THE MAMMALIAN FAUNA

Birds Mammals are the most highly evolved among the vertebrates. Mammal’s ability to maintain a constant temperature irrespective of the temperature of it’s surrounding areas permits them to inhabit difficult terrains. Of the 372 species noted from India, Maharashtra has so far recorded 108 species within its boundary.

The insectivorous mammals include True shrews, Tree shrews & the hedgehog. The commonest of them all, the Grey or House shrew-Englishman’s Musk-rat (Suncus murinus) is one of the most familiar mammals of our households. Treeshrew (Tupaid), always mistaken for a squirrel, is mostly confined to the forested tracts. Bats are the only true fliers among the mammals. They are grouped into 1) Megachiroptera (fruitbats) and 2) Microchiroptera (insect eaters). Of the 35 known species from the state, four are fruitbats, all the remaining being insecteaters. The largest of the bats-the Flying fox (Pteropus giganteus g.) with 1m wingspan, is a fruiteater. It roosts in colonies in banyan, peepal, tamrind & similar trees within or near human habitation. Every taluka in the state has at least one flying fox colony. The estimated number of colonies in the state is about 500. The latest addition to the bat fauna of the state is the Ceylon fruit bat (Cyanopterus ceylonensis). This bat was recently collected at Mahabaleshwar by ZSI’s team. Agrawal had collected this bat in Goa in 1973, the first authentic record for India. The insect-eating bats consist of six families which include Rat-tailed bats, Tomb-bats, False vampires, Horseshoe bats, Wrinkle-lipped bats & the Pipistrelles. The last group is one of the smallest & wellknown because these tiny bats inhabit our houses & buildings. The Painted bat (Kerivoula picta) is the most beautiful but the rarest bat in the state. The largest bat colony in W.India is situated in Robber’s Cave near Mahabaleshwar. This huge lateritic cave is habitated by the Longwinged bats (Miniopterus, schreibersi). The total estimated bat population in the cave is 100000 or more. (Brosset, 1963) Distribution of bats in the state is more or less governed by the distribution of caves. The four primates found in the state are, the ubiquitous blackfaced Hanuman langur (Presbytis entellus) Bonnet monkey (Macaca radiata) mostly occupying the western & southern part of the state, the Rhesus monkey (M.mulatta) inhabiting the northen & northeastern boundaries of the state & the shy and secretive Slender loris (Loris tardigradus) which is likely to be found in the Southern Sahyadris. Carnivora is a big group & includes dogs, bears, otters, civets, mongooses & cats. Among the dogs, the calls of the Jackals (Canis aureus) & Foxes (Vulpes bengalensis) were once a common sound in the rural Maharashtra. Wolf (C.lupus) once very common over the entire Deccan plateau, has been exterminated from its once wider range. Wild dog (Cuon alpinus) is found in the forested tracts only. White-footed Desert fox (V.v.pusilla) is a rare animal. Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) once so common in the forested districts, is now extremely rare. Ratel or Honey-badger (Mellivora capensis) is known only from Vidarbha region. Common mongoose. Palm civet, Small civet & Hyaena are still widely distributed. Tiger (Panthera tigris) once roamed almost all the districts presently forming the state (except Solapur, Osmanabad & Latur) is now heard only in a few protected areas. Leopard (P.pardus) is still holding its own. Smaller cats are rare with the exception of the Jungle cat (Felis chaus). Caracal (Felis caracal) though reported in the past from Khandesh and Vidarbha forests (Jerdon, 1874) is now an extremely rare animal Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) became extinct from the state long long ago.

The Herbivires constitute Wild pig, Deer, Antelope & Wild cattle. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) is still widely distributed throughout the state. They are very destructive to agriculture. All the four deer species viz. Barking deer (Muntiacuc muntjack) spotted deer or Chital (Axis axis), Sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) and the dimunitive Mouse deer (Tragulus meminna) are inhabitants of well wooded country. Chital has been highly persecuted & therefore is a rare sight today. All the antelopes in contrast to the deer, prefer open forest & scrublands. Blackbucks (Antilpe cervicapra) once roamed the Deccan plateau in thousands. Today only few hundred remain in small isolated pockets. Gaur or the so called Indian bison (Bos gaurus) lives in the hilly forested parts of Vidarbha & Southern Sahyadri. Wild buffalo (Bubalis bubalis) which once lived in the riverine forest adjoining Bastar district, is probably now gone.

Despite heavy persecution and habitat destruction the Blacknaped hare (Lepus nigricollis n.) is still holding. Rodents are the second largest group after the bats. Being the main agricultural pest, they are wellknown & well-studied animals. The striped squirrels (Funambulus sp.) are the most familiar of all the Indian animals. Giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) is an exclusively forest animal inhabiting forested districts of the Ghat country & Vidarbha. Flying squirrel (Petaurista sp.) is a rare animal. Porcupine (Hystrix indica) prefers mostly well wooded rocky hill country. Most of the Rats and Mice are found in & around human habitations and farmlands. Rodents are said to destroy anything between 15% to 20% of the total agricultural output of the state.

Seven species of marine mammals have so far been noted along the Konkan coast. They include the Whales, Dolphins & the porpoise. Blue & Finner whales (Balaenoptera sp.) measuring upto 20m. had been washed ashore the coast in the past. Dolphin (locally known as “Gadhya masa”) is the commonest marine mammal of our coast.

Following table gives further details about the orders, number of families and species falling under each other & common mammal groups found therein.