Distribution and population of Himalayan Marmot Marmota himalayana (Hodgson, 1841) (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Leh-Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, India
Main Article Content
Abstract
The Himalayan Marmot Marmota himalayana is one of the largest rodents of cold desert habitats, found mainly between 3,500–5,200 m above the timberline. It is regarded as an ecosystem engineer and constitutes part of the diet of some globally endangered carnivores in the Trans-Himalayan region. Being one of the least studied rodents, a survey was carried out in different habitats of Leh District along the altitude gradient to assess the status and distribution of Himalayan Marmots. A total of 110 individuals of Himalayan Marmots were sighted in the surveyed stretches of Leh District with a maximum mean count of encounter of 2.71 in the Tangtse-Chushul sector. The grasslands were the most preferred habitat (41.67% activity observed), whereas, cultivation area being frequently disturbed for agricultural operation were least preferred by the marmot. Most of the population of marmot was found between 4,000–4,500 m altitude and the steep slopes (42.05%) where loose soil was available for excavation of burrows.
Article Details
Authors own the copyright to the articles published in JoTT. This is indicated explicitly in each publication. The authors grant permission to the publisher Wildlife Information Liaison Development (WILD) Society to publish the article in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. The authors recognize WILD as the original publisher, and to sell hard copies of the Journal and article to any buyer. JoTT is registered under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY), which allows authors to retain copyright ownership. Under this license the authors allow anyone to download, cite, use the data, modify, reprint, copy and distribute provided the authors and source of publication are credited through appropriate citations (e.g., Son et al. (2016). Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the southeastern Truong Son Mountains, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(7): 8953–8969. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2785.8.7.8953-8969). Users of the data do not require specific permission from the authors or the publisher.
References
Ahmed, T., M. Shoeb, P. Chandan & A. Khan (2016). On the status of the Long-tailed Marmot Marmota caudata (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Kargil, Ladakh (Indian Trans-Himalaya). Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(9): 9171–9176; http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2731.8.9.9171-9176
Alfred, J.R.B., R.M. Sharma, P.C. Tak & D.K. Sharma (2006). Status of Himalayan Marmot, Marmota himalayana (Hodgson, 1841), in Eastern Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, India - Status Survey of Endangered Species. Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, 19pp+2maps.
Armitage, K.B. (2000). The evolution, ecology, and systematics of Marmots. Oecologia Montana 9: 1–8.
Armitage, K.B. (2013). Climate change and the conservation of Marmots. Natural Science 5(5A): 36–43; http://doi.org/10.4236/ns.2013.55A005
Bagchi, S., T. Namgail & M.E. Ritchie (2006). Small mammalian herbivores
as mediators of plant community dynamics in the high-altitude arid
rangelands of Trans-Himalaya. Biological Conservation 127: 438–442.
Brown, J.H. & E.J. Heske (1990). Control of desert-grassland transition by a keystone rodent guild. Science 250: 1705–1707.
Cassola, F. (2017). Marmota caudata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T12825A111931601. Downloaded on 07 November 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T12825A111931601.en
Jing, Z., N. Fan, W. Zhou & J. Bian (1991). Integrated management of grassland rodent pest in Panpo area. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology 2: 32–38.
Mishra, C. (2001). High Altitude Survival: Conflicts between Pastoralism and Wildlife in the Trans-Himalaya. PhD Thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Murdoch, J.D., T. Munkhzul, S. Buyandelger, R.P. Reading & C. Sillero-Zubiri (2009). The endangered Siberian Marmot Marmota sibirica as a keystone species? Observations and implications of burrow use by Corsac Foxes Vulpes corsac in Mongolia. Oryx 43: 431–434.
Namgail, T. (2009). Geography of Mammalian Herbivores in the Indian Trans-Himalaya: Patterns and Processes. PhD Thesis, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
Panseri, M. & D. Frigerio (1996). Some considerations on marmot population expansion in Brembana Valley (Orobie Alps), pp. 243–244. In: Le Berre, M., R. Ramousse & L. Le Guelte (eds.). Biodiversity in Marmots. International Marmot Network, Moscow-Lyon.
Pfister, O. (2004). Birds and Mammals of Ladakh. Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 392pp
Raj, A. & P. Sharma (2013). Is Ladakh a ‘cold desert’. Current Science 104(6): 687–688.
Rodrigue, I., D. Allainé, R. Ramousse & M. Le Berre (1992). Space occupation strategy related to ecological factors in Alpine Marmot (Marmota marmota), pp. 135–141. In: Bassano, B., P. Durio, U.G. Orsi & E. Macchi (eds.). Proceeding of 1st International Symposium on Alpine Marmot and genus Marmota, Torino.
Shrestha, T. 2016.  Marmota himalayana. (errata version published in 2017) The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T12826A115106426. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-
RLTS.T12826A22258911.en. Downloaded on 07 November 2017.
Steppan, S.J., G.J. Kenagy, C. Zawadzski, R. Robles, E.A. Lyapunova & R.S. Hoffman (2011). Molecular data resolve placement of the Olympic Marmot and estimate dates of trans-Beringian interchange. Journal of Mammalogy 92: 1028–1037; http://doi:10.1644/10-MAMM-A-272.1
Tak, P.C. & R.M. Sharma (2003). A note on abundance of Himalayan Marmot, Marmota himalayana (Hodgson), in Puga Valley, Eastern Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir State, India. Annals of Forestry 11(1): 141–142.
Thorington Jr, R.W., J.L. Koprowski, M.A. Steele & J.F. Whatton (2012). Squirrels of the World. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, ix+459pp.
Zhong, W., Q. Zhou, C. Sun, G. Wang, P. Zhou, W. Liu & Y. Jia (1991). The design for the ecological management of Brandt’s Vole pest and its application. Acta Theriologica Sinica 11: 204–212