Threatened Species of India

Andaman White-toothed ShrewCrocidura andamanensis

MammalEndemic · Andaman Islands

Leaf litter of tropical evergreen forest on South Andaman Island.

A nocturnal insectivore known from a handful of specimens. One of three shrews endemic to the islands, all Critically Endangered.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Jenkins's Andaman Spiny ShrewCrocidura jenkinsi

MammalEndemic · Andaman Islands

Forest floor of Mount Harriet, now Mount Manipur, on South Andaman.

Known only from the type locality. Distinguished by stiff, spiny guard hairs.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Nicobar White-tailed ShrewCrocidura nicobarica

MammalEndemic · Great Nicobar

Coastal forest of Great Nicobar around Campbell Bay.

Restricted to a very small area now overlapped by the Great Nicobar development project.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Kashmir Stag or HangulCervus hanglu hanglu

MammalEndemic · Kashmir Himalaya

Temperate riverine and coniferous forest, 1,700 to 4,000 m, almost entirely inside Dachigam National Park.

The only surviving red deer of the Indian subcontinent and the state animal of Jammu and Kashmir. Population about 300. Project Hangul and a second home at Tral Wildlife Sanctuary are the main interventions.

Jammu & Kashmir

Elvira Rat or Large Rock RatCremnomys elvira

MammalEndemic · Eastern Ghats

Rocky slopes with dry deciduous and scrub forest in the Eastern Ghats around Salem.

A nocturnal, seed-eating rodent known from very few localities.

Tamil Nadu

Malabar CivetViverra civettina

MammalEndemic · Western Ghats

Lowland forest, cashew plantations and degraded coastal thickets of the Malabar coast.

Possibly already extinct. There has been no confirmed record for decades. Historically hunted for civetone, used in perfumery.

Kerala · Karnataka

Namdapha Flying SquirrelBiswamoyopterus biswasi

MammalEndemic · Namdapha

Tropical evergreen forest in the Noa-Dihing valley, Namdapha National Park.

Known from a single specimen collected in 1981. Among the rarest mammals in the world.

Arunachal Pradesh

Kondana Soft-furred RatMillardia kondana

MammalEndemic · Sinhagad plateau

Grass and scrub on the Sinhagad plateau near Pune, above 900 m.

Confined to an area of a few square kilometres under heavy tourism pressure.

Maharashtra

Chinese PangolinManis pentadactyla

Mammal

Subtropical and tropical forest, grassland and plantations of the north east and eastern Himalaya.

The world's most trafficked mammal group. Scales are smuggled for traditional medicine. Note that India has two pangolins: this one is Critically Endangered, the Indian pangolin is Endangered.

Assam · Arunachal Pradesh · Meghalaya · Nagaland · Manipur · Mizoram · Tripura · Sikkim · West Bengal

Great Indian BustardArdeotis nigriceps

BirdEndemic · Indian subcontinent

Arid and semi-arid grassland, scrub and cropland. Core population in and around Desert National Park, Jaisalmer.

State bird of Rajasthan and among the heaviest flying birds. Fewer than 150 birds survive. Collision with overhead power lines is the single largest cause of adult mortality; the Supreme Court ordered undergrounding in 2021 and modified that order in March 2024. Conservation breeding centres at Sam and Ramdevra.

Rajasthan · Gujarat · Maharashtra · Karnataka · Andhra Pradesh

Lesser FloricanSypheotides indicus

BirdEndemic · Indian subcontinent

Tall monsoon grassland and cropland; breeds during the south west monsoon.

The smallest bustard in the world. The male leaps repeatedly above the grass in a display flight. Uplisted to Critically Endangered in 2020 after a very steep decline.

Rajasthan · Gujarat · Madhya Pradesh · Maharashtra · Andhra Pradesh

Bengal FloricanHoubaropsis bengalensis

Bird

Alluvial grassland of the Terai and the Brahmaputra floodplain. Strongholds at Manas and Kaziranga.

Males perform a spectacular leaping display. The Indian population is the largest remaining anywhere.

Assam · Uttar Pradesh · Arunachal Pradesh · West Bengal

Baer's PochardAythya baeri

Bird

Deep freshwater lakes and marshes in winter, notably Loktak Lake and the Assam beels.

A migratory diving duck that breeds in eastern Russia and north east China.

Assam · Manipur · Bihar · Uttar Pradesh · West Bengal

Siberian CraneLeucogeranus leucogeranus

Bird

Shallow freshwater marshes. Formerly wintered at Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur.

The western population that came to India has not been recorded since 2002 and is effectively lost. Its decline is the standard illustration of flyway-level conservation failure.

Rajasthan

Sociable LapwingVanellus gregarius

Bird

Dry short grassland, fallow fields and the margins of wetlands in winter.

Breeds in the Central Asian steppe. Recorded at Sultanpur, Nalsarovar and the Banni grasslands.

Rajasthan · Gujarat · Haryana · Punjab · Maharashtra

Spoon-billed SandpiperCalidris pygmaea

Bird

Intertidal mudflats and saltpans of the east coast, notably Chilika Lake and Point Calimere.

Named for its unique spatulate bill, used with a side to side sweeping action. Breeds only in north east Russia.

Odisha · West Bengal · Tamil Nadu · Andhra Pradesh

White-bellied HeronArdea insignis

Bird

Undisturbed rivers and riverine wetland in the eastern Himalayan foothills. Recorded at Namdapha and, since 2026, at Glaw Lake in the Kamlang Tiger Reserve.

One of the largest and rarest herons in the world, with perhaps 60 birds left globally.

Arunachal Pradesh · Assam

Yellow-breasted BuntingEmberiza aureola

Bird

Reedbeds, paddy stubble and tall grassland in winter.

Once one of the most abundant birds in Eurasia. Mass trapping for food in East Asia drove a collapse of about 90 per cent, taking it from Least Concern to Critically Endangered in under twenty years.

Assam · West Bengal · Manipur · Nagaland · Bihar

Bugun LiocichlaLiocichla bugunorum

BirdEndemic · Eaglenest, Arunachal Pradesh

Dense scrub and secondary growth between 2,000 and 2,350 m in and around Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary.

Described only in 2006, the first new bird species described from India in over half a century. Named after the Bugun community, whose community reserve protects it. Fewer than 20 birds known.

Arunachal Pradesh

Jerdon's CourserRhinoptilus bitorquatus

BirdEndemic · Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh

Sparse scrub jungle with bare ground in the Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary and the Penna valley.

A nocturnal courser rediscovered in 1986 by Bharat Bhushan using traditional trapper knowledge, after being presumed extinct for 86 years. Not confirmed since 2009.

