Ladakh Wildlife

There are a lot of wildlife in Ladakh. Ladakh Wildlife gives you details about the various wildlife found in ladakh region. The following are the various wildlife in Ladakh wildlife.

Wild Yak (Bos grunions), which is locally called Dong, is a large animal weighing about a ton. It has long black hair, which is tinged with gray at the muzzle. The horns are curved and long which may grow up to 75 cms in length. The wild yak, which moves in herds, spends summer at great heights and descends down to lower attitude in winter.


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Tibetian Sheep (Ovis Ammon) Ladakhi name Nyan. They are found at a height of about 4500m. A male may weigh up to a quintal. Lieutenant General Moti Dar(1987) has reported their number to be around 3000 and 4000 metres.



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Bharal or Blue Sheep (Pseudovis nahoor) is a strange looking creature, half sheep and half goat. It differs from the goat in a way that it does not have the beard. Likewise it differs from the sheep in the complete absence of glands on the face (Gergan 1962). Th Bharal are found at an altitude of 6000metres. In summer they graze in large herds in rich and abundant grass of meadows.

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Asiatic Ibex (Capra Ibex) Ladakhi Skin is the most beautiful of all the wild animals. It supports two long scimitar shaped horns marked with bold transverse knots on the front surface. They move in herds of 10 to 16 and prefer black precipitous rocks and cliffs. In weinter they descend to the lower altitude for food and shelter.


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Tibetan Antelope (Pantholopshogsoni), Ladakhi named Chiru, is a slender but strout looking due to the thick coat of interwoven pale brown hair. The colours vary from season to season and from individual to individual. They roam the castern fringe of Ladakh and inhabit the Aksaichin and Tibetan plateaus above 5000m. Their horns measure upto 70 cms. These animals comfort under the fleece-shatoosh from which the famous shatoosh shawls are made.

Marmot Ladakhi name Phia, are common rodents found above the tree line. They live in burrows and produce shrill ringing calls. Marmots and hares are most favouritr food item of the snow leopard, lynx, fox and large birds of prey. These herbivores hibernate during the winter.



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Himalayan Bear (Solen-narctos Tibetanus) and the brown bear (ursusarctos) Ladakhi name is Denmo. The former lives up to 4500m while the latter lives higher up. The bears are carnivores and feed upon anything available, plants or animals.



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Wolves (Bos grunions), which is locally called Dong, is a large animal weighing about a ton. It has long black hair, which is tinged with gray at the muzzle. The horns are curved and long which may grow up to 75 cms in length. The wild yak, which moves in herds, spends summer at great heights and descends down to lower attitude in winter.

Fox inhabit thorny bush lands and willow growths near streams. They have a thick golden fur. They predate on marmots, mouse hare and partridge etc.





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The Snow Leopard lives at greater heights. It has soft wool coat, which is grey with cream or buff tinge and the under wool is dark grey. On the body there are irregular large rosettes with solid black spots. The head is clear gray white patch. The forepaws are spotted while the hind are spotless. They inhabit rocky hillsides above the tree line. Its natural food is Ibex, Shapo, Bharal, Marmot and hares. Occasionally, it kills domestic animals.

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It is an attractive animal. It is found at heights above 4000m. It is reported that there are several species of Lynx found in Jammu and Kashmir State of which the Tibetan lynx inhabit Ladakh.

Tibetan Wild Ass is a relative of the wild ass of Rann of Lutch. It has a wide distribution. Besides Ladakh, it is found in Tibet, Turkistan and Mongolia. Kiang is shy but an inquisitive animal. It inhabits plain and rocky grounds and can gallop at a good speed. Solitary animal or groups of 10-12 upper portion of the body is chestnut or red under parts are white. There is a dark brown dorsal stripe extended from the stiff black mane to the tuft of the tail.

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