The Ethnomedicinal Uses of Vertebrate Animals by Indigenous Communities in the Durg and Balod Districts Near Nikum Gram Panchayat, Chhattisgarh

for food and medicine. Research involving interviews and questionnaires was conducted with village leaders near Nikum gram panchayat in Durg and Balod Districts to gather data on animals used in traditional remedies. Of the 35 vertebrate species identified, mammals made up 40%, birds 20%, reptiles 20%, amphibians 8.57% and fish 11.43%,. Zoo therapies were employed for common ailments in humans and livestock, with conditions treated including fever, malaria, and wounds. Domestic animals like cattle and goats were used less frequently than wild animals, including endangered species like bears and porcupines. Some animal-derived remedies are sold in local markets, competing with Western pharmaceuticals. A key challenge is conserving dwindling wild species used in traditional medicine while documenting and validating these indigenous practices