- The Gee’s golden langur belongs to the Old World monkey family. Golden langurs were first brought to the attention of the western world by naturalist E.P. Gee in the 1950s, and hence the name. They are found in a small region of western Assam, and in neighbouring Bhutan. These monkeys have a cream to golden-coloured coat, a black face and a long tail. On the face and chest, the hair is darker and often rust-coloured. These langurs are mostly arboreal, living on the top part of the trees, and eating fruits, leaves, seeds, buds and flowers. Gee’s golden langurs live in troops, consisting of four to 22 members.
- With only about 6,500 individuals in the wild, Gee’s golden langurs are listed as Endangered by the IUCN.
- Due to habitat destruction, the populations of this species are restricted to fragmented forest pockets. Human-animal conflict, hunting by dogs, deforestation and inbreeding are the major threats, according to the IUCN.
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- The red panda is a mammal species belonging to the genus Ailurus and family Ailuridae. Red pandas are native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. Though found in China, remember, they are not genetically related to the giant panda. Red pandas have reddish-brown fur, a long, bushy tail, which they use like wraparound blankets in the chilly mountains. Red planets grow roughly to the size of a domestic cat. However, they have a longer body and are heavier. Their belly and limbs are black, and they have white markings on the sides of the head. The animals predominantly tree-dwelling and feed on bamboo, eggs, birds and insects. They are solitary, active at night and sedentary during the day.
- Red panda is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The population is estimated as fewer than 10,000 mature individuals and continues to decline.
- Habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching and inbreeding are the major threats to the species.
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- The Himalayan brown bear is a subspecies of the brown bear, native to the region in North-western and central Himalayas, including Pakistan, India, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. It is a large bear with thick fur, usually sand-coloured or reddish-brown. Himalayan brown bears eat grasses, roots and other plants as well as insects and small mammals. They are diurnal and are usually solitary. The bears go into hibernation in a cave or dug-out den around October, emerging in April or May.
- While the brown bear as a species is classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), this subspecies is critically endangered. Overall, the population is in decline.
- Habitat loss and killing by livestock herders are a major threat for the bears. They are also poached for their fur and claws, used in the making of ornaments. Their body parts are used for medicine. In Pakistan, they face the additional threat of bear baiting, a sport where bears are pitted against other animals.
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