Abstract
Mammals of the Palearctic have evolved in the region from western Tibetan Plateau to Xinjiang of China. So, it is important to study the fauna of this region for understanding evolutionary history of animal groups in the Palearctic. The mammalian fauna of Xinjiang was geographically isolated into southern and northern as well as eastern and western communities, by retrogression of the Tethys Sea accompanying upheaval of the Tibetan Plateau, the drying out of central Asia, and influences of glacial climates. Severe changes in the natural environments of the Cenozoic era gradually formed the present zoogeographical and ecological features in Xinjiang. Seven orders, 23 families, and 136 species of mammals are distributed over Xinjiang's complex environment. After the natural conservation law was established in 1980, 20 natural reserves have been set up. Much data on rodents were reported which are related to livestock farming and infectious diseases. However, because influences via human activities have resulted in decreasing and fragmentation of habitats of the mammals, conservation and management for endangered species together with natural environments are urgently needed. The origins, pylogeographical history, morphological and ecological features, and genetic diversity should be particularly investigated in detail. It is very important to conserve and manage wild animals, and recover habitat environments, based on the biological data.
