The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands, the presence of hair or fur; specialized teeth; the presence of a neocortex region in the brain; and endothermic or 'warm-blooded' bodies. The brain regulates endothermic and circulatory system, including a four-chambered heart. In India there are 410 species, 186 genera, 45 families and 13 orders of which nearly 89 species are listed as threatened in the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Animals (IUCN 2006).

Argali, or the Asian Wild Sheep, is the largest species of wild sheep in the world. Tibetan Argali (Ovis ammon hodgsoni) is one of the eight recognized subspecies of the Argali. The Tibetan Argali is found throughout the TIbetan Plateau, including regions of Nepal and Sikkim and Ladakh in India that are close to the Tibetan border. In the winter, the Argali tends to migrate to lower elevations or to less snowy areas. Tibetan Argali forages on grasses, herbs, sedges, and shrubs.

IUCN Status: Near Threatened (NT) Photo: Bongowwf