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Schaller, G.B.; Spillett, J.J.; Cohen, J.E.; De, R.C.
The status of the large mammals in the Keoladeo Ghana Sanctuary, Rajasthan
1966  IUCN Bulletin (20): 7-7

Keoladeo Ghana is known as one of the finest waterbird sanctuaries in India. However, it is not generally appreciated that this reserve also harbors such typically Indian mammals as the blackbuck, nilgai and chital, in addition to sam bar, hog deer, leopard, and others. These could become a major attraction to the numerous tourists that visit Agra only 36 miles away. It appears likely that some of India's wildlife species such as the blackbuck may be able to survive only in rigidly protected sanctuaries. Therefore, a knowledge of the status of the wildlife in each reserve is urgently needed. Adequate conservation practices can be based only on a body of precise facts which have been collected and analyzed continuously over a period of years. In order to obtain some data on the condition of the large mammals, particularly the ungulates, in the Keoladeo Ghana Sanctuary, a series of counts was undertaken between February 12th 1965 and January 30th 1966. We saw the fresh track of an adult leopard in 1965. At that time others had recently seen a large cub. The previous summer a member of the Forest Department staff also picked up two young cubs along the road, which were sent to a zoo. However, in 1966 we saw no evidence of leopard and heard no recent reports of their presence in the area. It is doubtful that more than one or two, if any. survive in the area. The sanctuary also contains an undetermined number of hyaena, jackal, fox, jungle cat, mongoose porcupine, hare, and other smaller mammals.

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