Photo Feature
Tibetan fox
Tibetan fox Vulpes ferrilata: The rare Tibetan fox, also called the Tibetan sand fox, is recognisable by its unusual squarish facial structure and slit eyes. A true fox, it is endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, the Mustang region of Nepal and the cold desert of Ladakh in India. A creature of open steppes across its frosty geographical range, pairs bond for life, surviving on fat-rich prey such as pikas. These small, vole-like mammals are threatened by a warming climate as they are prone to overheating. If climate change causes their populations to plummet, the future of predators such as Tibetan foxes will follow suit.
Status: Least Concern
Photo: Udayan Rao Pawar