Vertebrate Zoology & Environmental Science of Kashmir

[TheHyenid76]

Vertebrate Zoology & Environment of Jammu and Kashmir

Kashmir is one of the world's most beautiful regions and incredibly biodiverse. If you show a scenery of Kashmir to a layman, they immediately assume it is from Switzerland. The Kashmir region is also incredibly biodiverse as it is a part of the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot.

*This image is copyright of its original author

WARNING!

This section is about a complex geopolitical conflict. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! If you're passionate about this subject and are from one of the 3 countries that are in conflict over it, please read this post before engaging in this thread.

Notes about the Kashmir conflict

That being said, Kashmir is among the world's most militarized zones. The Kashmir conflict is among the world's oldest and ongoing conflicts. The roots of the conflict go back to the era of British colonial rule over the Indian subcontinent. India and Pakistan have fought 3 wars (1947, 1965 and 1999) and multiple confrontations over this region. The Kashmir conflict is linked to global terrorism, Indo-Pak conflict & rivalry, religious extremism (Hindu & Muslim) and nuclear war. In fact, India and Pakistan came close to nuclear war (or at least a full-scale deadly conventional war) in 1999, 2002 and 2019.

The wishes of the Kashmiri people regarding the conflict is as follows:
1. Pro-Pakistan (merge Kashmir with Pakistan)
2. Pro-Independence (those who wish to see Kashmir as a separate state (religious or secular))
3. Pro-India (merge Kashmir with India) (People are in this category regardless of religion)

From the Uppsala Conflict Data Program of Uppsala University

SUMMARY [India: Kashmir]

The territorial conflict in Kashmir has been one of the most protracted and most serious regional problems confronting India during the last decades, with many of the conflict years having reached the intensity of war. The conflict pits a large number of insurgent groups, commonly referred to as Kashmir insurgents, against the Indian government. The aim of the insurgents is the Kashmir’s secession from India, a demand firmly rejected by India. The conflict has been closely tied to Indian-Pakistani relations, and India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of fueling the insurgency.

Though the conflict intensity has not reached the level of war since 2005, it steadily increased from 2015 and reached its peak in 2018. This trend was interrupted in 2019 with a drop in the number of battle-related deaths. The conflict intensity decreased to an all-time low in 2023 as the number of battle-related deaths dropped to almost half that of 2022. While the conflict intensity continued to decrease, violence remained prevalent throughout Jammu and Kashmir state. The government of India remained focused on a mainly military solution to the Kashmir issue, and there has been continued criticism against the violence from security forces and human rights abuses in the region. In 2023, the groups within the actor Kashmir insurgents most active in the conflict were Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), followed by Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).

*This image is copyright of its original author

For a hyper-complex and historic and ongoing conflict like Kashmir, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of it so one does not fall into propaganda. Here is a list of literature regarding Kashmir, so the reader can have a comprehensive understanding of it and do not fall into the propaganda and lies (of any side).

Asymmetric Warfare in South Asia The Causes and Consequences of the Kargil Conflict

*This image is copyright of its original author

This book is essential as it gives objective look at the conflict compared to hypernationalistic ones written by Indian & Pakistani army officials. The book also heavily relies on primary sources and information from government and army officials directly involved in the conflict. All the planners of Kargil one of the key planners of the Kargil conflict. Images of the Pakistani generals that concocted the Kargil plan.

*This image is copyright of its original author

More books & resources (the books include both Pakistani, Indian and pro-independence (explained before) perspectives)

1. India, Pakistan, and the Kashmir dispute : on regional conflict and its resolution LINK
2. Shadow War: The Untold Story of Jihad in Kashmir LINK
3. My Kashmir: The Dying of the Light LINK
4. The Kashmir Problem: A Historical Survey LINK
5. Kashmir: A Disputed Legacy 1846-1990 LINK
6. Free Kashmir - Amanullah Khan (founder of the JKLF) LINK
7. By the Banks of the Wular - Syed Ali Shah Geelani (hardcore Pro-Pakistan Kashmiri separatist and the father of the Kashmiri insurgency) LINK
8. Kargil: From Surprise to Victory - General V.P Malik (Army Chief of India during the Kargil conflict of 1999) LINK
   

Advise for those who want to post in this thread:

• DO NOT bring up historical or contemporary conflicts over the region unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary and is relevant to the topic. e.g If you find information on how wars and insurgency have effected the environment of the region, feel free to post it.
• Post reliable information or media related to the subject of this thread
• Enjoy!
  

CLARIFICATIONS

As of 2024, the region is ruled by 3 countries. Pakistan [Gilgit-Baltistan (formerly Northern Areas) and Azad Kashmir], China [Aksai Chin] and the rest is ruled by India.

*This image is copyright of its original author

The aims of this thread:

1. To collect information about the vertebrate fauna of the Kashmir
2. Raise awareness about the conservation status of the endangered species of the region
3. To collect information about the environment and geology of the region (paleontology included)
4. To post information about how human activities have affected the environment and biodiversity
   

An Introduction to Biodiversity of the Himalaya: Jammu and Kashmir State [Edited by Ghulam Hassan Dar & Anzar A. Khuroo]

*This image is copyright of its original author

Scientific literature on the vertebrate fauna of Kashmir:

• Distribution of Common Leopard (Panthera pardus) and Human-common Leopard Conflict in Lachhrat Forest Range, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan LINK
• An assessment of reptilian diversity and their distribution in Jammu and Kashmir state from Jammu city in northern India: A case study LINK
• Studies on Avian Diversity and Breeding Biology of Mallard Anas Platyrhynchos Platyrhynchos in the Wetlands of Kashmir (PhD Thesis) LINK
• First photographic record of the snow leopard Panthera uncia in Kishtwar High Altitude National Park, Jammu and Kashmir, India LINK
  

Camera trap images of snow leopards in Jammu and Kashmir (Indian-administered). Source.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Reply