Andhra Pradesh

Himalayan QuailOphrysia superciliosa

BirdEndemic · Western Himalaya

Tall grass and scrub on steep slopes around Mussoorie and Nainital, 1,600 to 2,400 m.

Possibly Extinct. The last confirmed record is from 1876.

Uttarakhand

Pink-headed DuckRhodonessa caryophyllacea

Bird

Secluded pools and elephant grass swamps of the Ganga and Brahmaputra floodplains.

Possibly Extinct; last certain Indian record 1949. The male's pink head was unique among ducks.

Bihar · West Bengal · Assam · Uttar Pradesh

White-rumped VultureGyps bengalensis

Bird

Open country, village outskirts and forest edge across the plains.

Once possibly the most abundant large raptor in the world. Populations fell by more than 99 per cent in the 1990s from diclofenac poisoning acquired at cattle carcasses. Veterinary diclofenac was banned in 2006 and meloxicam promoted as the safe substitute.

Assam · Madhya Pradesh · Rajasthan · Gujarat · Haryana · Punjab · Uttar Pradesh · Bihar · Maharashtra · Karnataka · West Bengal

Indian Vulture or Long-billed VultureGyps indicus

BirdEndemic · Indian subcontinent

Cliffs, gorges and ruins in the Deccan and central India. Nests colonially on rock faces.

One of the three Gyps vultures devastated by diclofenac. Vulture Safe Zones and the Jatayu conservation breeding centres at Pinjore, Rajabhatkhawa and Rani are the recovery programme.

Rajasthan · Madhya Pradesh · Maharashtra · Karnataka · Gujarat · Andhra Pradesh · Telangana

Slender-billed VultureGyps tenuirostris

Bird

Terai and Brahmaputra floodplain, nesting in tall trees rather than on cliffs.

The rarest of the Indian Gyps vultures, separated from the Indian vulture as a full species in 2001.

Assam · West Bengal · Bihar · Uttar Pradesh · Arunachal Pradesh

Red-headed VultureSarcogyps calvus

Bird

Open wooded country and dry deciduous forest, generally away from towns.

Also called the king vulture for the bare red head and neck. Solitary rather than colonial, and usually first at a carcass.

Madhya Pradesh · Rajasthan · Maharashtra · Assam · Uttar Pradesh · Karnataka · Bihar

Masked FinfootHeliopais personatus

Bird

Shaded, slow-moving forest streams and mangrove creeks, including the Sundarbans.

An extremely secretive waterbird with lobed toes. Possibly no longer resident in India.

Assam · West Bengal

GharialGavialis gangeticus

Reptile

Deep, fast-flowing rivers with sandbanks for nesting and basking. The National Chambal Sanctuary holds the bulk of the world population.

The only surviving member of its family and instantly recognised by the male's bulbous nasal 'ghara'. Fish-eating and almost helpless on land. Reintroduced into the Beas Conservation Reserve in Punjab from 2017.

Uttar Pradesh · Madhya Pradesh · Rajasthan · Bihar · Odisha · Punjab

Red-crowned Roofed TurtleBatagur kachuga

Reptile

Deep flowing rivers with sandy nesting banks. Effectively confined to the Chambal.

The 'jewel of the Ganga'. Breeding males flush red, blue, yellow and white on the head and neck. Fewer than 500 adult females survive.

Uttar Pradesh · Madhya Pradesh · Rajasthan

Three-striped Roofed TurtleBatagur dhongoka

Reptile

Large rivers of the Ganga and Brahmaputra basins, notably the Chambal.

Uplisted to Critically Endangered in 2019. Recorded from Rudrasagar Lake in Tripura, a Ramsar site.

Uttar Pradesh · Madhya Pradesh · Rajasthan · Bihar · Assam

Northern River TerrapinBatagur baska

Reptile

Tidal estuaries and mangrove creeks of the Sundarbans and Bhitarkanika.

Almost extinct in the wild in India; survives largely through assisted breeding at Sajnekhali.

West Bengal · Odisha

Hawksbill TurtleEretmochelys imbricata

Reptile

Coral reefs and rocky coasts. Nests on island beaches in the Andamans and Lakshadweep.

The source of 'tortoiseshell'. It feeds largely on sponges, which helps maintain reef structure.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands · Lakshadweep · Tamil Nadu · Gujarat · Odisha

Cantor's Giant Softshell TurtlePelochelys cantorii

Reptile

Sandy or muddy beds of large rivers and estuaries, notably the Chandragiri river in Kerala.

Spends nearly all its life buried in sand with only the eyes and mouth exposed, surfacing about twice a day to breathe.

Kerala · Odisha · West Bengal · Andhra Pradesh

Leith's Softshell TurtleNilssonia leithii

ReptileEndemic · Peninsular India

Rivers and reservoirs of the Deccan, including the Cauvery, Krishna and Godavari.

Uplisted from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered in 2019 after heavy harvesting for the meat trade.

Karnataka · Tamil Nadu · Kerala · Maharashtra · Andhra Pradesh

Black Softshell TurtleNilssonia nigricans

Reptile

Temple ponds and the Brahmaputra floodplain. The Hayagriva Madhava temple pond at Hajo is the best known site.

Was once classified Extinct in the Wild, surviving only in temple ponds where it is fed by devotees. Wild populations have since been confirmed.

Assam · Tripura

Ganges SharkGlyphis gangeticus

Fish

Turbid, freshwater and brackish stretches of the Ganga, Hooghly and Mahanadi.

One of very few true river sharks in the world. Its tiny eyes point upwards, an adaptation to hunting in muddy water. Often confused with the bull shark.

West Bengal · Bihar · Uttar Pradesh · Odisha · Maharashtra · Gujarat

Pondicherry SharkCarcharhinus hemiodon

Fish

Inshore coastal waters and river mouths of the Bay of Bengal.

Rediscovered after decades with no confirmed record. Listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act.

Tamil Nadu · Andhra Pradesh · Odisha · West Bengal

Largetooth SawfishPristis pristis

Fish

Shallow coastal waters, estuaries and the lower reaches of large rivers.

The toothed rostrum is used to slash through shoals of fish. Sawfishes are among the most threatened marine fish in the world.

Gujarat · Maharashtra · Odisha · West Bengal · Tamil Nadu

Green SawfishPristis zijsron

Fish

Shallow inshore waters and mangrove estuaries.

Extremely vulnerable to entanglement because the rostrum snags in almost any net.

Gujarat · Tamil Nadu · Odisha · Andhra Pradesh

Hump-backed MahseerTor remadevii

FishEndemic · Cauvery basin

Fast-flowing pools and rapids of the Cauvery and its tributaries, especially around Bhavani and the Moyar.

