As regards vertebrate zoology Afghanistan lies on the frontier of three regions—the Eurasian, the Ethiopian and the Indo-Malayan. In the main the species are Eurasian.

The following wild animals are to be found:

Felidæ ⎧ Felis catus Wild cat.
⎪ F. chaus Jungle cat.
⎨ F. caracal Kara-kul.
⎪ Cynælurus jubatus Cheetah.
⎪ F. pardus Common leopard.
⎩ F. tigris Tiger.
Canidæ ⎧ Caries aureus Jackal.
⎪ C. bengalensis Wolf.
⎨ Hyæna striata Hyæna.
⎪ Vulpes bengalensis Wild dog.
⎩ V. flavescens Small Indian fox.
Mustelidæ ⎧ Herpestes Mongoose.
⎪ Mustela erminea Stoat.
⎨ M. flavigula Marten.
⎪ Ursus torquatus Black bear.
⎩ Ursus isabellinus Yellow bear.
Ruminants ⎧ Capra ægagrus Ibex.
⎪ C. megaceros Markhoor.
⎪ Ovis vignei Wild sheep.
⎪ Gazella subgutturosa Persian gazelle.
⎨ Gazella dorcas Common gazelle.
⎪ Cervus wallichii Indian barasingha.
⎪ Sus scrofa Wild hog.
⎩ Equus onager Wild ass.
Talpidæ ⎧ Talpha europæa Mole.
⎪ Sorex indicus Indian shrew.
⎪ Erinaceus collaris Collared hedgehog.
⎪ E. auritus Long-eared hedgehog.
⎨ Phyllorhinus cineraceus ⎫
⎪ Scotophilus bellii ⎪
⎪ Vespertilio auritus ⎬ Bats.
⎩ V. barbastellus ⎭
Rodentia ⎧ Sciurus syriacus Squirrel.
⎪ Dipus telum Jerboa.
⎪ Alactaga bactriana Bactria Jerboa.
⎨ Gerbillus indicus Gerbit.
⎪ G. erythrinus Gerbit.
⎪ Lagomys nepalensis Pica, or Tailless Hare.
⎩ Lepus ruficaudatus Hare.

Birds.—There are 124 species of Afghan birds, comprised as follows:

95Eurasian;
17Indian;
10both Eurasian and Indian;
1Eurasian, Ethiopian and Indian;
1Carpodacus (Bucanetes) crassirostris, peculiar to the country.

Reptiles:

Pseudopus gracilis Glass “snake.”
Argyrophis horsfieldii ⎫ Lizards. All Indian forms, without distinctive English names.
Salea horsfieldii ⎪
Calotes maria ⎪
C. versicolor ⎬
C. minor ⎪
C. emma ⎪
Phrynocephalus tickelii ⎭
T. horsfieldii A tortoise peculiar to Kabul.

Domestic Animals: