Contents: Introduction: 1. Mammals. 2. Indian mammals. 3. List of Indian mammals. 4. List of endemic Indian mammals. Order Insectivora: Family: 1. Erinaceidae: Hedgehogs. 2. Soricidae: Shrews. 3. Talpidae: Moles. Order Scandentia: 1. Family Tupaiidae: tree shrews. Order Chiroptera: Family: 1. Pteropodidae: fruit bats, flying foxes. 2. Rhinopomatidae: mouse-tailed bats. 3. Emballonuridae: Tomb bats. 4. Megadermatidae: false vampires. 5. Rhinolophidae: Horse-shoe bats. 6. Hipposideridae: leaf-nosed bat. 7. Vespertilionidae: evening bats. 8. Molossidae: free-tailed bats. Order Primates: Family: 1. Loridae: loris. 2. Cercopithecidae: monkey. 3. Hylobatidae: ape. Order Carnivora: Family: 1. Canidae: wild dogs; jackal, fox, wolf. 2. Hyaenidae: hyaena. 3. Felidae: cats. 4. Viverridae: civets and binturong. 5. Herpestidae: mongooses. 6. Mustelidae: otters, badgers, martens, wealsels. 7. Ursidae: bears and panda. Order Cetacea: 1. Family Balaenopteridae: rorquals. 2. Balaenidae: right whales. 3. Platanistidae: river dolphins. 4. Delphinidae: dolphins and whales. 5. Phocoenidae: Porpoises. 6. Physeteridae: sperm whales. 7. Ziphiidae: beaked whales. Order Sirenia: sea-cow or dugong. Order Proboscidea: elephants. Order Perissodactyla: Family: 1. Equidae: asses. 2. Rhinocerotidae: rhinoceros. Order Artiodactyla: 1. Bovidae: cattle, sheep, goat, antelope. 2. Cervidae: deer. 3. Moschidae: musk deer. 4. Tragulidae: mouse deer. 5. Suidae: pigs. Order Pholidota: pangolins. Order Rodentia: Family: 1. Sciuridae: squirrels and marmots. 2. Muridae: rats, mice, voles, hamsters, dormice, gerbils, bamboo rats. 3. Dipodidae: Birch mice. 4. Histricidae: porcupines. Order Lagomorpha: Family: 1. Ochotonidae: Pikas. 2. Leoporidae: hares and rabbits. Selected references. Index: 1. Scientific names. 2. Common names.
"Indian mammals comprise of 401 species under 180 genera, 45 families and 13 orders, constituting about 8.6 per cent of the global mammalian species. This country is also the abode of 45 endemic mammals.
The present book which is the first part of the series "Animals of India" to be published by the ENVIS Centre, ZSI attempts to deal with all these species of Indian mammals. The book incorporates a comprehensive checklist of Indian mammals, their diagnostic features, distribution, endemicity, habit and habitats and current conservation status. A large number of photographs of Indian mammals are presented in the book for the convenience of their identification.
It is hoped that the book will serve as a valuable source of information for all concerned and will be an useful guide to both the amateur nature lovers and wildlife professionals." (jacket)
