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 Pallas' cat (Octocolobus manul), is about the size of a domestic cat. Pallas' cats are native to the steppe regions of Central Asia and also inhabit some parts of Mongolia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kashmir in India. They are solitary and spend the day in caves, rock crevices, or marmot burrows, and emerge in the late afternoon for hunting. They hunt primarily by ambush or stalking, using low vegetation and rocky terrain for cover. They feed largely on diurnally active prey species such as gerbils, pikas, voles and chukar partridges, and sometimes catch young marmots.

IUCN Status: Near Threatened (NT) Photo: Karin st