Important Mammals found in Parambikulam 1 Nilgiri Langur. Presbytis johni Local Name : Kari Manthi (Tamil), Karin korangan (Malayalam), Kurri korunga (Badaga, Kurumba), Turuni kodan (Toda). Slim and black, this Langur is the common rainforest monkey of the Southern Western Ghats. It has yellow-tinted hair on its head and is often confused with the stockier Lion - Tailed Macaque which has an ashy gray mane. Also, the Nilgiri Langur’s tail is longer. Females have a white patch on the inside of their thighs. Newborns are pink with reddish hair. It is hunted extensively for alleged medicinal properties. Behavior : The characteristic “hoo-hoo” call of the adult male langur can be heard mostly at down and sometimes at dusk. - Size : Total body length : 60 - 80 cm. Weight : 11 - 14 Kg - Habitat : Primarily rainforests, also deciduous patches, plantations, and edges of estates. - Best seen at Anamalai WLS (Tamil Nadu), Periyar NP (Kerala). - Conservation threats : Habitat loss and poaching. 2 Lion Tailed Macaque. Macaca silenus Local Name : Singalika (Kannada), Nella manthi, Singhawalan, Neelan (Malayalam), Arakkan, Singhaval manthi (Tamil). This endangered Monkey of evergreen forests may be distinguished from the other black of Southern India, the Nilgiri Langur, by its grey facial mane and much shorter, tufted tail that looks like a lion’s tail. The Lion-Tailed Macaque is a medium to large sized macaque, which is very arboreal in its natural undisturbed habitat. It moves in a characteristic slow motion style on tree tops. - Behavior : The call of this monkey sounds like a “coyeh” or “coo”. - Size : Total body length : 46 – 60 cm. Weight : 6 – 8Kg. - Habitat : Dense evergreen and semi evergreen forests. - Best seen at : Silent Valley National Park (Kerala), Palakkad and Anamalai WLS (Tamil Nadu). - Conservation threats : Habitat loss and poaching. 3 Tiger. Panthera tigris Local Name : Bagh, Sher (Hindi), Bagh (Bengali.Assamese), Pedda puli (Telugu), Patery Wagh (Marathi), Vengai Puli (Tamil), Kaduva, Naree (Malayalam), Hoolee (Kannada), Bagh (Oriya). Undoubtedly the most charismatic animal of India, the majestic Tiger has an orange coat patterned with broad black stripes. It has black ears, each with a winking white spot on the black, powerful forepaws and a long banded tail. The Indian Tiger is one of five races or sub-species distributed through Asia. Today, shrinking Tiger numbers and habitat are major conservation issues. It is estimated that there are only 3,750 – 4,000 tigers left in India, comprising about 65% of the world’s population. This makes the national animal of India a very endangered species. - Behavior : The Tiger prefers to hunt large deer, especially Sambar, where available. Quite adaptable, it can survive on smaller prey, or even fish in mangroves. It may attack humans if prey is unavailable or if it is old or injured. This behavior has earned it the fearsome title of man-eater, although other mammals such as Leopard or the Elephant take far more human lives. - Size : Total body length : 2.6 – 3m. Weight : 135 – 230 kg. - Habitat : Deciduous, thorn and evergreen forests, mangroves and grassland. - Best seen at : Ranthambhor NP (Rajasthan) and Bandhavgarh NP (Madhya Pradesh) - Conservation Threats : Poaching, habitat loss, fragmentation and decline in prey. 4 Leopard. Panthera pardus Local Name : Tendua, Chita, Guldar (Hindi), Diblya Wagh (Marathi), Chirathe (Kannada), Chirutai puli (Telugu/Tamil), Pulli Puli (Malayalam), Cheeta bagh (Bengali), Kelral (Mizo), Teku (Naga), Khare-suh (Kashmir), Dipdo (Gujarathi), Pendra (Oriya). The most adaptable big Cat of the Indian subcontinent, the Leopard has a clear yellow coat marked with black rosettes. It has a small spotted head with powerful jaws and a long tail and its underside is white. The colour of the coat varies considerably in intensity from gold to tawny in commoner forms. The rasping call of