BOOK REVIEW

Handbook of the Mammals of South Asia, with Special Emphasis on India, Bhutan
and Bangladesh
By N.C. Bahuguna and Jayanta K. Mallick

Published by Natraj Publishers, Dehra Dun

Language: English
Hard cover, xxx+541 black and white pages, plus 30 colour plates; Dimensions: 8.5
in x 5.5 in

ISBN 13: 9788181580788

Price: Rs. 699/-

NATRAJ
Handbook of the Mammals of South Asia is a wonderful treasure trove of little
known facts about mammals and interesting nuggets of information about their
habits and habitat that have been embellished with riveting tales from the jungles. It
is a must read not only for Foresters, but for all animal lovers who feel beckoned by
the magical call of the wild.

The book contains details about more than 300 species of animals that have been
painstakingly researched over eight years of study. The book is the first ever
comprehensive guide to the mammals of South Asia with specific emphasis on India,
Bangladesh and Bhutan. It provides a complete status of the animals with their past
and present distribution and habitat.

The information in this Handbook is compiled not just from field study and
reference text but from information available in official government papers,
registers of guest houses across the regions under the forest department, manuals,
gazetteers and the annual reports of the forest department.

Apart from being a seminal reference text, the book is a lively read, as the authors
have added anecdotes, stories and their personal experiences to provide a first hand
account for the reader. At several places in the book, there is information that has
hitherto not been analysed or recorded ever before.

DID YOU KNOW THAT .....

...the Dawn Bat or Cave Fruit Bat live in segregated colonies according to sex or
age?

...the Western Hoolok, the only ape found in India, is known to live in family groups
and advertises its territory by performing gymnastics and singing duets or in chorus
and that only unmated Hoolooks sing solos?

...the Crab Eating Mongoose squirts a foetid fluid from its large anal glands in self-
defence while the Hog Badger uses stink glands to confound its enemies?

...bears couldn't be hunted on elephant-back because elephants dread bears?

...that Dolphins help ailing members of their species by using their fins to keep them
afloat on the surface of the water to help them breathe more easily?

...elephants use twigs to scratch themselves and spend fourteen to eighteen hours a
day eating food?

...Giant flying squirrels have basic aeronautical knowledge and use rising air
currents to fly?

NC BAHUGUNA is an Indian Forest Service Officer (1979 batch) of the West

Bengal Cadre. He is one of the pioneeres in Joint Forest Management for which the
State of West Bengal received the Paul Getty Award.

He was Director of the Darjeeling Zoo for more than six years. Bahuguna has
published several papers on forest, wildlife and environment in various national and
international newspapers, journals and newsletters.

JAYANTA KUMAR MALLICK joined the Wildlife Wing of the Forest Department
of the Government of West Bengal in 1976, serving as P.A. to the Principal Chief
Conservator of Forests, Wildlife and Chief Wildlife Warden, West Bengal. He
assisted Dr. Dhriti Kanta Lahiri Choudhury (Asian Elephant Specialist Group,
IUCN) in his North-East India Project during the 1980's. He has been associated
with departmental publications and has contributed a number of articles pertaining
to wildlife management in the State.

FLIPKART/alBOOKSINDIA

A much needed book with a detailed and comprehensive listing of animals across
South Asia. The book has colour plates, and the text is interestingly sprinkled with
anecdotes and experiences of the authors from their various positions in the forest
service. The book is special because it records most unique behaviour patterns of
animals and makes them come alive for the reader.

SANCTUARYASIA

October 2010: The authors have put together vital information that would be useful
to researchers, teachers and keen wildlifers. The purpose of the book, say the
authors, is to: “present a thorough account of the heritage of mammal diversity in
India and its adjoining areas.”

Chapters have been arranged by Insectivora, Scandentia, Chiroptera, Primates,

Carnivora, Cetacea, Sirenia, Proboscidea, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, Pholidota,
Rodentia, Lagomorpha, and, believe it or not, the last one is devoted to
‘Hypothetical Animals’, basically the Yeti (known as mih-the by some locals!). By
way of explanation the authors write: “The question remains, have we lost another
important species of the higher Himalaya without knowing it at all.” Possibly to
make it abundantly clear that he does not subscribe to any such possibility,
Bahuguna adds: “I visited all areas of Darjeeling and interacted with local people.
But I was never informed about such a species.” A useful book for researchers and
writers.

NHBS

Contains detailed, well-researched information on over 300 species, with status,

habitats and distribution. The authors have sprinkled the text with anecdotes and
personal experiences.