Wildlife of Ladakh

The wildlife of Ladakh was first studied by Ferdinand Stoliczka, an Austrian/Czech palaeontologist, who carried out a massive expedition in the region in the 1870s. The fauna of Ladakh have much in common with that of Central Asia generally, and especially those of the Tibetan Plateau. An exception to this are the birds, many of which migrate from the warmer parts of India to spend the summer in Ladakh. For such an arid area, Ladakh has a great diversity of birds — a total of 225 species have been recorded.

Hoopoe is a common bird in Ladakh

Many species of finches, robins, redstarts (like the Black Redstart) and the Hoopoe are common in summer. The Brown-headed Gull is seen in summer on the river Indus, and on some lakes of the Changthang. Resident water-birds include the Brahminy duck also known as the Ruddy Sheldrake and the Bar-headed Goose. The Black-necked Crane is a rare species found scattered in the Tibetan plateau is also found in parts of Ladakh. Other birds include the Raven, Red-billed Chough, Tibetan Snowcock and Chukar. The Lammergeier and the Golden Eagle are common raptors here.

The Ibex is found in high craggy terrain, it still numbers several thousand in Ladakh, and trekkers often spot them. The Bharal, or blue sheep, is even more common, ranging in the Himalayas from Ladakh east as far as Sikkim. The Shapu is a goat, found at lower elevations, mostly in river valleys, and therefore is often directly in competition with domesticated animals. They are now rare, numbering about one thousand. The Argali, or Nayan, is a relative of the Marco Polo sheep of the Pamirs. They are imprecive animals with huge horisontal curving horns. They are extremely rare in Ladakh, numbering only a couple hundred, however they do have a wide range threw out mountainous areas of the Chinese Provinces of Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu.

The Chiru, or Tibetan antelope, (known in Ladakhi as Stos) is also endangered . It has traditionally been hunted for its wool The wool obtained from the Chiru is called Shahtoosh, and is valued in South Asia for its lightweight and warmth, but more than anything else, as a status symbol. The owning or trading in Shahtoosh is now illegal in most countries. The Kyang, or Tibetan Wild Ass, is one animal that visitors can expect to see from the comfort of a vehicle, if they take a Jeep tour on the Changthang. They favour the rolling grasslands of this area, and with their natural curiosity makes them fairly easy to spot, despite the relatively low numbers, about 1500 individuals.

About 200 Snow leopards, an endangered species, are believed to live in Ladakh

The Snow Leopard once ranged throughout the Himalaya, Tibet, and as far as the Sayan mountains on the Mongolian-Russian border; and in elevation from 1800 m to 5400 m. They are extremely shy, and well hard to spot, and as such not well known, it is believed there are about 200 in Ladakh. While tourists are unlikely to see the cats themselves, during winter the footprints and other marks are not uncommon. Other cats in Ladakh are even more rare than the snow leopard, the Lynx, numbering only a few individuals, and the Pallas's cat, who looks outwardly like a house cat. The Tibetan Wolf is the greatest threat to the livestock of the Ladakhis and as such is the most persecuted, there are only about 300 wolves left in Ladakh. There are also a very few brown bears in the Suru valley and the area around Dras. The Tibetan Sand Fox has recently been discovered in this region.

Among smaller animals, Marmots are common; you can even sometimes see them from the road, although they do not look different enough to the marmots common to other mountainous areas of the world to be of much interest. There are also plenty of voles, hares, and several types of Pika.