the Leopard (called “sawing” because it resembles the sound of wood being sawed) is a familiar nocturnal call in the Indian jungle. Behavior : Leopard manage to co-exist with Tigers by hunting smaller prey and hauling the carcasses up trees. They prey upon cattle, dogs and even children, thus earning notoriety as man – eaters. As they are often sighted near habitation in rural India, the Leopard is mistakenly considered to be a common species. Size : Total body length : 1.85 – 2.15 m. Weight : 39 – 68 Kg. Habitat : Deciduous and evergreen forests, scrub jungle, open country and fringes of human habitation. Best seen at : Sanjay Gandhi NP, Borivili NP (Maharashtra), and Gir NP (Gujarat). Conservation Threats : Poaching, habitat loss, human – animal conflict and decline in prey species. 5 Indian Elephant. Elephas maximus Local Name : Hathi (Hindi/Bengali/Assamese), Yanai (Tamil), Aana (Malayalam), Aane (Kannada), Yenugu (Telugu). The largest land mammal in India, the Asian Elephant’s grey wrinkled skin, long trunk and sail – like ears make it one of the most easily recognized animals. It is revered by Hindus due to its association with the God Ganesha. The Asian Elephant is slightly smaller than the African Savanna Elephant and differs from it anatomically in many ways. The Asian Elephant has a rounded or humped back as opposed to the saddle – shaped one of the African Elephant. Its trunk ends in one tip or “finger” as opposed to two, it has a two domed forehead, and its ears are smaller in size. Only male Asian Elephants have large tusks, while females have very small dental protuberances called “tusks”. Some males, called “makhnas”, are tuskless and can be distinguished from adult females by the penis bulge below the tail. Behavior : Elephants migrate over long distances in search of food and water, or for security, and use the same forest corridors for many hundreds of years. If these corridors are blocked, they enter human settlements. Elephants are also attracted to human settlements by crop or by domestic alcohol distilleries that they can smell from miles away. The resulting human – elephant conflict is a major threat to the survival of the species. Size : Height at shoulder – 245 – 275 m. Weight : 3000 Kg Habitat : Mixed deciduous and evergreen forests, scrub and grassland. Best seen at : Nagarhole NP (Karnataka) and Corbett NP (Uttaranchal). Conservation Threats : Poaching, habitat loss and human animal conflict. 6 The Gaur. Bos gaurus Local Name : Gaur (Hindi), Gawa (Marathi), Kadu kona, Kadu emmai (Kannada), Kattu Pothu, Kattee (Malayalam), Methun (Assamese), Kattu madu (Tamil). The largest bovine in the world, the Gaur is often mistakenly called the Indian Bison although it is not related to the North American Bison. It has a massive head, deep chest and muscular shoulder ridge. Adult males are glossy black, while the young and females are coffee-brown. The newborn calf changes colour from golden yellow to fawn, light brown and then red brown. Behaviour : Very shy and calm for a creature of its size, the Gaur rarely attacks unless tormented, and in most parts of South India will allow humans to approach very close. It has an acute sense of smell. If a herd is taken by surprise, it might start a stampede with calve getting run over in the process. Size : Height at shoulder – 165 – 195 cm. Weight : 800 – 1200 Kg. Habitat : Mixed deciduous, scrub and evergreen hill forests and grassland. Best seen at : Mudumalai NP (Tamil Nadu) and Bandipur NP (Karnataka). Conservation Threats : Poaching, habitat loss, cattle grazing and disease. 