tundra to tropical rainforest. They are widely distributed, with native species present in all continents, except Antarctica and Australia. In Africa, however, only a single species is present in the Atlas Mountains. The largest concentration of species is found in Asia.

 

Males are characterized by their short antlers, often only about 10 cm long. Instead of using their antlers, they tend to fight for territory with their 2-4 cm long upper canines. Where the males have antlers, the females have small bony knobs with tufts of fur.

The generic name is a Latinized form of the Dutch name of these animals, muntjak, which is a corruption of their Sundanese name, mencek. The popular name barking deer was given in allusion to their alarm call, which is reminiscent of a dog’s barking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin altus (‘high’) and colo (‘to inhabit’), thus ‘the one that lives at high altitudes’.

 

The specific name was given in honour of Ferdinand Stoliczka (1838-1874), a Czech palaeontologist, geologist, and zoologist, who mainly worked in India. He died of altitude sickness during an expedition to the Karakoram Mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The European tarpan (Equus ferus) went extinct as late as 1909. This animal and its close relative, Przevalski’s horse (E. ferus ssp. przewalskii), as well as the domestic horse, are described on the page Animals: Animals as servants of Man.

The name Equus is derived from Proto-Indo-European hekwos (‘horse’).

 

The populations have decreased alarmingly in later years due to competition from huge flocks of grazing sheep and goats, and uncontrolled hunting, and today only scattered herds are found on the Tibetan Plateau, from the northern outskirts of the Himalaya and Ladakh northwards to the Kunlun Mountains. Thus, almost the entire population is in Chinese territories, with about 2,500-3,000 individuals in Ladakh and Sikkim, and very few along the northern border of Nepal.

The specific name is the Tibetan name of the animal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek panther, referring to the black-coated leopard of India.

 

In Buddhist areas like Ladakh, Sikkim, and Bhutan, and the Khumbu and Dolpo regions in Nepal, hunting is banned, and this rare cat here has safe havens, where it can prey on species like bharal (Pseudois nayaur), urial (Ovis vignei), Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), and alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster).

For many years, the snow leopard was regarded as the sole member of the genus Uncia. However, genetic research has revealed that it is closely related to the other four large cats. The name uncia is derived from Old English ounce, ultimately from Ancient Greek lynx, originally alluding to the European lynx (Lynx lynx), but over time being used for the snow leopard as well as the cougar (Puma concolor).

 

 

 

 

 

The male possesses long canines, used during territorial fights with other males. He also has a musk gland, with which he marks his territory. This gland has been utilized in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for more than 5,000 years. It is estimated that musk is currently being used in as many as 400 Chinese and Korean traditional remedies, employed in treatment of disorders of the nervous system, blood circulation, heart, and lungs. The musk is also reported to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-histaminic, stimulating, and sedative properties. In India, it has been used as an aphrodisiac for thousands of years.

In 747, armies of the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the First Tibetan Empire, ruled by Songtsan Gampo (c. 604-650), clashed on the banks of the famous Oxus River, now called Amu Darya, in what is today the Wakhan Corridor of north-eastern Afghanistan. The outcome of this battle would decide, which empire was in control of the route, leading through the Kingdom of Bolor, and over the Darkot Pass (4703 m) into the Indus Valley – an important branch on the ancient trading route of Central Asia, the Silk Road. Who controlled this pass, controlled the export of musk glands from the north-western part of the Indian Subcontinent – a commodity, which was worth 30 times its weight in silver. Incidentally, the Chinese army won the battle.

The musk has also been widely used in the perfume industry for thousands of years.

Several musk deer species are severely threatened due to excessive hunting of the males. According to TRAFFIC, which is monitoring international wildlife trade, and WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature), 17,000-20,000 musk deer males are killed annually, in Russia alone, to supply the illegal trade in glands. (Source: National Geographic News, 2004)

 

In many parts of the Himalaya, where Buddhism is the dominating religion, populations are stable, as killing of animals is banned in these areas. One such area is the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal, where this animal is fairly common and rather confiding, as the local Buddhist Sherpas do not harm any wild animals.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek khrysos (‘golden’) and gaster (‘belly’), thus ‘golden-bellied’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name ultimately stems from Proto-Indo-European mysdersleh, meaning ‘mouse-grabber’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek pteron (‘wing’) and pous (‘foot’), alluding to the skin of the wing also being attached to the feet.

 

In the Himalaya, it is found up to an elevation of at least 1,400 m.

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from Sciurus, the Latin name of these animals, in 1758 applied by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) to the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris). The word squirrel, which has been in use as early as 1327, is from the Anglo-Norman name esquirel, which is again from the Old French escurel, a corruption of the Latin sciurus, which is derived from Ancient Greek skia (‘shadow’) and oura (‘tail’), thus ‘shadow-tailed’, alluding to the habit of some squirrels to raise their bushy tails over the body, thus creating shade.

Many species of squirrel are presented on the page Animals – Mammals: Squirrels.

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek peteurister (‘acrobat’), naturally alluding to the elegant gliding of these animals.

 

Previously, this species was regarded as a subspecies of the widespread red giant flying squirrel (P. petaurista). However, recent genetic research has split that species into a number of separate species. The white-bellied was also formerly reported eastwards to the Yunnan Province, but eastern Himalayan animals are now recognized as belonging to a recently described separate species, the Yunnan giant flying squirrel (P. yunanensis).

The specific name is derived from the Latin albus (‘white’) and venter (‘belly’).