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Wildlife in Ladakh
The animal species of Ladakh have shown an excellent ecological adaptation and
flourished at an altitude where men can hardly breathe. Travellers find the wildlife
of Ladakh interesting both in terms of ecological specialisation and their occurrence
in the remote regions of rugged Ladakh. Ladakh possesses virtually no natural
forests, though along riverbanks and valleys some greenery does exist. The lower
mountain slopes are sparse but higher up, near the snow line, wild rose, willow
and herbaceous plants have successfully colonized the slopes. This is the alpine
zone. While soil, wind, precipitation and exposure are important determinants
in the arrangement of specific life, the temperature differential due to altitude
is by far the most important factor. Because of the decrease in the temperature,
vegetation becomes more sparse and stunted as one ascends the slopes.
Animal Species in Ladakh
In this extremely harsh environment the untrained eye would hardly see any evidence
of wildlife at all. Animals, which have adapted to the rigorous conditions however,
thrive on the minimal vegetation, poor shelter, rocky terrain and bitter cold.
Nevertheless, most creatures, notably the ungulates, do migrate to lower regions
in winter while others, like the brown bear and marmots, choose to hibernate.
Ironically, at this altitude many animals suffer from "mountain sickness"
because of the lack of oxygen! Their bodies however, seem to adopt to this condition,
as the number of red blood corpuscles increases along with blood acidity. Most
large mammals have a unique devise for protection against the cold-- a highly
insulated shaggy coat.
Yak or Wild Ox (Ladakhi: dong)
Yak(dong)-a wild ox is the largest animal found in Ladakh. and is definitely more
imposing than its placid domestic counterpart. Immensely shaggy and weighing about
a tone it has curved horns whose tips can be as wide apart as 90 cm. and measure
76 cm. over the curves. It can easily be distinguished by its long black hair,
which is tinged with gray at the muzzle. Spending its summers at a height above
6,000 meters, in winter it moves in herds to the lakes, marshes and lower valleys.
The Great Tibetan Sheep (Ladakhi: nyan)
Largest and most magnificent of wild sheep in the whole world, it is also called
the Great Tibetan sheep (Ovis ammon). Roughly 200 of these are found in the extreme
eastern portion of Ladakh. The horns of the nyan measure up to 145 cm. and the
animal normally remains at a great height, rarely descending to a level below
4,500 meters.
Urial or the Smallest Sheep (Ladakhi: shapu)
Urial or shapu (Ovis orientalis) is the smallest sheep in the world. Its body,
which is just about as tall as its horns usually weighs 85 Kg. and has horns measuring
upto 99 cm. These sheep prefer the grassy mountain slopes. The breeding of this
species, as is the case with most sheep, takes place during December-January and
they give birth to their young ones around May. The need for protection of the
urial is great as they are within easy reach of hunters. Their numbers have been
declining rapidly and it is estimated that there are no more than 500 in Ladakh.
Bharal or Blue Sheep (Ladakhi: napo)
A survey by the Wildlife Department of Jammu & Kashmir puts another population
in the Markha and Rumbak valleys at only around 34-50. The most common and wide
spread of the sheep in the Ladakh region is the bharal or the blue sheep (Pseudois
nayaur). Found at an altitude of almost 6,000 meters, in summer they graze in
huge herds on the rich and abundant grasses of the alpine meadows. Their brownish-gray
coloring provides them with protective camouflage and as they often stand motionless
they can be extremely difficult to spot but, when alarmed, bharal will bolt swiftly
to safety. Strangely, bharal seems to bear some morphological traits of both sheep
and goats.
Ibex (Ladakhi: skin)
The Ibex or Capra Ibex is also a big attraction for wildlife lovers. Trekkers
often spot them, for they are found in good numbers in the district of Ladakh.
Ibexes are beautiful in appearance and sport a pair of finely curved spiral horns
that could measure as much as 147 cm. They move in herds of 10-16.
Snow Leopard (Ladakhi: shan)
The area of Ladakh also supports and shelters a good population of snow leopards.
The snow leopard is found in the high mountainous regions of Central Asia. In
India, it can be spotted in the states that lie along the northern Indian border.
The species of snow leopard has been declared endangered and efforts are on to
promote measures that help the breeding population perpetuate.
Bird Species in Ladakh
The region of Ladakh is also known to shelter around 310 species of birds; though
it is not regarded as a birding paradise. Most of the bird species found in Ladakh
are breeding migrants. Resident birds come down from high altitude regions after
breeding period is over. The places where you can spot a variety of species include
the Suru Valley, the Rizong Monastery, Hemis National Park and the Rumbak Valley.
Fire-capped Tit, White-tailed Rubythroat, Longbilled Bush Warbler, Little Forktail,
Wallcreeper, Brown Dipper, Golden Eagle, Himalayan Snowcock and Rock Bunting are
some of the most commonly sighted bird species in the aforementioned wildlife
spots. Adventure in Ladakh
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