It is known that the Leopard (Panthera pardus) feeds on a range of mammalian species, but studies of leopard food habits are hampered by the animals secretive and nocturnal habits. In Dachigam National Park this challenge is made even more difficult by thick forests, which preclude direct observation of leopard behaviour. This study was undertaken to provide information on the food preferences of leopard in Dachigam National Park via scat analysis. Study AreaDachigam National Park, (34 0 05-34 0 12N & 74 0 54-75 0 09E) is situated 21km northeast of Srinagar (Fig. 1). Roughly rectangular, the park has a total area of 141km 2 . It is approximately 24km in length and 6km in breadth ranging in altitude from 1700m to 4000m. A more or less continuous range of mountains borders the national park except in the west, where it has been artificially fenced. The average climate of Dachigam is sub-Mediterranean. The park is generally divided into lower (26km 2 ) and upper Dachigam (115km 2 ) by the beginning of fir forest. Materials and MethodsAnalysis of leopard scats was carried out to estimate the proportion of different prey species consumed in a nondestructive, cost and time effective manner (Schaller 1967;

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This review presents information on declining population trends of critically endangered red deer of Kashmir commonly known as hangul (Cervus elaphus hanglu) belonging to the family Cervidae. It is restricted to Dachigam National Park (DNP) of Jammu and Kashmir State in India and is on the verge of extinction. The causes of decline of its population are both physical and biological factors. The physical factors include grazing by domestic livestock, fuel-wood and timber extraction, charcoal making and grass cutting. The biological factors include poaching by man and predation by leopard and black bear which are the main predators in DNP. The staff and vehicles of several government departments plying in the park also pose a threat to deer.

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