The 'tiger of the water', a legendary angling fish. Formally described only in 2018 and assessed as Critically Endangered the same year. Threatened by introduced mahseer stocked from other basins.

Karnataka · Tamil Nadu · Kerala

Anamalai Flying FrogRhacophorus pseudomalabaricus

AmphibianEndemic · Anamalai Hills, Western Ghats

Canopy of evergreen forest in the Anamalai and Cardamom hills, 1,000 to 1,400 m.

Glides between trees using extensive webbing between the toes. Breeds in tree holes and foam nests over water.

Kerala · Tamil Nadu

Resplendent Shrub FrogRaorchestes resplendens

AmphibianEndemic · Anamudi summit

Restricted to about three square kilometres of grassland on the summit of Anamudi in Eravikulam National Park.

A stout orange-red frog with one of the smallest ranges of any vertebrate. Develops directly from egg to froglet with no tadpole stage.

Kerala

Peacock Tarantula or Gooty SapphirePoecilotheria metallica

InvertebrateEndemic · Eastern Ghats

A single reserve forest patch of dry deciduous woodland near Gooty in the Nandyal and Giddalur belt.

Brilliant metallic blue, arboreal and highly sought in the illegal pet trade. Known from an area of well under 100 square kilometres.

Andhra Pradesh

Guggul or Indian Bdellium TreeCommiphora wightii

Plant

Arid rocky tracts and sand dunes of the Thar and the Kachchh, and dry scrub in the Deccan.

Yields guggul, an oleo-gum resin tapped from the bark and used in Ayurveda for arthritis, obesity and lipid disorders. Destructive tapping plus very slow growth drives the decline.

Rajasthan · Gujarat · Madhya Pradesh · Maharashtra · Karnataka

Eulophia obtusaEulophia obtusa

Plant

Moist grassland and sal forest edges in the Terai, notably near Dudhwa and the Pilibhit belt.

A terrestrial orchid rediscovered in India in 2008 after more than a century. Depends on specific soil fungi, which makes transplanting almost impossible.

Uttar Pradesh · West Bengal · Assam

Pyrostria laljiiPyrostria laljii

PlantEndemic · Andaman Islands

Semi-evergreen forest of South Andaman, in the Wandoor and Jarawa reserve belt.

Described in 2019 and the first Indian record of its genus, a member of the coffee family Rubiaceae. Named after the botanist Lal Ji Singh. A slender tree with a distinctive hollow-based trunk.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Dipterocarpus bourdilloniiDipterocarpus bourdillonii

PlantEndemic · Western Ghats

Lowland wet evergreen forest below 800 m.

A giant emergent timber tree of the dipterocarp family. Regeneration is poor because the winged fruit needs closed canopy to germinate.

Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Karnataka

Madhuca insignisMadhuca insignis

PlantEndemic · Western Ghats, Karnataka

Riparian evergreen forest along the Kumaradhara and Netravati rivers.

Rediscovered in 2000 after being presumed extinct for over a century. Threatened by hydroelectric projects on its river banks.

Karnataka

Syzygium travancoricumSyzygium travancoricum

PlantEndemic · Western Ghats, Kerala

Fragments of Myristica swamp forest in Travancore and the Kollam belt.

Survives largely in sacred groves. Myristica swamps are among the most threatened freshwater swamp systems in India.

Kerala

TigerPanthera tigris

Mammal

Almost every forest type from the mangroves of the Sundarbans and the shola grasslands of the Western Ghats to the terai and the cold forests of Arunachal.

India holds roughly 75 per cent of the world's wild tigers, about 3,682 at the last estimate, across 58 tiger reserves. An apex predator and umbrella species: protecting its range protects entire landscapes. National animal of India.

Madhya Pradesh · Karnataka · Uttarakhand · Maharashtra · Tamil Nadu · Assam · Kerala · Uttar Pradesh · Rajasthan · West Bengal · Bihar · Chhattisgarh · Odisha · Jharkhand · Andhra Pradesh · Telangana · Arunachal Pradesh · Mizoram · Goa

Asiatic LionPanthera leo persica

MammalEndemic · Gir landscape, Gujarat

Dry deciduous teak forest, thorn scrub and adjoining farmland and coastal tracts of the Saurashtra peninsula.

The only wild lions outside Africa, about 891 animals in the 2025 census. Smaller than African lions, with a distinctive longitudinal fold of skin along the belly and a sparser mane that leaves the ears visible. Note the assessment nuance: the subspecies is Endangered, while the species Panthera leo is Vulnerable.

Gujarat

Asian ElephantElephas maximus

Mammal

Moist and dry deciduous forest, grassland and plantations across four population blocks: the Western Ghats, the north east, central India and the northern Himalayan foothills.

National Heritage Animal of India. A keystone species that opens forest canopy, disperses large seeds and creates water holes. About 30,000 animals, some 60 per cent of the world population. Project Elephant was launched in 1992.

Karnataka · Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Assam · Uttarakhand · Odisha · West Bengal · Jharkhand · Chhattisgarh · Meghalaya · Arunachal Pradesh · Nagaland · Uttar Pradesh

Dhole or Indian Wild DogCuon alpinus

Mammal

Dense to open forest in the Western Ghats, central Indian highlands and the north east. Strongholds at Nagarhole, Bandipur and Periyar.

Hunts in packs and communicates with a distinctive whistle. Unusually among canids it has one fewer molar on each side of the lower jaw and lets pups eat first at a kill.

Karnataka · Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Maharashtra · Madhya Pradesh · Chhattisgarh · Odisha · Arunachal Pradesh · Assam · Andhra Pradesh

Red PandaAilurus fulgens

Mammal

Temperate broadleaf and conifer forest with a dense bamboo understorey, 2,200 to 4,800 m. Singalila and Neora Valley are the key Indian sites.

State animal of Sikkim. The only living member of its family, Ailuridae. Feeds almost entirely on bamboo despite being a carnivore, and has a false thumb, an enlarged wrist bone, for gripping stems. Singalila runs India's conservation breeding and release programme.

Sikkim · West Bengal · Arunachal Pradesh · Meghalaya · Nagaland

Golden LangurTrachypithecus geei

Mammal

Moist evergreen and riverine forest between the Sankosh and Manas rivers in western Assam. Manas, Chirang and Raimona hold the Indian population.

Described only in 1953. Regarded as sacred by local communities. The Indian range is bounded by rivers on three sides and Bhutan on the fourth, making it one of the most sharply delimited primate ranges anywhere.

Assam

Western Hoolock GibbonHoolock hoolock

Mammal

Closed-canopy tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forest south of the Brahmaputra and east of the Dibang.

