Assessment of diversity and threats to mammalian species in Sudhnoti, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

Before 1947, significant material related to the mammalian species of the Indian subcontinent had been collected. Azad Jammu and Kashmir is situated adjacent with Gilgit Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. The main objectives of the study were to know the diversity and threats to mammalian species in Sudhnoti, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. The data have collected from district Sudhnoti and from 2016 to 2018. During present study total 14 mammalian species were recorded and Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index was 1.05. During current research threats is observed that, habitat is losing due to deforestation and urbanization, while agriculture intensification also impacted the habitat in some context. Habitat loss is impacting in mammalian diversity. Hunting of mammalian species (for food, folklore medicine, skin, fur and other body parts) are also directly impacting the species richness and diversity.