FAUNA An account of the 14 known species of mammals is given by Tak and Lamba (1985) and Lamba (1987). The basin is renowned for the abundance of its ungulate populations, notably bharal Pseudois nayaur (Tilman, 1937) estimated to number 820 in 1977 (Lavkumar, 1979) and 440 in 1981-84 (Tak and Lamba, 1985; Lamba, 1987). Preliminary observations suggest that Himalayan musk deer Moschus chrysogaster, serow Capricornis sumatraensis and Himalayan tahr Hemitragus jemlahicus are also fairly common (Lavkumar, 1979; Tak and Lamba, 1985; Lamba, 1987), but probably not as plentiful as previously due to hunting (Dang, 1961). The distribution of goral Nemorhaedus goral does not appear to extend to within the basin, although the species does occur in the vicinity of the national park (Tak and Lamba, 1985; Lamba, 1987). Snow leopard Panthera uncia (E) is reported to have been "extraordinarily common" (Dang, 1961). This may reflect the relative ease with which the species is observed here and in the vicinity (Green, 1982), it being unlikely that the park supports a large snow leopard population because of its comparatively small size and the deep snow in winter (Green, 1988). Other large carnivores are leopard P. pardus (T), Himalayan black bear Selenarctos thibetanus (V) and brown bear Ursus arctos, which is rarely seen. The only primate present is common langur Presbytis entellus (Tak and Lamba, 1985; Lamba, 1987). Some 83 species are reported from the proposed biosphere reserve (Indian National MAB Committee, n.d.), but this list is unreliable.

Little has been documented about the avifauna. Reed (1979) recorded 43 species in the North Rishi Gorge. Here the major stronghold was the scrub juniper in which were warblers Phylloscopus spp., rubythroat Erithacus pectoralis, grosbeaks Mycerobas spp., redstarts Phoenicurus spp. and rose finches Carpodacus spp. A total of approximately 57 species was recorded within the park. Lamba (1987) lists 80 species for the area but the distribution of some of these is restricted to lower altitudes in adjacent areas. Some 546 species are reported from the proposed biosphere reserve (Indian National MAB Committee, n.d.), but this list is unreliable.