Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1.1 Scope, Status of wildlife in India distance to literally drive all the wild animals of the
1.2 Causes of Depletion of wildlife resources- region into a circle. Once rounded up, the King and
Habitat loss, construction of dams, collection noblemen would then move around the periphery of
for trophies, hunting poisoning, poaching and this circle and hunt the animals with guns, spears
other developmental activities and arrows. Akbar bred tigers and leopards for
Module II wild life habitate hunting purposes in specific menageries in Fatehpur
2.1 Major animal and plant species of south indian and Agra.
forests. With reference to Andhra pradesh
Akbars son and heir, Jahangir, enforced strict laws
2.2 aforestation and deforestration
prohibiting the hunting of wild animals as a sport,
2.3 Grass lands, Mangrooves and sacred groves
and prior official sanction was required
It is, therefore, quite inevitable that India having d. Training programmes at the grassroot level to
only 2.5 per cent of the total land mass of the world bring awareness among the local people.
could harbour little over 7.8 per cent of the world's e. preparing, publishing distributing regional faunal
known plant and animal species. guides
Based on data currently collected- of different f. developing databases, maps, biological collections,
animal groups total number of species reported field guides etc.
g.Involving NGOs scientists and public together as For example. In Africa, inrecent years 95% of the
Wildlife is a multi-disciplinary subject involving black rhino populations have exterminated by
diverse sectoral activities poachers for their horn. Today rhino hrn fetches
upto 25000 dollars in pharmaceutical markets. In
a. Conservation Medicine is an emeerging
the last 10 years over one third of Africas elephants
interdisciplinary area of science
have been wiped out for some 3000 tonnes of ivory.
In the international market the cost of ivory is 1000
dollars per kg. The major buyers are japan, honkong
followed by US, Germany and UK. Indian
government banned African Ivory in 1992
1.2 Causes of Depletion of wildlife resources The scarlet macaw once common throughout south
america has been eliminated from most of its range
a. Destruction of habitat: The natural habitat may be in central america. Several species of spotted cats as
destroyed by man for his settlement, grazing the ocelot and jaguar have been declining in
grounds, agriculture, mining, industries, highway numbers for the demand for their fur
construction, drainage, dam building etc. as a
consequence of this the species must either adapt to In 1962, nearly 70000 whales were slaughtered.
the changes, move elsewhere or may succumb to However international trade in whale products is
predation, starvation or disease and eventually die. banned now.
Construction of Dams: In India due to the In india Rhino is hunted for its horns and musk deer
construction of 1877 large and small scale dams all for musk, elephant for ivory, Gharial and crocodile
over india between 1980 and 2000 resulted in the for their skin and jackal for fur. CITES lists nine
submerging of 4.5 million hectors. No reforestation indian animal species whiche have been depleted
attempts were successful so far. The narmada vally due to international trade. They are Fin Whale
project resulted in the submerging of 40000 hectors (Balenoptera physalus), Himalayan musk deer
of forests in Madhyapradesh. A study done on the (Moschus moschiferus), Green turtle (Chelonia
Indira Sagar Project of MP on the effects on wildlife mydas), Desert Monitor Lizard (Varanus griseus),
showed that nearly 30% of the wildlife vanished due Yellow monitor lizar (Veranus flavescens) and
to project flooding. Bengal monitor Lizard (Veranus bengalensis)
1 Major animal and plant species of south indian Nilgiri langur: (Presbytis johni) Lives in western
forests. With reference to Andhra pradesh ghats from coorg to kanyakumari.
This ecological zone deccan plateau or south india Slender loris: (Loris tardigradus). It is a secretive
falls within parts of maharastra, karnataka, Tamil and nocturnal animal found in dense forests of south
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala. india
Cat Family
Tiger (Panthera tigris). The India tiger found almost Indian wild dog or dhole (Cuon alpinus): lives in
all over India. various forests of india. Most dangerous animal of
forests hunt in packs.
Leopard or panther (Panthera pardus): found
almost all over the country. It is found in open
places also and encroach into human inhabitations
Bears
Leopard cat: (Felis bengalensis) Found in the forests
Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) found in the forest
from himalayas to kanyakumari. It preys upon small
bases. Usually nocturnal in habit
birds and animals including on poultry
Weasel Family
Fishing cat: (Felis viverrina) It inhabits backwaters.
Found in koringa mangroves Common Indian otter (Lutra perspicillata) found in
the rivers, lakes and streams of india. Found in
Jungle cat: (Felis chaus) Found almost all over the
koringa mangrooves. Fish is the principle food. Pest
country. Usually lives in the open areas both inside
for aquaculture
and outside forests
Nilgiri marten (Marrtes gwatkinsi): occurs in the
hill ranges of sound india
Civets
Honey badger (Mellivora capensis): found in arid,
Small Indian Civet (Viverricula indica). Greyish semi arid, dry areas.
brown civet found all over india.
Insectivores
Mongoose
Pale hedgehot (Paraechinus micropous): lives in the
Mongoose (Herpestes edwardsi) Found all over desert and semi desert areas and plains of south
southindia. Prefers open areas, scrublands and india
cultivated fields
Bats
Striped necked mongoose(Herpistes vitticollis):
Flying fox (Pteropus giganteus): A large sized bat
occurs in western Ghats, and adjoining hill ranges
found in the forests almost all over india.