India's only ape. Moves by brachiation and almost never comes to the ground, which makes canopy gaps caused by roads and tea gardens a fatal barrier. Mated pairs sing loud duets at dawn. Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary is the flagship site.

Assam · Arunachal Pradesh · Meghalaya · Nagaland · Manipur · Mizoram · Tripura

Lion-tailed MacaqueMacaca silenus

MammalEndemic · Western Ghats

Upper canopy of wet evergreen rainforest, 600 to 1,400 m. Silent Valley, Anamalai and Kudremukh are the strongholds.

Named for the tufted tail. The silver-white mane around a black face is unmistakable. One of the most arboreal macaques, rarely descending to the ground, which makes it exceptionally sensitive to forest fragmentation by plantations.

Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Karnataka

Nilgiri TahrNilgiritragus hylocrius

MammalEndemic · Western Ghats

Shola grassland mosaic and steep rocky slopes, 1,200 to 2,600 m. Eravikulam National Park holds the largest single population.

State animal of Tamil Nadu and the only mountain ungulate in southern India. The sole species of its genus. Adult males, called saddlebacks, develop a pale grey saddle. The 2025 synchronised census counted 2,668 animals. Project Nilgiri Tahr began in 2023.

Tamil Nadu · Kerala

Sangai or Manipur Brow-antlered DeerRucervus eldii eldii

MammalEndemic · Loktak Lake, Manipur

Phumdis, the floating mats of vegetation on Loktak Lake, inside Keibul Lamjao National Park.

State animal of Manipur and the flagship of the only floating national park in the world. Called the dancing deer for its springy gait on the unstable phumdi surface, an adaptation of the hooves to spongy ground. Distinct from the Barasingha, which is a different species.

Manipur

Pygmy HogPorcula salvania

MammalEndemic · Assam grasslands

Dense, tall, dry alluvial grassland of the Manas landscape.

The smallest wild pig in the world, about 25 cm at the shoulder. The only suid that builds a roofed nest. Once thought extinct, it was rediscovered in 1971. The Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme has reintroduced captive-bred animals into Manas, Orang, Barnadi and Bornadi.

Assam

Wild Water BuffaloBubalus arnee

Mammal

Alluvial grassland, swamps and river floodplains. Kaziranga and Manas hold the bulk of the world population; a small relict herd survives in Indravati.

State animal of Chhattisgarh. The ancestor of the domestic buffalo and the bearer of the widest horn spread of any living bovid. Genetic swamping by hybridisation with feral domestic buffalo is now a leading threat.

Assam · Chhattisgarh · Arunachal Pradesh · Meghalaya · Madhya Pradesh

Himalayan Musk DeerMoschus leucogaster

Mammal

Subalpine birch, fir and rhododendron forest, 2,500 to 4,000 m. Kedarnath, Askot and the Valley of Flowers are key sites.

Has no antlers. The male carries downward-pointing tusk-like canines and a musk pod, one of the most valuable animal products in the world by weight, which drives relentless poaching. The pod is present only in males, but snaring kills both sexes.

Uttarakhand · Himachal Pradesh · Sikkim · Arunachal Pradesh · Jammu & Kashmir

Hispid HareCaprolagus hispidus

Mammal

Dense tall grassland of the terai and Brahmaputra floodplain, especially early successional thatch grass.

The 'bristly rabbit', named for its coarse, dark, bristle-like fur. Unlike most hares it digs no burrow and depends on undisturbed grassland, so annual grassland burning is a direct threat.

Assam · West Bengal · Uttar Pradesh · Bihar · Uttarakhand

Indian Hog DeerAxis porcinus

Mammal

Tall, wet floodplain grassland. Kaziranga, Dudhwa and Jaldapara are strongholds.

Runs with the head held low, pushing through grass rather than leaping over it, which is the source of its name. Unusually for deer it is largely solitary.

Assam · Uttar Pradesh · Uttarakhand · West Bengal · Arunachal Pradesh · Punjab

Bengal Slow LorisNycticebus bengalensis

Mammal

Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forest of the north east.

The only venomous primate in India. A gland on the inner elbow produces a secretion that becomes toxic when mixed with saliva. Nocturnal, extremely slow-moving, and heavily trafficked for the pet and medicine trade.

Assam · Arunachal Pradesh · Meghalaya · Nagaland · Manipur · Mizoram · Tripura

Phayre's Leaf MonkeyTrachypithecus phayrei

Mammal

Semi-evergreen and bamboo forest of the north east. Sepahijala and the Trishna landscape are key sites.

State animal of Tripura, known there as the spectacled langur for the white rings around the eyes.

Tripura · Assam · Mizoram · Manipur

Arunachal MacaqueMacaca munzala

MammalEndemic · Western Arunachal Pradesh

High-altitude temperate forest and cultivated valleys of Tawang and West Kameng, 2,000 to 3,500 m.

Described in 2005, one of the very few primates discovered anywhere in recent decades. The name means 'monkey of the deep forest' in the local Monpa language. Lives at an unusually high elevation for a macaque.

Arunachal Pradesh

Indian PangolinManis crassicaudata

Mammal

Dry and moist deciduous forest, scrub and even farmland across peninsular and northern India.

The only mammal covered in keratin scales. Rolls into an impenetrable ball when threatened, a defence that works against leopards but makes it trivially easy for poachers to pick up. Eats ants and termites with a tongue longer than its body.

Madhya Pradesh · Maharashtra · Rajasthan · Gujarat · Odisha · Karnataka · Tamil Nadu · Andhra Pradesh · Telangana · Chhattisgarh · Bihar · Jharkhand · Punjab

Ganges River DolphinPlatanista gangetica

Mammal

Deep pools and confluences of the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Meghna and their tributaries, including the Chambal and Kulsi.

National Aquatic Animal of India. Functionally blind: it has no crystalline lens and navigates entirely by echolocation, swimming on its side with a flipper trailing the bottom. Vikramshila in Bihar is the dedicated sanctuary. Project Dolphin was announced in 2020.

Uttar Pradesh · Bihar · West Bengal · Assam · Jharkhand · Madhya Pradesh · Rajasthan

Indus River DolphinPlatanista minor

Mammal

The Beas river between Talwara and Harike, the only Indian population.

Rediscovered in the Beas in 2007 after being presumed locally extinct. The Beas Conservation Reserve, a Ramsar site, exists largely to protect it. State aquatic animal of Punjab.

Punjab

Irrawaddy DolphinOrcaella brevirostris

Mammal

Brackish lagoons and estuaries. Chilika Lake holds one of the largest single populations in the world.

Has a rounded head with no beak and can spit jets of water. Known to cooperate with fishermen by driving fish towards their nets.

Odisha · West Bengal

Blue WhaleBalaenoptera musculus

Mammal

Deep offshore waters of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, with a distinct northern Indian Ocean population.

The largest animal that has ever lived. The Arabian Sea population is non-migratory and genetically distinct, which is unusual for the species.

Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Maharashtra · Gujarat · Andaman & Nicobar Islands · Lakshadweep

Woolly Flying SquirrelEupetaurus cinereus

Mammal

Steep cliffs and caves in arid conifer zones of the north western Himalaya, 2,400 to 3,600 m.

The largest gliding mammal in the world, rediscovered in 1994 after 70 years without a record. Feeds largely on pine needles, a very unusual diet for a mammal.

Jammu & Kashmir · Himachal Pradesh

Egyptian VultureNeophron percnopterus

Bird

Open arid country, village edges, rubbish tips and cliffs for nesting.

One of very few birds known to use tools: it throws stones to break open ostrich and other large eggs. The smallest of the Indian vultures and largely resident.

Rajasthan · Gujarat · Haryana · Madhya Pradesh · Maharashtra · Uttar Pradesh · Punjab · Karnataka · Bihar

Steppe EagleAquila nipalensis

Bird

Open grassland, agricultural fields, wetland margins and rubbish dumps in winter. Large congregations at Jorbeer near Bikaner and in the Rann of Kutch.

A long-distance migrant breeding in the Central Asian steppe. India is one of its most important wintering grounds; secondary poisoning at carcass dumps is an emerging threat.

Gujarat · Rajasthan · Ladakh · Madhya Pradesh · Haryana · Uttar Pradesh · Bihar

Indian SkimmerRynchops albicollis

Bird

Sandbars and mid-river islands of large rivers. Chambal is the global stronghold; winters at Chilika and Bhitarkanika.

The lower mandible is markedly longer than the upper. It feeds by flying low with the lower bill slicing the water surface, snapping shut on contact with a fish. Uplisted from Vulnerable in 2020.

Madhya Pradesh · Uttar Pradesh · Rajasthan · Odisha · Andhra Pradesh · Assam · Bihar

Black-bellied TernSterna acuticauda

Bird

Sandbanks and shingle islands of large rivers such as the Ganga, Chambal and Brahmaputra.

Nests directly on open river sand, which makes it extremely vulnerable to sand mining, dam-driven flow changes and dogs.

Madhya Pradesh · Uttar Pradesh · Assam · Odisha · Bihar · Rajasthan

Pallas's Fish EagleHaliaeetus leucoryphus

Bird

Large lakes, rivers and wetlands with tall nesting trees. Recorded from many Ramsar sites including Bhindawas, Haiderpur and Wadhvana.

Breeds in winter, unusually for a raptor, timing chick rearing to the dry-season concentration of fish.

Assam · Arunachal Pradesh · Uttar Pradesh · Bihar · West Bengal · Haryana · Punjab

Forest OwletAthene blewitti

BirdEndemic · Central India

Dry deciduous teak forest with open glades. Melghat, Tansa and the Toranmal belt are key sites.

Rediscovered in 1997 after 113 years, in a rediscovery that also exposed a famous nineteenth century specimen fraud. Diurnal, unusually for an owl, and hunts lizards from an exposed perch.

Maharashtra · Madhya Pradesh · Gujarat · Odisha

Nordmann's or Spotted GreenshankTringa guttifer

Bird

Coastal mudflats, saltpans and estuarine lagoons in winter, including Chilika and Point Calimere.

One of the rarest shorebirds in Asia, breeding only on the Sea of Okhotsk coast, where it nests in larch trees rather than on the ground.

Odisha · West Bengal · Tamil Nadu · Andhra Pradesh

White-winged Wood DuckAsarcornis scutulata

Bird

Secluded pools and swampy clearings inside dense tropical evergreen forest. Namdapha and Dihing Patkai are strongholds.

State bird of Assam, known locally as deo hanh, the spirit duck, for its ghostly nocturnal calls. Nests in tree hollows.

Assam · Arunachal Pradesh · Nagaland · Meghalaya

Great KnotCalidris tenuirostris

Bird

Intertidal mudflats of both coasts, notably the Gulf of Kachchh and Point Calimere.

Undertakes one of the longest non-stop flights of any shorebird. Its decline is driven almost entirely by reclamation of Yellow Sea staging mudflats.

Gujarat · Odisha · Tamil Nadu · Andhra Pradesh · Maharashtra · West Bengal

Finn's WeaverPloceus megarhynchus

BirdEndemic · Terai belt

Tall wet grassland and sugarcane in the terai, nesting colonially in isolated trees.

Also called the yellow weaver. Unlike the common baya weaver it builds an untidy globular nest high in a solitary tree and is far more dependent on intact grassland.

Uttarakhand · Uttar Pradesh · Assam · West Bengal

Manipur Bush QuailPerdicula manipurensis

Bird

Dense wet grassland and reedbeds of the Manipur valley and the Brahmaputra plain.

Extremely secretive, with almost no confirmed recent records outside a few Assam grasslands.

Manipur · Assam · Nagaland · Meghalaya

Green Sea TurtleChelonia mydas

Reptile

Seagrass meadows and coral reefs; nests on beaches in Gujarat, Lakshadweep and the Andamans.

The only largely herbivorous sea turtle as an adult. Its grazing keeps seagrass meadows healthy, which in turn supports dugong and fisheries.

Gujarat · Tamil Nadu · Lakshadweep · Andaman & Nicobar Islands · Odisha · Kerala · Maharashtra

Indian Narrow-headed Softshell TurtleChitra indica

Reptile

Sandy beds of large rivers in the Ganga, Indus and Mahanadi systems.

One of the largest freshwater turtles in the world, exceeding a metre in shell length. Ambushes fish from beneath the sand with a strike of its very narrow head.

Uttar Pradesh · Madhya Pradesh · Bihar · Rajasthan · West Bengal · Odisha

Assam Roofed TurtlePangshura sylhetensis

ReptileEndemic · Brahmaputra basin

Small forest streams and hill rivers of the Brahmaputra drainage.

The smallest of the roofed turtles and the only Pangshura species with a strongly serrated rear shell margin.

Assam · Arunachal Pradesh · Meghalaya · Nagaland

Purple Frog or Pig-nosed FrogNasikabatrachus sahyadrensis

AmphibianEndemic · Western Ghats

Spends almost its entire life underground in moist soil of the southern Western Ghats, surfacing for only a few days a year.

Described in 2003 and placed in its own family, with its closest relatives in the Seychelles. It is a living record of the break-up of Gondwana, having diverged over 100 million years ago. Feeds on termites through a fluted tongue pushed into their tunnels. State amphibian of Kerala.

