Lamayuru, Ladakh, India Photograph by Edward Richards   Indian Subcontinent--Pakistan, China, Afghanistan, India Montane Grasslands and Shrublands   55,300 square miles (143,300 square kilometers) -- about the size of Illinois Vulnerable

· Plateaus and Peaks
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
More Photos

Plateaus and Peaks

In the shadow of the world’s second-tallest mountain—K2—sheep and goats can be found in abundance, including the endangered Marco Polo sheep. These animals in turn form a substantial prey base for the endangered snow leopard. Unfortunately, both the leopard and its prey are threatened by domestic animals, which use the same rangelands and compete for limited resources.

Special Features

The Karakoram-West Tibetan Plateau Alpine Steppe is located to the west of the Himalayas and includes snow and glaciers as well as lower elevation alpine and subalpine vegetation. Sparse grasslands and herbaceous vegetation dominate the mountainous slopes, with shrublands and patchy forests found in the valley bottoms. Juniper forests are found in small stands on cliffs and sloped land. Average precipitation ranges from eight to 35 inches (200to 900 mm), with 90 percent falling in the form of snow.

	The snow leopard has adapted to the cold, thin air at high altitudes by having enlarged nasal cavities, shortened limbs (which give off less body heat), and long, dense hair. Its well-developed chest muscles are effective for climbing, and a tail up to three feet (1 m) long helps it keep its balance as it moves quickly over the rough terrain.

Wild Side

Ungulates, or hoofed mammals, are the most diverse and yet endangered species in this ecoregion. In addition to the Marco Polo sheep, the largest of its genus, ungulates found here include markhors, ibexes, urials, and Tibetan argalis. In the high elevations of the Himalaya and Kashmir regions, snow leopards prey on wild sheep, goats, pikas, hares, and game birds. Other mammals include brown bears, Altai weasels, stone martens, lynxes, foxes, wolves, brown bears, Himalayan black bears, and endemic woolly flying squirrels. Birds common to the mountains include rosefinches, Guldenstadt’s redstarts, Himalayan monals, raptors, and vultures. Black-throated thrushes and robin accentors spend their winters here as well. You might also see one of three lizard species darting across the grasslands.

Cause for Concern

Although protected areas cover large swaths of montane habitat in this ecoregion, the most important ecological areas are not protected, and nature conservation has been given a low priority. Population and grazing pressures exert enormous pressure on the region, and people still use the land within protected areas for grazing livestock, collecting firewood, cutting trees, and hunting illegally. Grazing and illegal hunting must be controlled for native animals to survive.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.