Lophura nycthemera (Silver Pheasant) - Sikkim Bird

Lophura nycthemera (Silver Pheasant)

Venue: Himalayan Zoological Park,  Gangtok,  East Sikkim

Date: October 10, 2009

Pic: Shital Pradhan

Lophura nycthemera (Silver Pheasant)

Venue: Himalayan Zoological Park,  Gangtok,  East Sikkim

Date: October 10, 2009

Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Chordata

Class:              Aves

Order:             Galliformes

Family:           Phasianidae

Subfamily:     Phasianinae

Genus:            Lophura

Species:           L. nycthemera

Binomial name: Lophura nycthemera (Linnaeus, 1758)

Other Names:  silver pheasant,

Special feature: The male is black and white, while the female is mainly brown. Both sexes have a bare red face and red legs (Source: Wikipedia)

Tragopan satyra (Satyr tragopan) - Sikkim Bird

Tragopan satyra (Satyr tragopan)

Venue: Himalayan Zoological Park,  Gangtok,  East Sikkim

Date: June 28, 2014

Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Chordata

Class:              Aves

Order:            Galliformes

Family:           Phasianidae

Subfamily:     Phasianinae

Genus:            Tragopan satyra

Species:           T. satyra

Binomial name: Tragopan satyra (Linnaeus, 1758)

Other Names:  crimson horned pheasant, satyr tragopan

Special feature: It falls under Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)

Females are brown. Males are usually red with blue, black, and white spots and freckles. (Source: Wikipedia)

Paguma larvata ( Masked palm civet) - Sikkim Mammal

Paguma larvata ( Masked palm civet)

Venue: Himalayan Zoological Park,  Gangtok,  East Sikkim

Date: June 28, 2014

Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Chordata

Class:              Mammalia

Order:            Carnivora

Family:           Viverridae

Subfamily:      Paradoxurinae

Genus:            Paguma

Species:           P. larvata

Binomial name: Paguma larvata (Hamilton-Smith, 1827)

Other Names:  masked palm civet or gem-faced civet

Special feature: It is native to the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia

The genus Paguma was first named and described by John Edward Gray in 1831. All described forms are regarded as a single species.

In recent times, masked palm civets were considered to be a likely vector of SARS.

Paguma larvata is protected in Malaysia and Thailand. The population of India is listed on CITES Appendix III. In Hong Kong, it is a protected species under Wild Animals Protection Ordinance Cap 170. (Source: Wikipedia)

Prunella strophiata (Rufous-breasted Accentor) - Sikkim Bird

Prunella strophiata (Rufous-breasted Accentor)

Venue: Himalayan Zoological Park, Gangtok,  East Sikkim

Date: February 5, 2014

Pic: Santosh Sharma

Phoenicurus frontalis (Blue-fronted Redstart) - Sikkim Bird

Phoenicurus frontalis (Blue-fronted Redstart - Male)

Venue: Himalayan Zoological Park, Bulbuley, Gangtok,  East Sikkim

Date: February 5, 2014

Pic: Santosh Sharma