Climate Change and Wildlife Ecology in the Indian Himalayan Region: Biodiversity Responses, Ecological Vulnerability, and Conservation Imperatives for Sustainable Mountain Development

The Indian Himalayan mountain ecosystem extend cover approximately 3,500 km area. This ecosystem is known for its unique biodiversity and climatic conditions. This region encompass different altitudinal gradients from tropical foothills, forest, alpine meadow to large snowfields mountains. The climate change is exerting pressure on Himalayan wildlife, which leads to the altitudinal range shifts, phenological mismatches, and local extinction of species. This review paper will synthesises evidence from 2000– 2024 to critically evaluate how climate change and anthropogenic land-use intensification collectively affecting Himalayan ecology. The indicator species, snow leopard (Panthera uncia), Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus), high-altitude amphibians, were integrate with climate variables to demographic outcomes. This paper propose a vulnerability-sensitivity-exposure (VSE) assessment matrix for Himalayan wildlife which is helpful in conservation policies. This paper identify critical research gap in long-term faunal diversity datasets above 4,500 m.