Camera trapping survey for snow leopard provides first photographic record of Woolly Flying Squirrel from Kishtwar Himalayas, India

Abstract

Woolly Flying Squirrel, considered native to Northern Pakistan and North-Western Himalaya has remained an elusive species because of its presence in high rocky cliffs near tree lines in the Himalaya. These montane habitats have remained inaccessible for research thus making it difficult to study their distribution. Here, we present the first photographic evidence of the Woolly Flying Squirrel from Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir obtained from cameras placed for snow leopard population estimation in the region. This record adds valuable presence information to the existing distribution range of the species from the North-Western Himalaya.