Hyaenas
Rodents
Striped hyaena: (Hyaena hyaena). Dog like large
Small travencore flying squirrel(Petinomys
headed animal. It feeds on left overs of kill and
fuscocapillus): found in forests of travancore and
sometimes it hunts too.
Nilgiri hills
Grizzled giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura); Found in
Dog Family the hill ranges of south india
Jackal: (Canis aureus): Well distributed in the Three striped palm squirrel (Funambulus
forests and adjoining tracts. sublineatus): Lives in the forests of south india and
also semi arid parts too
Indian fox (Vulpes bengalensis) Well distributed all
over. Lives in the vicinity of cultivated lands or Indian mole rat(Bandicota bengalensis) Well
barren lands distributed mostly in the moist alluvial areas
Indian field mouse(mus booduga) found in all parts
especially in agricultural lands
Long tailed tree mouse(Vandeleuria Karnataka. They avoid dense forests and prefer
olearacea)Found all over india. Lives in nests on open grasslands
trees and shrubs
Deer Family
Common house rat (Rattus rattus). Found in every
Barasingha or Swamp Deer (cervus duvauceli)
where. Lives near human dwellings
found in forest tracts of bengal assam and madhya
Bandicoot rat (Bandicota indica) Found pradesh. They prefer to remain in the vicinity of
everywhere. Lives near human dwellings swamps marshes etc
Indian porcupine(Hystrix indica) Found all over Sambhar (Cervus unicolor) Well distributed in
south india. They may ascend to elevations of over many parts of the country. They prefer open
2200 mts grasslands and areas adjoining cultivation. Most
common deer of india
Hares and Mouse
Cheetal or spotted deer (Axis axis): Found in many
Black naped hare (Lepus nigricollis ) Found in south
parts of india even in deserts. Most common deer of
india. Abudant on Godavari shores.
india
Elephant
Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjac) Munitjac: Found
Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus) The indian in densely forestest hills like western ghats and
elephant is smaller than African elephant. It is nilgiris. They move in small groups
widely distributed in western ghats, near Mysore
Pigs
Horses and Rhinoceros
Indian wild boar (Sus scrofa): Found almost all over
Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus). Found near little the country. Prefers to live in grasslands, scrub
Rann of Kutch Gujarat, forests and at times in dense forests
Chinkara or Indian gazelle: Lives in central India in Common dolphin (Dolphinus delphis): Found in the
the hills as well as in plains seas off the indian coast. They move about in small
schools. They move very fast
Black buck or Indian antelope (Antelope cervicopra)
Found in almost all plains of southern India Little Indian porpoise (Neomeris phocaenoides):
Found in the waters of the Indian coast. Dorsal fin is
Nilgai or Blur bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus): absent and snout is round
Found in central and southeran india upto
Dugong or Seacow (Dugong dugon): Found in the Common sand boa (Eryx conicus). A Short thick
waters off the Indian coast. They are found on the bodied snake found in hill regions. Nocturnal in
kerala coast often. habit
Gangetic dolphin: (Platannista gangetica): A Rat snake (Ptyas muscosus): a large scaled snake
freshwater mammal living in the rivers Ganga, found all over india. It is a rat killer
Brahmaputra. They donot enter the sea.
Common krait (bungarus caeruleus) Medium sized
snake poisonous. It is nocturnal
Birds Indian spectacled cobra (Naja naja): Medium to
large sized snake. Feed on frogs toads, rodents.
Various species of Fowls, Geese and ducks,
Spectacle mark on the hood.
Woodpeckers, Hornbills, Kingfishers, Cuckoos
,parrots and parakeets, Swifts, Owls,Pigeons and King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah): large sized
doves, Bustards and cranes, Plovers, gulls ,kites, snake poisonous. Found in dense forests of south
Vultures, Eagles, Falcons, Egrets, Herons, Flamingos, india
spoonbills, Pelicans ,Thrushes, Swallows, Sparrows
Russells Viper (Vipera russellii): Poisonous.
etc are found in this region
Medium to large sized. Found all over india
Reptiles
Saw scalled viper (Echis carinatus): a small sized
Crocodiles: snake found usually in plains.
Gharial (Garialis gangeticus): Commonly found in The following are some of the endangered
the river ganga and its major tributaries amphibions of india
Salt water crocodile: (Crocidilus porosus): found in Madras Spotted Skink (Barkudia insularis)
estuaries and creeks
Ghats wart frog (Fejervarya murthii)
Common Indian crocodile: (Crocodilus palustris):
Jeypore Ground Gecko (Geckoella jeyporensis)
Found in the rivers and streams of many parts of
India Gundia Indian frog (Indirana gundia)
Lizards: Ponmudi bush frog (Raorchestes ponmudi)
Common house gecko (Hemidactylus maculatus) Anaimalai flying frog (Rhacophorus
pseudomalabaricus)
Common garden lizard (Calotes versiculor)
Ghats Wart Frog (Zakerana murthii)
Tortoises
Common box tortoise (emyda granosa)
Starred tortoise (Testudo elegans)
Snakes
Indian rock python (Python molurus): a large thick
bodied snake found in many parts. It ranges from
thick forests to mangroves