7 Nilgiri Tahr. Hermitragus hylocrius Local Name : Vara Aadu (Malayalam), Varai aadu (Tamil). A handsome goat, the male Nilgiri Tahr looks like a shorn version of its close cousin, the male Himalayan Tahr, without the following mane and hair of its Northern relative. The short grayish – brown coat of the females and young bucks is dark brown tending to blue – black in adult males, with a whitish saddle-shaped patch across the shoulders and back. The throat and abdomen are white. The borns of both male and female are parallel and curve backwards. Behaviour : While the herd rests in the hot afternoon hours, a very conspicuous sentinel stands guard. Size : Height at shoulder – 100 – 110 cm. Habitat : Montane grassland and rocky crags, interspersed with shola forests. Best seen at : Eravikulam NP (Kerala) Conservation Threats : Poaching and habitat disturbance. 8 The Sloth Bear. Melursus ursinus Local Name : Bhalu (Hindi), Reech (Gujarati), Asval (Marathi), Karadi (Malayalam/Tamil/Kannada), Elugu banti (Telugu), Bhalluk (Bengali). This widespread Indian Bear is familiar as a performing bear in the streets. A shaggy black animal with a long snout and lumbering gait, it can be lethal if confronted. The Sloth Bear is dim-sighted and rears up on its hind legs and bites or claws when alarmed. Behaviour : This bear sucks up termites and ants through the gap caused by its missing front incisors. Its long claws are used to tear up termite mounds. Size : Total body length : 140 – 170 cm.; Weight : 65 – 145 Kg. Habitat : Deciduous forest, scrub and grassland. Best seen at : Mudumalai WLS (Tamil Nadu) and Melghat NP (Maharashtra). Conservation Threats : Habitat loss and poaching. 9 Nilgiri Marten. Martes gwatkinsi THE LARGEST AND RAREST Indian marten, the Nilgiri Marten is considered by some to be a sub- species of the Yellow-throated Marten. It varies from dark brown to black, has a pale yellow to yellowish- orange neck, and a fiat skull with a concave depression on its forehead. SIZE Total body length: 55-65cm. Weight: 2 kg. HABITAT AND OCCURRENCE Grassland, shola, deciduous, and evergreen forests of W Ghats, BEST SEEN AT Eravikulam NP (Kerala). 10 Sambar. Cervus unicolor LOCAL NAME: Tekha .(Naga), Sambar (Hindi/Marathi/Bengali), Kaduve (Kannada), Kadama (Kodava), Kadaa maan (Tamil), Kezha maan, Mlave (Malayalam), Khar pohu (Assamese), Sabar (Gujarati), Sazuk (Mizo), Kadathi (Telegu). A TYPICAL FOREST DEER with a shaggy, dark brown coat, and large spreading antlers, the Sambar is India's largest deer. Females are lighter and less shaggy. The adult males are largest in Central India and on account of their size, they form the preferred prey base of tigers. This is the only widespread large forest deer -the other three species (see p. 42-43) are endangered and restricted in their range. - BEHAVIOUR The Sambar alarm call is a loud "dhonk". Mostly browsers, Sambar are rarely seen grazing. They often feed in shallow water and when chased by predators such as dholes, they take to water, splashing loudly with their hooves to confuse their attacker. Stags fight each other during rutting season for access to females. During the rut stags wallow like cattle and pigs. - SIZE Height at shoulder: 150cm. Weight: 225-320kg. - HABITAT Mixed deciduous forest and grassland scrub. - BEST SEEN AT Sariska and Ranthambhor NPs (Rajasthan). - CONSERVATION THREATS Poaching, habitat loss, and disease. 11 Small Travancore Flying Squirrel. Petinomys fuscocapillus A RARE SPECIES, the Travancore Squirrel has yellowish-white undersides, with this colour extending to the cheeks, and white hairs fringing its wing membrane. The seven species of Petinomys found in South and Southeast Asia are placed in a separate genus due to the peculiar honeycombed bones in their ears. SIZE HBL: 30cm; tail: 25 cm HABITAT AND OCCURRENCE Evergreen forests along Western Ghats: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and possibly Goa. BEST SEEN AT Anamalai NP (Tamil Nadu), Periyar (Kerala). Species of very high importance in Parambikulam 1 Gaur - Flagship mammal of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary 2 Lion Tailed Macaque - Endemic to Western Ghat 3 Nilgiri Tahr - Endemic to Western Ghat Kerala trip Kerala Tourism