Kerala · Tamil Nadu

Whale SharkRhincodon typus

Fish

Warm coastal and offshore waters. The Saurashtra coast off Gujarat is a globally important aggregation site.

The largest fish in the world, reaching 12 metres or more, and a filter feeder on plankton. Each individual carries a unique spot pattern used like a fingerprint. It became the first fish protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, in 2001, after a campaign in Gujarat.

Gujarat · Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Maharashtra · Goa · Lakshadweep · Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Golden MahseerTor putitora

Fish

Fast-flowing, cold, well-oxygenated Himalayan rivers such as the Ganga, Beas, Kosi and Ramganga.

A long-distance migratory carp that moves upstream to spawn, so barrages and dams cut its life cycle. Prized as a sport fish and an indicator of river health.

Uttarakhand · Himachal Pradesh · Jammu & Kashmir · Uttar Pradesh · Bihar · West Bengal · Assam · Arunachal Pradesh

Knifetooth SawfishAnoxypristis cuspidata

Fish

Shallow coastal waters and estuaries.

Differs from the Pristis sawfishes in having a rostrum without teeth on the basal quarter.

Gujarat · Maharashtra · Tamil Nadu · Odisha · West Bengal

Nepenthes khasiana or Khasi Pitcher PlantNepenthes khasiana

PlantEndemic · Meghalaya

Nutrient-poor, humid slopes and sandstone ledges of the Khasi and Jaintia hills.

The only pitcher plant native to India. Leaves are modified into pitchers that trap and digest insects, an adaptation to soils very poor in nitrogen. Known locally as memang-koksi, the devil's flower basket. Threatened by collection and by limestone quarrying.

Meghalaya

Globba andersoniiGlobba andersonii

PlantEndemic · Eastern Himalaya

Moist, shaded rocky slopes and stream banks in the Teesta valley, near Sikkim's border with Darjeeling.

A wild ginger known as the dancing ladies. Rediscovered in 2015 after nearly 130 years. Recognised by white flowers with a hooded orange-yellow lip and pendulous inflorescences.

Sikkim · West Bengal

Snow LeopardPanthera uncia

Mammal

Alpine and subalpine rocky steppe above the treeline, 3,000 to 5,400 m. Hemis is the flagship site.

The 'ghost of the mountains'. It cannot roar: the hyoid structure differs from other big cats. The very long tail stores fat and is wrapped around the body for warmth. Downlisted from Endangered to Vulnerable in 2017. The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India put the number at 718. State animal of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.

Ladakh · Himachal Pradesh · Uttarakhand · Sikkim · Arunachal Pradesh · Jammu & Kashmir

Indian Rhinoceros or Greater One-horned RhinocerosRhinoceros unicornis

Mammal

Alluvial floodplain grassland and swamps. Kaziranga holds about 70 per cent of the world population; also Orang, Pobitora, Manas, Jaldapara, Gorumara and Dudhwa.

State animal of Assam. Has a single horn of compacted keratin, not bone, and armour-like skin folds. Pobitora has the highest density of rhinos anywhere in the world. A conservation success story: numbers rose from around 200 in the early twentieth century to over 4,000.

Assam · West Bengal · Uttar Pradesh · Bihar

Gaur or Indian BisonBos gaurus

Mammal

Moist and dry deciduous forest with grassy glades, up to about 2,800 m in the Western Ghats and the north east.

The largest wild cattle in the world and the tallest bovid. Distinguished by white 'stockings' on all four legs and a prominent dorsal ridge. State animal of Goa and Bihar. Successfully reintroduced to Bandhavgarh from Kanha in 2011.

Karnataka · Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Maharashtra · Madhya Pradesh · Chhattisgarh · Odisha · Assam · Meghalaya · Goa · Jharkhand · Bihar · Tripura

Sloth BearMelursus ursinus

Mammal

Dry and moist deciduous forest, scrub and rocky outcrops with termite mounds and caves.

Specialised for eating termites: it lacks the two upper incisors, leaving a gap through which it vacuums insects with an audible sound heard 100 metres away. Carries its cubs on its back, uniquely among bears. The species behind the historic 'dancing bear' trade, ended in 2009. Daroji in Karnataka is a dedicated sanctuary.

Madhya Pradesh · Chhattisgarh · Maharashtra · Karnataka · Odisha · Rajasthan · Gujarat · Andhra Pradesh · Telangana · Jharkhand · Tamil Nadu · Kerala · Bihar · Uttar Pradesh

Asiatic Black BearUrsus thibetanus

Mammal

Temperate broadleaf and conifer forest of the Himalaya and north east, 1,200 to 3,300 m.

The white or cream V-shaped crescent on the chest gives it the name moon bear. A major driver of human-wildlife conflict in Kashmir and Himachal, where orchards draw bears to villages.

Jammu & Kashmir · Himachal Pradesh · Uttarakhand · Arunachal Pradesh · Sikkim · Assam · Manipur · Nagaland · Meghalaya · West Bengal

Clouded LeopardNeofelis nebulosa

Mammal

Dense tropical and subtropical evergreen forest of the north east and eastern Himalaya.

Has the longest canine teeth relative to skull size of any living cat, often compared with the extinct sabre-tooths. Its ankles rotate so far that it can climb down trunks head first and hang upside down from branches. State animal of Meghalaya. Tripura has a national park named after it.

Arunachal Pradesh · Assam · Meghalaya · Nagaland · Manipur · Mizoram · Tripura · Sikkim · West Bengal

Fishing CatPrionailurus viverrinus

Mammal

Mangroves, reedbeds, marshes and tidal creeks. The Sundarbans, Bhitarkanika, Chilika and the Coringa mangroves are strongholds.

State animal of West Bengal. Partially webbed feet and a double-layered coat make it a strong swimmer; it taps the water surface to mimic insects and lure fish. Downlisted from Endangered to Vulnerable in 2016. Almost entirely dependent on wetlands, so it is the natural flagship for wetland conservation.

West Bengal · Odisha · Andhra Pradesh · Assam · Bihar · Uttar Pradesh · Tamil Nadu

DugongDugong dugon

Mammal

Shallow seagrass meadows. The Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay hold the largest Indian population.

The only strictly herbivorous marine mammal and the sole surviving member of its family. State animal of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. India notified a Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay in 2022, the first of its kind in the country.

Tamil Nadu · Andaman & Nicobar Islands · Gujarat · Lakshadweep

Barasingha or Swamp DeerRucervus duvaucelii

Mammal

Two distinct forms: hard-ground barasingha on the maidans of Kanha, and wetland forms in the terai at Dudhwa and in Assam.

