Endangered Species in India

Endangered Species in India includes birds, mammals and reptiles that are in desperate need of conservation, protection and mass awareness.

Endangered species in India comprise large varieties of rare species of wild animals, aquatic animals and insects. Indian wildlife consists of numerous species of birds, mammals, reptiles etc, and is well known for comprising one of the richest varieties in the world. The Indian wildlife also contains several endangered species that are living critically on the verge of extinction. An endangered species is defined as a population of a living being that is at the danger of becoming extinct because of several reasons. Either they are few in number or are threatened by the varying environmental or predation parameters. The endangered species in India have been identified by different national and international organisations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). Statistics of Endangered Species in India As per the official records, in India, there are over 130000 endangered animal species, although some experts believe that the number may be even more than the projected figures. However, some claim that the number is actually much more. The number of endangered species in India accounts for around 8.86 % of the world`s mammals. The mammals are extended over 186 genera, 45 families and 13 orders out of which around 89 species are listed as threatened in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals (IUCN 2006). Types of Endangered Species in India The endangered species in India have been divided into 4 main categories* Critically Endangered (CR),

* Endangered (EN), * Vulnerable (VU) and * Threatened. This classification was done by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII), in the year 2004. The population of the endangered species has been decreasing every passing minute. Critically Endangered and Endangered Species in India Among the endangered species in India, one of the most critically endangered one is the Siberian Tiger. This is a rare subspecies of tiger and they are an endangered species in India. The Asian Elephants found in India have also become the victims to the ever famous ivory poaching. However, the main cause behind their demur is considered to be the loss of habitat. Another endangered species in India is one of the big cats, the Golden Leopard with black marks. The number of this species has been reduced to as low as 14,000, in India. The main reasons behind the decline of Leopard population in India have been the loss of habitat and also human population pressure on wildlife reserves in India. These reasons are also a matter of great concern for the other endangered species in India. The major reason behind the habitat loss is the spread of agriculture. The Royal Bengal Tigers were also extensively being captured for pet trade, zoos and research, as well as for use in Oriental medicine, in the past. Some critically endangered species Further, the Critically Endangered species in India, as identified by the IUCN and WII include the Jenkins Shrew, Malabar Large-spotted Civet, Namdapha Flying Squirrel, Pygmy Hog, Salim Ali`s Fruit Bats, Snow Leopard, Sumatran Rhinoceros, and the Wroughton`s Free-tailed Bat. The list of Endangered species in India include the Asiatic Lion, Asiatic Black Bear, Desert Cat, Great Indian Rhinoceros, Hispid Hare, Hoolock Gibbon, Kashmir Stag, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Markhor, Nayan Ovis, Nilgiri Leaf Monkey, Pygmy Hog, Andaman Shrew, Andaman Spiny Shrew, Indian Elephant or Asian Elephant, Banteng, Blue Whale, Capped Leaf Monkey, Chiru, Fin Whale, Ganges River Dolphin, Golden Leaf Monkey, Asian arowana, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Hoolock Gibbon, Indus River Dolphin, Kondana Soft-furred Rat, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Marsh Mongoose, Nicobar Tree Shrew, Nilgiri Tahr, Parti-coloured Flying Squirrel, Peter`s

Tube-nosed Bat, Red Panda, Sei Whale, Servant Mouse, Tiger, Wild Water Buffalo, and the Woolly Flying Squirrel. Vulnerable and Threatened Species in India Apart from the Critically Endangered and the endangered species in India, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and Wildlife Institute of India also identified several species as vulnerable in India. These species include the Asiatic Wild Dog, Banteng Bos javanicus, Brow-antlered Deer, Brown Bear, Brown Palm Civet, Clouded Leopard, Common Otter, Ganges River Dolphin, Gaur, Goral, Grey Indian Wolf, Himalayan Wtoothed Shrew, Himalayan Musk Deer, Himalayan Shrew, Jackal Canis Aureus, Andaman Horseshoe Bat, Andaman Rat, Argali, Asiatic Golden Cat, Asiatic Wild Ass, Macaque Monkey, Back-striped Weasel, Barasingha, Bare-bellied Hedgehog, Blackbuck, Brown fish owl, Central Kashmir Vole, Dhole, Dugong, Eld`s Deer, Elvira Rat, Eurasian Otter, Fishing Cat, Four-horned Antelope, Gaur. The other Vulnerable species are Himalayan Tahr, Humpback Whale, Indian Giant Squirrel, Irrawaddy Squirrel, Jerdon`s Palm Civet, Kashmir Cave Bat, Kerala Rat, Khajuria`s Leaf-nosed Bat, Kolar Leaf-nosed Bat, Lesser Horseshoe Bat, Mainland Serow, Malayan Porcupine, Mandelli`s Mouse-eared Bat, Marbled Cat, Mouflon, Nicobar Flying Fox, Nilgiri Leaf Monkey, Nilgiri Marten, Nonsense Rat, Pale Grey Shrew, Palm Rat, Red Goral, Royal Bengal Tiger, Rock Eagle-owl, Rusty-spotted Cat, Sikkim Rat, Sloth Bear, Slow Loris, Smooth-coated Otter, Sperm Whale, Sri Lankan Giant Squirrel, Sri Lankan Highland Shrew, Stumptail Macaque, Takin, Wild Goat, Wild Yak and the Lesser Panda. The species like the Indian Wild Ass, the Leopardand the Red Fox have been identified as the threatened species in India. In 2012, Ploughshare tortoise, Rio Pescado stub foot toad, Pygmy three-toed sloth, Tarzan`s chameleon, Wild yam, are listed as endangered species.

