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).

Himalayan Serow (Capricornis thar) is a goat-antelope with a goat-like body, short limbs and long donkey-like ears. It is widespread but sparsely distributed throughout the forested southern slopes of the Himalayas in northern India, from Jammu and Kashmir to the Mishmi hills in Arunachal Pradesh, and in the hill states of northeastern India. The Himalayan Serow is more or less a solitary creature, though four or five individuals may be seen feeding on the same hill. The Serow shelters in thickly wooded gorges and shallow caves, and comes out to feed in the mornings and evenings on open slopes.

IUCN Status: Near Threatened (NT) Photo: Dushyant Parasher