Threatened Wildlife Species of Jammu and Kashmir with Conservation Challenges and Future Management Strategies

Jammu and Kashmir is one of the most biologically significant regions of the Indian Himalayan ecosystem, supporting diverse terrestrial, aquatic, and alpine habitats. Its rich biodiversity includes numerous threatened mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and freshwater fishes that are of national and global conservation importance. Species such as the Hangul (Cervus hanglu hanglu), snow leopard (Panthera uncia), Himalayan musk deer (Moschus leucogaster), Kashmir markhor (Capra falconeri cashmiriensis), Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus), and several migratory birds face increasing threats from habitat degradation, climate change, poaching, illegal wildlife trade, human–wildlife conflict, and unplanned developmental activities. According to recent assessments, Jammu and Kashmir supports more than 70 threatened and near-threatened faunal species, emphasizing the urgent need for integrated conservation strategies. This review summarizes the diversity of threatened wildlife species, their conservation status, major threats, existing conservation initiatives, protected-area networks, recent advances in wildlife management, and future strategies for sustainable biodiversity conservation.