The world is filled with endangered species of animals, many of which can be found in India. While some of these species are critically endangered, some are near threatened and some are even extinct. There are some species that are left in such few numbers that your next generation may not be able to ever see them, if nothing is done for their conservation. While we hope that more efforts are taken to conserve these species, here’s a list of some endangered animals that you can find in different parts of India.
1. Bengal Tiger
The Bengal Tiger is the national animal of both, India and Bangladesh. The tiger’s coat is yellow to light orange, with stripes ranging from dark brown to black. The number of tigers has reduced dramatically in the past few years, due to poaching and human-tiger conflict.
Can be spotted at: Tadoba National Park, Ranthambore National Park, Sundarbans National Park, Sariska Tiger Reserve, Jim Corbett National Park, Bandhavgarh National Park
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2. Asiatic Lion
Asiatic Lion aka the Indian Lion or Persian Lion is a lion subspecies which is endangered. It differs from the African lion by less inflated auditory bullae, a larger tail tuft and a less developed mane.
Can be spotted at: Gir Forest National Park, Gujarat
3. Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a large cat native to the mountain ranges in Central and South Asia. Snow leopards have long, thick fur, and their base color varies from smoky gray to yellowish tan, with whitish under parts.
Can be spotted at: Hemis National Park, Ladakh, Nanda Devi National Park, Uttarakhand, Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Lahaul Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, Pin Valley National Park, Lahaul Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, Great Himalayan National Park, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh.
The Blackbuck is an ungulate species of antelope and it is near threatened. The main threat to this species is poaching, predation, habitat destruction, overgrazing, inbreeding and sanctuary visitors.
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Can be spotted at: Guindy National park, Tamil Nadu, Rollapadu, Andhra Pradesh, Chilka, Orissa
5. Red Panda
Red Panda is also known as lesser panda or red cat-bear. It is an arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas. Red Panda’s population is on a decrease given to habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and inbreeding depression.
Can be spotted at: Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal’s Khangchendzonga and Namdapha National Park.
6. One Horned Rhinoceros
The One-horned rhino is a large mammal, found in Assam.Excessive hunting has reduced the number of this species. These rhinos are killed to saw off their horn, which are sold at a very high value.
Can be spotted at: Kaziranga National Park, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary
7. The Nilgiri Tahr
The Nilgiri Tahr is an ungulate, endemic to the Nilgiri Hills. Nilgiri tahrs are stocky goats with short, coarse fur and a bristly mane.
Can be spotted at: Eravikulam National Park, Nilgiri Hills, Anaimalai Hills, Periyar National Park, Palni Hills
8. Kashmir Red Stag (Hangul)
The Kashmir stag also known as Hangul is a critically endangered species. This deer has a light rump patch without including the tail. Each of its antlers consists of 5 tines.
Can be spotted at: Dachigam National Park, Rajparian Wildlife Sanctuary, Overa Aru, Sind Valley, and in the forests of Kishtwar and Bhaderwah, all of which are a part of Jammu and Kashmir.
9. Lion Tailed Macaque
The Lion-tailed macaque is an Old World Monkey, endemic to the Western Ghats of South India. Its outstanding characteristic is the silver-white mane which surrounds the head from the cheeks down to chin.
Can be spotted at: Silent Valley National Park, Kerala, Papanasam part of the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu and Sirsi-Honnavara rainforests of North-Western Ghats in Karnataka.
10. Indian Bison (Gaur)
Indian Bison is the largest extant bovine, native to South Asia and South-East Asia. The bisons are highly threatened by poaching for trade to supply international markets.
Can be spotted at: Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Chennai and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala.