Matching the plant world, the animal kingdom in the Himalayas also show fantastic diversity. These animals are also remarkably different from other animals found elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent, for example, the plains of India. The diversity in wildlife is tremendous - be it in case of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians or even fishes, in the Himalayan lakes. These animals live in various habitats, ranging from dry temperate forests to areas above the tree line.

Like the plant kingdom, the animals also need to adapt with the conditions in the mountains like the biting cold, the lack or excess of rainfall in certain parts, the increase in altitude. Several behavioral and physiological adaptations have developed in these animals due to the extreme climatic conditions present in many parts of the Himalayas. For example, many animals seasonally migrate in search of food and better living conditions. Many travel from lower altitudes to higher elevations in summer in search of alpine grass. In winters, the animals tend to come down to lower altitudes to survive the bitterly cold winds. Some animals hibernate in winter while others resist the cold with the help of their thick fur and bushy tails. In higher altitudes, to cope up with the rarefied air, animals have larger nasal cavities.

For example, Kumaon and Garhwal were famous for their tigers, which have been known to roam about in its lower districts. For centuries, the delicate natural balance was maintained. However, the increase in human and cattle population in the beginning of the 20th century led to the disturbance of this balance, and the first man-eaters started appearing. Soon the numbers of these man-eaters increased and Kumaon became famous. The hunter Jim Corbett became famous with his exploits in this region. In his classic "Man Eaters of Kumaon", Jim Corbett describes how he shot half a dozen of the most notorious killers in the district. One tiger had apparently killed 434 people before it fell to Corbett's shot. In "Temple Tiger", he describes how he killed the Champawat tiger and the Panar leopard, which had hunted 836 human beings in the first decade of this century.

The situation deteriorated rapidly and in 1971, the Indian government banned the killing of tigers. Project Tiger was started and the Jim Corbett National Park was formed - the name honoring the famous hunter of the past. Although some argue that the park and the Project have proved to be a wonderfully successful program to save the tigers of India, the fact remains that the project has not been free from controversies. Official figures put the the number of tigers to be close to 5000. However experts on the topic and independent sources say that the actual figure may be closer to 3000 than 5000. There is a rising demand for tiger related goods. Tiger skins and bones are in heavy demand. Poachers and smugglers have established a clever route by which tigers surface in the form of medicines and balms in Chinese markets as Chinese "medicine". Not a year goes by without stories of seizures of bones and skins by the customs officials. But these seizures are only the tip of the iceberg and the poaching still continues.

The panther is found at relatively lower elevations in the transition zone between the main Himalaya and cold deserts. They have the capacity to survive under very difficult conditions. The leopards are not restricted to forests like other members of the cat family. Leopards may hunt during the day if nights are very cold or if food is not available at night. In the cold deserts they tend to migrate according to the seasons, moving to lower elevations in winter and ascending to higher elevations in summer. This is primarily influenced by the availability of food and climatic conditions. The elusive snow leopard.

Due to shortage of wild food, and the growing population of livestock, leopards may take to cattle lifting in the mountainous areas.

The elusive snow leopard has a pale grey coat on the upper side which may be pure white on the underside. It is believed to have been found over large parts of the cold desert regions in the past but in recent times its distribution has shrunk significantly. At present the snow leopard is found in parts of Ladakh, Spiti, Garhwal, Kumaon, and at times migrating to other areas. Snow leopards number from 4 to 6 per 100 sq. kms in a relatively protected area where preys are available easily.

The snow leopard is an altitudinal migrant, moving to the shelter of the valleys in winter and ascending to higher reaches in summer. Like other beasts of prey their movement too is governed by the migration of their main prey.

The jungle cat has a relatively short tail and long legs. In the cold desert regions of the Himalayas, this cat has a heavier fur. They inhabit areas upto an elevation of about 3500 m, usually preferring open tracts and grasslands. Often theY are found in the vicinity of human settlements.

The Tibetan Wolf is a relatively large-sized animal with a dark coatwhich may bealmost black. They are found in the cold desert areas, both in the openareas andforested tracts. In some areas they may live inthe vicinity of nomads, migrating from one place to the other.Increased human pressure has led to decline in the population ofthis species.

The red Panda is an animal overshadowed by the larger, and more famous,Giant Panda. True to its name, the red panda isreddish brown in color. It is a long-tailed mammal, with a raccon-likeappearance. The Red Panda, usually having the size of alarge cat, is found in the forests of the main Himalayas. The red pandahas soft, thick fur - reddish brown on the back andblack underneath.

The Red Panda is omnivorous and feeds on on bamboo and othervegetation, along with fruits and insects. It lives in the highmountains among rocks and trees.

The common otter is occasionally in the cold desert region usually in the fringe areas. They also frequent the lower altitudes and can be seen in places like the Corbett National Park.

The Beech is a slender graceful animal found above an elevation of about 2200 m. They live both in the forests and barren tracts near the treeline sheltering in the hollows of trees, under logs, amongst rocks or in holes in the ground.

There are a large variety of rodents present in the Himalayas. These animals thrive in both the main Himalayan forests as well as the cold desert areas of the Transhimalayas. The rodent population includes the resident population , which have a fixed habitat, and the migrants which migrate with the change in seasons. Some common varieties include the Kashmir woolly flying squirrel, the Kashmir flying squirrel, and the Himalayan marmot.

The Himalayan marmot is distinguished from other marmot species by its dark chocolate-brown coat with contrasting yellow patches on the face and chest. Marmots live in small groups, consisting of an adult male, a couple of adult females, some sub-adults, and pups.

Marmots feed on grasses and flowering plants. Marmots communicate by physical contact and vocally by whistling. Also called "whistle pig", their most frequent call is a high-pitched whistle, which warns colony members of danger.

The Tibetan wild is now found in parts of Ladakh though once it was found over a larger area including Spiti. It lives in herds numbering upto 30 or so. Herds may be seen grazing in remote pastures, away from human presence. These animals too are altitudinal migrants.

Yaks are the mammals that live at the highest altitudes in the world. They can climb up as high as 20,000 ft or around 6100m. Yaks tend to live at high altitudes because of their thick coat and vulnerability to diseases. In fact, yaks normally cannot live below 10,000 ft above sea level. The lungs of yaks are usually large in order to absorb more oxygen in higher altitudes. Yaks can weigh up to a 1,200 pound (550 kg).

The Sherpas of Nepal generally call the males of the species - "Yak" and the females - "Nak" or "Dri". But for the outsider, the word Yak represents the entire species.

Yaks are among the most useful of Himalayan animals. Without them the famous Trans-Himalayan trade between Nepal and Tibet would have been impossible. One yak can carry up to 220 lb. (100kg) of load, and walk over the dangerous trails and snow-covered high Himalayan passes. In addition to being beasts of burden, yaks are used to plow fields, provide meat, milk, butter, wool for clothing, and dung for fuel. Their bones are used to make various kinds of artifacts. The hair of the yak is used to make ropes, sacks, blankets, and tents. Nothing is wasted, in fact even the horns are used to adorn doorways and roof tops.

People in the remote mountains also use the fresh blood of a Yak as medicine. They believe the blood can cure many diseases. Therefore, people come to the pastures twice a year to drink a live yak's fresh blood. They pay about $1 for one glassful of blood. In Tibetan mythology, Yaks are represented as the messengers of the gods living in high places.

Yaks are crossbred with cows. The crossbred offspring is called dzo (male) and dzomo (female). They can live in lower altitudes and are more tractable than the yaks.

The wild yak is a massively-built animal with a drooping head. It has a dense undercoat of soft closely-matted hair that provides it with extra protection during the harsh winter months. The yak has widely been domesticated in all parts of the cold desert region where it is the main beast of burden.

However wild populations may occasionally be found in remote parts of Ladakh. Sightings of wild yak have also been recently reported from parts of Spiti and eastern Kumaon, in India, and between Nepal-Tibet border further north. They are found upto elevations of an incredible 6100 m above sea level.

Many varieties of deer are found in the lower Himalayas. Especially in the Corbett National Park, numerous varieties of deer may be spotted. As one gains altitude, deer become less common.