On a brisk morning of November 8, 2024, Tanveer, Shabir, and I set out from Hirpora towards the Tatakutti Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS). It was the start to our autumn surveys. The sanctuary, typically bustling with migratory herders and their livestock during the summer months, now lay quiet and serene, transformed by autumn into a tapestry of golden and russet hues.

Tatakutti Wildlife Sanctuary, nestled in the Pir Panjal range, covers a wide elevational gradient between 1700 and 4700 m, thus, offering a diversity of habitats to a wide range of wildlife species. This includes the largest wild goat in the world, the Near Threatened markhor. The Pir Panjal Range encompassing the Hirpora and Tatakutti WLSs, hosts one of the only two viable populations of markhor (Capra falconeri) distributed in the Kashmir Himalayas. However, like other protected areas across similar mountainous regions, Tatakutti WLS also faces high anthropogenic pressures, especially from livestock grazing in the alpine pastures during the summer months. Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) has been working towards recovering the markhor population in these landscapes for the past two decades now, in close collaboration with the local communities and the migratory herders. It was in 2012, when Tatakutti WLS was notified by the Department of Wildlife Protection, J&K following a survey by WTI, revealing the presence of markhor in the sanctuary after 60 years. Following this, WTI has been played a crucial in the monitoring, conservation, and protection of the markhor as well as other critical wildlife species in this sanctuary.

Landscape of Tatakutti | Photograph by Muneeb Nazir/WTI

As we trekked forward, we were eager to witness the sanctuary’s post-summer wildlife activity. Setting off from Pannar Bridge toward Kalamund, we navigated a challenging trail, crossing an icy river 16 times without any bridges to help us along. The quiet of the sanctuary and the coolness of the breeze, heightened our senses, amplifying the sights and sounds around us.

Before long, we spotted fresh Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus) tracks and signs of Kashmir grey langur (Semnopithecus ajax), fuelling our excitement. About a mile into our hike, we stumbled upon faint bloodstains on rocks, that ran ahead along our trail. Soon after, we came upon a troop of about 20 langurs, playfully interacting with their young – a scene we keenly captured on our cameras. As we continued walking, the source of bloodstains became clear and the evidence – the feathers and scat suggested that a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) had recently preyed on a bird, most likely a Chukar pheasant (Alectoris chukar).

Kashmir grey langur in Tatakutti WLS | Photograph by Tanveer Ahmad/WTI

Continuing along the trail, we spotted three wild pigs (Sus scrofa) that swiftly disappeared into the dense vegetation. In another mile, we witnessed a breathtaking sight – a golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) feeding on a white-bellied flying squirrel (Petaurista albiventer) at an elevation of around 2200 m. The eagle sensed our presence and took flight, leaving behind traces of its prey. I nearly felt guilty about it, but we had to move on.

As we made it to 2700 m, the sanctuary continued revealing more surprises. We briefly spotted a Himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral), which leapt away, before we could photograph it. Finally, we reached the site where we had deployed our camera traps back in September. Mission accomplished, we retrieved the equipment, and began our return journey back, tired but exhilarated by our discoveries.

The way back was equally eventful. Along the riverbank, we encountered fresh goral hoof marks and pellets in the sand. A little further, we spotted another goral, perfectly camouflaged among the autumn foliage until it moved slightly, giving itself away. Near the end of our trail, loud calls and a flurry of crows drew our attention to three Himalayan yellow-throated martens (Martes flavigula), fiercely engaged in a territorial scuffle on the branch of an oak (Quercus serrata) tree – a thrilling scene we managed to capture on camera.

Camera trap photograph of Leopard cat in Tatakutti WLS | Photograph by Muneeb Nazir/WTI

Back at our base, we reviewed our camera trap captures. Each recorded image and video felt like the perfect reward to our efforts. The pictures included Asiatic black bear, goral, porcupine, red fox, langur, monkey, leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) and also had the evidence of livestock and herders passing through. This array of species highlighted the sanctuary’s ecological richness, the threats it faces, thus validating our efforts.

Reflecting on the journey, we felt that this experience was a milestone – a rare blend of close direct and indirect encounters with the remarkable wildlife of Tatakutti. These data sheets add to our understanding of the status of this unique ecosystem especially when there is minimal disturbance in the area compared to the summer months. This would consequently guide our conservation efforts and planning in the coming months and beyond.

by Muneeb Nazir, Assistant Field Officer, Kashmir Markhor Recovery Project