On the status of the Long-tailed Marmot Marmota caudata (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Kargil, Ladakh (Indian Trans-Himalaya)

Tanveer Ahmed,Mohammad Shoeb,Pankaj Chandan,Afifullah Khan

doi:10.11609/jott.2731.8.9.9171-9176

Tanveer Ahmed, Mohammad Shoeb + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2731.8.9.9171-9176

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Abstract

Two species of marmots occur in India, the Himalayan Marmot Marmota himalayana and the Long-tailed Marmot or Golden Marmot Marmota caudata. Marmots constitute part of the diet of some globally endangered carnivores in the Trans-Himalaya, yet studies on marmots in India are scanty. Besides, the status of the Long-tailed Marmot is still unknown in India. Considering this, a survey was carried out in Rangdum Valley, Kargil between May and July 2011 to collect baseline information on the Long-tailed Marmot. Trails and roads were explored through walk and slow moving vehicle, respectively. The Long-tailed Marmot was found to have a density of 14.31±2.10 per sq.km. and an encounter rate of 2.86±0.42 per km. Most of the observations of Long-tailed Marmot were in hilly areas (77.7%), lower slope (48.8%) and herbaceous meadow (38.0%). The current information is expected to bring concern towards this lesser known species in India.

Highlights

Marmots are ground dwelling squirrels evolved 9.5 million year ago in North America (Steppen et al 1999). They radiated in North America in the Miocene and Pliocene and Eurasia in late Pliocene or in early Pleistocene (Steppan et al 1999; Armitage 2000)
Habitat destruction along with climate change has threatened the survival of marmots across their distribution range
A trail and road transect method was used to determine the status of the Long-tailed Marmot in Rangdum Valley, Kargil

Summary

Introduction

Marmots are ground dwelling squirrels evolved 9.5 million year ago in North America (Steppen et al 1999). India is home to two species of marmots, namely, the Himalayan Marmot Marmota himalayana and the Long-tailed Marmot or Golden Marmot Marmota caudata (Image 1). Pfister (2004) delineated the distribution of the Himalayan Marmot and Long-tailed Marmot in Ladakh. Information on the status and distribution of the Long-tailed Marmot is still lacking in India, .

Results

Conclusion