Peculiar Wild Mammals of India

January 11, 2016 January 11, 2016

Western Red Panda is found in Nepal, Assam, Sikkim and Bhutan states of India. Red pandas are one of the few animals whose diet is composed almost entirely on bamboo.

Critically Endangered Malabar Civet is endemic to the Western Ghats of India. It is listed as Critically Endangered by IUCN

Critically Endangered Salim Ali’s fruit bat is one of the world’s rarest bats and is the only species in the genus Latidens. It is found to Western Ghats.
Under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act all species of fruit bat are classified as pests and it is therefore legal to persecute them outside of protected reserve.

Pygmy hog is the smallest of all the pig family. These small hogs have relatively short limbs. It is critically endangered animal and is currently found only in Indian state of Assam. The Pygmy Hog Research and Breeding Centre is located in Basistha, Assam, which along with Assam State Zoo is endeavouring captive breeding of this hog.

Sloth bears are found in a wide variety of habitats on the subcontinent, from grasslands and thorn scrub to evergreen forest.

Listed as Near Threatened because its extent of occurrence is probably approximately 30,000 km², and the extent and quality of its habitat are probably declining, and it occurs as severely fragmented populations.
This species is restricted to the Western Ghats of southern India and to the island of Sri Lanka.
It is an arboreal and nocturnal species. It occurs in evergreen, deciduous and montane forests.
Travancore flying squirrels were thought to be extinct but rediscovered in 1989 after a gap of 100 years.

The wild yak was domesticated about 2,000 years ago. Unfortunately, the number of wild yak is decreasing very quickly, due to uncontrolled hunting, and by their pastures being taken over by domestic yak. There are probably only a few hundred wild yak, and they have been categorized by the IUCN as endangered. Wild yak are now officially protected in China. In India, a few wild yaks are found in Chang Chemmo Valley of Ladakh.

The Tibetan wolf is found in Tibet and Ladakh and there it is known as chánkú or shanko.

Caracal or Desert Lynx is a wild cat widely distributed across Africa, Central Asia and southwest Asia into India. Caracals can survive without drinking for a long period—the water demand is satisfied with the body fluids of prey. They have been used in India for the purpose of hunting and blood sports.

The grizzled giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura) is found in Sri Lanka and Western Ghats of southern India. It is highly territorial and is very vocal upon encountering an intruder. It is usually found alone or occasionally in pairs.