dialect of Balti is spoken by 65% while 10 percent speak Shina language in regions like Drass and Batalikis. Urdu is also spoke and understood in kargil. Balti language has four variants/dialects and Purgi is the southern dialect of Balti language. Balti, is a branch of Archaic Western Tibetan language, is also spoken by the inhabitants of the four districts of (Baltistan) in Pakistan and Turtuk in the Nubra valley of the Leh district as well. The Buddhists of Zanskar speak Zanskari language of the Ladakhi-Balti language group. Culture Though earlier Tibetan contact has left a profound influence upon the people of both Kargil and Leh, after the spread of Shia Islam the people of Kargil were heavily influenced by Persian culture. This is apparent by the use of Persian words and phrases as well as in songs called marsias and qasidas. At least until recently, some Kargilis, especially those of the Agha families (descendants of Syed preachers who were in a direct line descent from the Islamic prophet, Muhammad) went to Iraq for their education. Native Ladakhis go for higher Islamic studies in seminaries in Najaf, Iraq and Qom in Iran. These non-Agah scholars are popularly called as "Sheikh". Some among the most prominent religious scholars include Imam-e-Jummah, Sheikh Mussa Shariefi, Sheikh Ahmed Mohammadi, Sheikh Hussain Zakiri and Sheikh Anwar. Social ceremonies such as marriages still carry many customs and rituals that are common to both the Muslims and Buddhists. Among the two districts of Ladakh, Kargil has a more mixed ethnic population and thus there are more regional dialects spoken in Kargil as compared to Leh. Local folk songs, which are called rgya-glu and balti ghazals, are still quite popular and are performed enthusiastically at social gatherings. Wildlife Endangered species Kargil is home to many endangered wildlife species: Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus langier) Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus) Asiatic ibex (Capra ibex) Ladakh urial (Ovis vignei vignei) musk deer (Moschus spp.) pikas marmots and hares. Some of the reptiles found in Kargil district are Platyceps ladacensis (Ladakh cliff racer) Phrynocephalus theobaldi (toad head agama) Altiphylax stoliczkai (Balti gecko) Paralaudakia himalayana (Himalayan agama) Asymblepharus ladacensis (Ladakh ground skink). Aishwarya Maheshwari of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is quoted as saying, "It is here in Kargil that one of world's most elusive creatures, the snow leopard, roams wild and free. During my research I have