State animal of Madhya Pradesh. The name means twelve-tined, from the branched antlers. The Kanha hard-ground subspecies recovered from about 66 animals in 1970 to over 800, one of India's best documented recoveries, and has been reintroduced to Satpura and Bandhavgarh.

Madhya Pradesh · Uttar Pradesh · Assam · Uttarakhand · West Bengal

Four-horned Antelope or ChousinghaTetracerus quadricornis

MammalEndemic · Indian subcontinent

Open dry deciduous forest with hills and grass, always near water.

The only wild bovid in the world with four horns. The rear pair is longer; the front pair is sometimes reduced to a stub. Solitary and largely restricted to India.

Madhya Pradesh · Maharashtra · Rajasthan · Gujarat · Odisha · Andhra Pradesh · Telangana · Karnataka · Chhattisgarh · Jharkhand · Uttar Pradesh · Bihar

Nilgiri LangurSemnopithecus johnii

MammalEndemic · Western Ghats

Evergreen shola forest and moist deciduous forest, 300 to 2,000 m.

Glossy black with a golden-brown head ruff. Poached for the supposed medicinal value of its flesh and organs, a threat unusual among Indian primates.

Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Karnataka

Capped LangurTrachypithecus pileatus

Mammal

Tropical evergreen and moist deciduous forest north and east of the Brahmaputra.

Named for the dark cap of hair on the crown that contrasts sharply with a pale golden or orange belly.

Assam · Arunachal Pradesh · Meghalaya · Nagaland · Manipur · Tripura

Stump-tailed MacaqueMacaca arctoides

Mammal

Dense evergreen and semi-evergreen forest of the north east.

Also called the bear macaque for its shaggy coat and very short tail. The bright red face darkens with age and sun exposure.

Assam · Arunachal Pradesh · Meghalaya · Nagaland · Manipur · Mizoram · Tripura

Eastern Hoolock GibbonHoolock leuconedys

Mammal

Evergreen forest east of the Dibang river in Arunachal Pradesh, the only Indian range.

Separated from the western hoolock by the white brow patches, which are divided rather than joined, and by a pale genital tuft.

Arunachal Pradesh

Nilgiri MartenMartes gwatkinsii

MammalEndemic · Western Ghats

Shola forest, montane grassland and plantation edges above 1,000 m.

The only marten in peninsular India and the sole mustelid of the southern Western Ghats. Recognised by a bright yellow to orange throat patch. Very rarely seen and almost never studied in the wild.

Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Karnataka

Smooth-coated OtterLutrogale perspicillata

Mammal

Rivers, reservoirs, mangroves and estuaries. The Chambal, Cauvery, Ropar and Sundarbans hold good numbers.

The largest otter in South Asia and highly social, hunting in coordinated family groups that drive fish into the shallows.

Karnataka · Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Uttar Pradesh · Madhya Pradesh · Punjab · Odisha · West Bengal · Assam · Gujarat · Maharashtra

Asian Small-clawed OtterAonyx cinereus

Mammal

Hill streams, paddy fields and mangrove creeks in the Western Ghats and the north east.

The smallest otter in the world. Its claws are reduced to blunt spikes and the paws are highly dexterous, used to feel under stones for crabs and molluscs rather than to catch fish.

Kerala · Karnataka · Tamil Nadu · Assam · Arunachal Pradesh · Meghalaya · West Bengal · Sikkim

Himalayan SerowCapricornis thar

Mammal

Steep, forested and rocky slopes between 2,000 and 4,000 m in the Himalaya, and lower hills in the north east.

A goat-antelope, part goat and part antelope in appearance, with large mule-like ears. State animal of Mizoram. First recorded in Assam's Manas landscape and in Spiti at unusually high elevation in recent years.

Himachal Pradesh · Uttarakhand · Sikkim · Arunachal Pradesh · Jammu & Kashmir · West Bengal · Assam · Meghalaya · Mizoram · Nagaland

TakinBudorcas taxicolor

Mammal

Bamboo and rhododendron thickets and alpine meadow, 2,000 to 4,500 m, in the eastern Himalaya.

A heavy-set goat-antelope sometimes called the gnu goat. Secretes an oily substance over its coat that acts as a natural raincoat. The Mishmi takin occurs only in Arunachal Pradesh within India.

Arunachal Pradesh

Wild YakBos mutus

Mammal

Alpine tundra and cold desert steppe above 4,000 m, in eastern Ladakh and along the northern borders.

Far larger than the domestic yak. Dense two-layered fur and enlarged lungs and heart let it function at elevations where most large mammals cannot. Very few remain in India.

Ladakh · Sikkim · Arunachal Pradesh

Indo-Pacific Finless PorpoiseNeophocaena phocaenoides

Mammal

Shallow coastal waters, mangrove channels and lagoons, including Chilika and the Sundarbans.

Has no dorsal fin at all, only a low ridge of tubercles along the back. Frequently killed as bycatch in gillnets.

Odisha · West Bengal · Tamil Nadu · Gujarat · Maharashtra · Kerala

Sperm WhalePhyseter macrocephalus

Mammal

Deep offshore waters and submarine canyons of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

The largest toothed predator on earth and the deepest-diving mammal, reaching beyond 2,000 m. Has the largest brain of any animal.

Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Andaman & Nicobar Islands · Lakshadweep · Maharashtra · Gujarat

Sarus CraneAntigone antigone

Bird

Shallow marshes, flooded paddy and village ponds, largely outside protected areas. The Etawah and Mainpuri belt of Uttar Pradesh holds the largest population.

The tallest flying bird in the world, standing up to 1.8 m. State bird of Uttar Pradesh. Pairs mate for life and are a folk symbol of marital devotion; the Ramayana tradition links the killing of a sarus to Valmiki's first verse. Sarsai Nawar Jheel, a Ramsar site, is named for it.

Uttar Pradesh · Madhya Pradesh · Rajasthan · Gujarat · Bihar · Haryana · Maharashtra · Assam

Great HornbillBuceros bicornis

Bird

Tall, closed-canopy evergreen and moist deciduous forest of the Western Ghats and the north east.

State bird of Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh. The hollow casque on the bill amplifies its calls. The female seals herself into a tree cavity with mud and droppings, leaving only a slit through which the male feeds her, so the loss of large nesting trees is fatal to breeding. A major seed disperser of large-fruited rainforest trees.

Kerala · Karnataka · Tamil Nadu · Maharashtra · Arunachal Pradesh · Assam · Meghalaya · Nagaland · Uttarakhand · West Bengal

Rufous-necked HornbillAceros nipalensis

Bird

Broadleaf evergreen hill forest of the eastern Himalaya, 600 to 2,200 m. Namdapha and Neora Valley are key sites.