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Can You Name 12 Animals from India?

Can you name 12 animals unique to India?
Wildlife In India (Interactive games for children, National Parks, wildlife organizations) Children's books with animal themes set in India Animal themes in Indian art and other visual resouces Children model clay animals

12 Animals from India

Indian Elephant or Asian Elephant, Asiatic Lion, Lion Tailed Macaque, Great Indian Rhinoceros, Leopard, Neelgai, Royal Bengal Tiger, Wild Ass, Pangolin or Scaly Anteater, Chinkara, Nilgiri Tahr, Indian Flying Fox

Indian Elephant or the Asian Elephant Habitat: Tropical forest habitats from moist, evergreen lowland forest to dry semi-deciduous teak forests to cooler mountain forests up to 10,000 feet. They also frequent adjacent grasslands and farm areas. National Parks: Bennarghatta National Park, Karnataka, Kaziranga National Park, Assam, Periyar National Park, Kerala Status in the Wild: Endangered Top

Asiatic Lion Habitat: Grasslands and plains National Parks: Found only at the Gir National Forest, Gujarat Status in the Wild: Endangered More Facts At:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiatic_Lion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Capital_of_Ashoka

Top

Lion Tailed Macaque Habitat: Lion-tailed macaques live in southwest India in pockets of evergreen forests, called sholas, in the Western Ghats range. They live at elevations between 2,000 and 3,500 feet. Lion-tailed macaques are unique to India. In the early 1970s, they still ranged through the southern third of the country. Today, they only live in mountain forests scattered across three Indian states: Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. National Parks: Kalakkadu Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu, Mundanthuri Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu Status in the Wild: Endangered More Facts At: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liontailed_Macaque Top

Great Indian Rhinoceros

Habitat: Found only in the tall grasslands and forests in the foothills of the Himalayas.

National Parks: Kaziranga National Park, Assam; Manas National Park, Assam Status in the Wild: Endangered More Facts At: Canadian Museum of Naturehttp://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/indrhino.htm Top

Leopard Habitat: The leopard lives in all types of habitats from open country to thick forest. National Parks: Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan; Sariska National Park, Rajasthan Status in the Wild: Near Threatened More Facts At: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Leopard Top

Neelgai Habitat: They live on a variety of land types from hillsides to level ground with scattered grass steppes, trees, and cultivated areas, but not in thick forests. National Parks: Sultanpur National Park, Haryana

Status in the Wild: Secure More Facts At: Haryana Online http://www.haryanaonline.com/Fauna/neelgai.htm Top

Royal Bengal Tiger Habitat: Habitats include dense thickets, long grass, or tamarisk shrubs along river banks. National Parks: Kanha National Park, MP; Bandavgarh National Park, MP Status in the Wild: Endangered More Facts At: Tiger Facts Top

Wild Ass Habitat: Flat grassland covered expanse known as bets (islands where coarse grasses springs up during the monsoon). National Parks: Little Rann Of Kutch, Gujarat Status in the Wild: Endangered More Facts At: Indian Wildlife http://www.indianwildlife.com/wildasssanctuary.htm Top

Pangolin or Scaly Anteater Habitat: Variety of habitats - forests, hills, cultivated land, rocky crevices. Found in much of Eastern and Northern India and in Tamil Nadu and Kerala also. National Parks: Found in many National Parks Status in the Wild: Near Threatened More Facts At: http://www.ecoindia.com/animals/mammals/indianpangolin.html Top

Chinkara Habitat: Grasslands and dessert National Parks: Kutch Dessert Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat, Gir National Forest, Gujarat Status in the Wild: Least concern More Facts At: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Gazelle Top

Nilgiri Tahr Habitat: Hills of southern India at elevations of about 1,800m (6,00 ft.) National Parks: Eravikulam National Park, Kerala Status in the Wild: Endangered More Facts At: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Specieshttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/9917/0 Top

Indian Flying Fox Habitat: This species roosts in large colonies of hundreds to thousands of individuals on large trees in rural and urban areas, close to agricultural fields, ponds and by the side of roads It feeds on a wide variety of fruits and flowers, both wild and cultivated. A single young is born between April to early June. It travels long distances, up to 150 km to and from its roost, a night in search of fleshy berries. National Parks: Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Palamau Tiger Reserve and Hazaribagh Wildlife Sanctuary in Jharkhand, Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh, Molem National Park in Goa, Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh, Chilka (Nalaban) Wildlife Sanctuary in Orissa and Indravati National Park in Chattisgarh. Status in the Wild: Least concern

More Facts At: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Specieshttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/18725/0 Top Last reviewed December 2010

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Endangered Species of India | Top 8 Endangered Species

| Filed under: Endangered | Posted by: Waleed Khalid

Here is a list of most critically endangered species of India. The population of these animals has been considerably reduced over the past 50 to 100 years. On the whole, humans are mainly responsible for this much reduction. Some of the foremost reasons for the decline includes habitat loss, poaching, habitat degradation, human encroachment, excessive hunting, and for commercial purposes.

White-bellied Heron
The white bellied heron which is also called great white bellied heron, is a bird that inhabits all along the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in India, Burma, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Some of these species are also found in Nepal. The whitebellied herons are for the most part lead a solitary life on unperturbed riverside and wetland habitats. These birds are completely grey and with their throats being white in color. The population underwent rapid decline possibly due to the habitat destruction or degradation. The white-bellied herons have a bill measuring at 15.2 17.6 cm (6.0 6.9 inches). The tarsus us 17.1 21.6 cm (6.7 8.5 inches) long. The height of these birds measure around 127 cm (50 inches). The whitebellied heron is the second largest heron living on the planet. The tail is around 19.9 21.6 cm (7.8 8.5 inches) long, together with the wing chord that measures at 54.6 57.2 cm (21.5 22.5 inches). They have a typical wingspan of up to 2 meters (6.6 feet). White-bellied herons weigh around 2 2.6 kg (4.4 5.7 lb). They can walk on grounds.
White-bellied Heron

Snow Leopard | Endangered Species of India

The snow leopard is a medium-sized cat that inhabits all along the mountain ranges of Central Asia. Snow leopards are known to live in the alpine and subalpine regions normally at an altitude of 3,350 6,700 meters (10,990 22,000 feet) above sea level. There were around 4,080 6,590 individuals estimated but the population is suspected to be lesser than 2,500 by now. The weight of snow leopards measures around 27 55 kg (60 120 lb), with few species can be as heavy as 75 kg (170 lb). The length of a tail measures at 75 130 cm (30 50 inches). These leopards are perfectly adapted for living in cold environments. They have stocky body and thick furs with their ears being rounded. They have a long tail that maintains an absolute balance while walking on mountain. Read More about: Snow Leopard Facts For Kids

Fin Whale | Endangered Species of India

The fin whale also known as finback whale or common rorqual is a marine species and it belongs to the family of Balaenopteraidae. Fin whale is the second largest animal in the world, comes after the blue whale. The length of the fin whale measures around 27 meters (89 feet). These whales weigh around 74 tonnes (73 short tons). Fin whales have a long and slim body. They are the inhabitants of North Atlantic and occupy all the major oceans of world including polar and tropical waters. These whales, however, are not found in the south and north poles. One of the largest concentrations of these mammals resides in the cool and moderate waters. Fin whale largely preys on crustaceans, copepods, squid, fish, and krill. These whales were excessively hunted during the 20th century with an estimate of more than 700,000 individuals were killed in the Southern Hemisphere in the year 1905 1976. Read more about: Fin Whale Facts
Fin Whale

Snow Leopard

Tiger | Endangered Species of India

The tiger is the largest cat with the length measuring at 3.3 meters (11 feet), and weighs around 06 kg (670 lb). Tiger is ranked as the third largest land carnivore coming after the brown bear and polar bear. These cats are easily recognized by the vertical stripes all over its body. Tigers were once abundant across Asia, Turkey, and eastern coast of Russia, but over the last 10 decades, the population has been reduced by more than 90%. They have disappeared from the islands of Bali and Java and are also absent from southeast and eastern Asia. Tigers are classified as endangered species by the IUCN. According to a rough estimate, there are only 3,062 3,942 individuals left in the wild as against the beginning numbers of 100,000 at the start of the 20th century. They occupy one of the largest areas measuring at 1,184,911 km2(457,497 sq mi). Read more about: Bengal Tiger Facts For Kids
Tiger