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).

The Kashmir stag (Cervus canadensis hanglue), also called hangul, is native to India. This deer lives in groups of two to 18 individuals in dense riverine forests, high valleys, and mountains of the Kashmir valley and northern Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. As per the latest census in 2008, only around 160 exist. There are plans to breed them in captivity to increase their chances of survival.

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered (CR)