The rarest of India's large hornbills, with the male showing a deep rufous head and neck. Hunted for its casque and tail feathers, used in traditional headgear.

Arunachal Pradesh · Assam · Sikkim · Nagaland · West Bengal

Narcondam HornbillRhyticeros narcondami

BirdEndemic · Narcondam Island

Evergreen forest on Narcondam, a single volcanic island of about 6.8 square kilometres.

Has one of the smallest ranges of any bird in the world, confined to a single island. About 1,000 birds. A proposed radar installation on the island became a well-known conservation controversy.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Nicobar MegapodeMegapodius nicobariensis

BirdEndemic · Nicobar Islands

Coastal forest just behind the beach on Great Nicobar and neighbouring islands.

Does not incubate its eggs with body heat. It builds a large mound of sand and rotting vegetation and lets fermentation and solar heat do the work, regulating temperature by adding or removing material. Badly hit by the 2004 tsunami and now exposed to the Great Nicobar development project.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Nilgiri Wood PigeonColumba elphinstonii

BirdEndemic · Western Ghats

Canopy of shola and wet evergreen forest, 800 to 2,000 m.

Recognised by a chequerboard pattern of black and white on the nape. An important disperser of large forest fruit seeds.

Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Karnataka · Maharashtra · Goa

Green AvadavatAmandava formosa

BirdEndemic · Central India

Tall grass, scrub and cropland on the Deccan plateau and around Mount Abu.

A small green and yellow finch trapped heavily for the cage bird trade, which is the main reason for its decline.

Madhya Pradesh · Rajasthan · Maharashtra · Chhattisgarh · Gujarat

Swamp FrancolinFrancolinus gularis

Bird

Tall wet grassland and reedbeds of the terai and Brahmaputra floodplain. Dudhwa, Jaldapara and Kaziranga hold good numbers.

Depends entirely on tall, wet grassland, so it is one of the sharpest indicators of terai grassland health.

Uttar Pradesh · Assam · Bihar · West Bengal · Uttarakhand

Marbled TealMarmaronetta angustirostris

Bird

Shallow brackish and freshwater wetlands in winter, including Nalsarovar and the Kachchh wetlands.

One of the most threatened ducks of the western Palearctic, with the Indian wintering population at the eastern edge of its range.

Gujarat · Rajasthan · Punjab · Haryana

Common PochardAythya ferina

Bird

Deep freshwater lakes and reservoirs in winter, recorded at most northern Indian Ramsar sites.

A common winter duck in India that was uplisted to Vulnerable in 2015 because of steep declines on its European breeding grounds, a useful example of a species that appears abundant locally but is threatened globally.

Rajasthan · Gujarat · Punjab · Haryana · Uttar Pradesh · Bihar · Assam · Madhya Pradesh

River TernSterna aurantia

Bird

Sandbars and rocky islets in large rivers and reservoirs. Nests colonially at Ranganathittu, the Chambal and Bhadra.

Uplisted from Least Concern to Vulnerable in 2020. Its ground nests on river sand are exposed to sand mining, altered flows and flooding from dam releases.

Madhya Pradesh · Uttar Pradesh · Karnataka · Odisha · Assam · Rajasthan · Maharashtra · Bihar

Wood SnipeGallinago nemoricola

Bird

Alpine and subalpine marshy meadows in summer; descends to Himalayan foothills and, rarely, the Western Ghats in winter.

Very poorly known and thought to have a small, declining population.

Uttarakhand · Himachal Pradesh · Sikkim · Arunachal Pradesh · Jammu & Kashmir · Kerala · Tamil Nadu

Mugger CrocodileCrocodylus palustris

Reptile

Rivers, lakes, village tanks and reservoirs. Notably the Chambal, Vishwamitri in Vadodara and Sakhya Sagar in Madhya Pradesh.

Also called the marsh crocodile. Broad-snouted and the most adaptable of India's three crocodilians, tolerating even man-made tanks. Digs burrows to survive dry seasons. The Vishwamitri river running through Vadodara city holds one of the densest urban crocodile populations anywhere.

Gujarat · Rajasthan · Madhya Pradesh · Odisha · Tamil Nadu · Kerala · Karnataka · Maharashtra · Uttar Pradesh · Bihar · Chhattisgarh

King CobraOphiophagus hannah

Reptile

Dense evergreen and moist deciduous forest, plantations and bamboo, in the Western Ghats, north east and the eastern Himalaya.

The longest venomous snake in the world, up to 5.5 m. The only snake that builds a nest for its eggs and guards them. The genus name means snake-eater: it feeds almost entirely on other snakes. Agumbe in Karnataka is the best-known study site.

Kerala · Karnataka · Tamil Nadu · Maharashtra · Goa · Odisha · Assam · Arunachal Pradesh · West Bengal · Uttarakhand · Meghalaya · Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Indian Star TortoiseGeochelone elegans

Reptile

Dry scrub, thorn forest and semi-arid grassland of the Deccan and the north west.

The radiating star pattern on the shell is camouflage in dry grass. One of the most heavily trafficked tortoises in the world for the pet trade; moved to CITES Appendix I in 2019.

Andhra Pradesh · Telangana · Tamil Nadu · Karnataka · Gujarat · Rajasthan · Odisha · Kerala

Travancore TortoiseIndotestudo travancorica

ReptileEndemic · Western Ghats

Moist deciduous and evergreen forest floor of the Western Ghats.

One of very few forest-dwelling tortoises in India, and locally hunted for meat.

Kerala · Tamil Nadu · Karnataka

Olive Ridley TurtleLepidochelys olivacea

Reptile

Coastal waters; mass nesting beaches at Gahirmatha, Rushikulya and Devi river mouth in Odisha.

Famous for the arribada, a synchronised mass nesting in which hundreds of thousands of females come ashore over a few nights. Gahirmatha is the largest known rookery in the world. Turtle excluder devices in trawl nets are the main mitigation.

Odisha · Andhra Pradesh · Tamil Nadu · Kerala · Goa · Maharashtra · West Bengal · Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Leatherback TurtleDermochelys coriacea

Reptile

Open ocean; the most important Indian nesting beaches are on Little Andaman and Great Nicobar, including Galathea Bay.

The largest turtle in the world and the only one without a hard shell, having instead a leathery, ridged carapace. It can regulate its body temperature above ambient, which lets it forage in cold water, and feeds almost entirely on jellyfish.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands · Tamil Nadu · Kerala

Loggerhead TurtleCaretta caretta

Reptile

Coastal and offshore waters; only occasional nesting on Indian beaches.

Has a very large head and powerful jaws for crushing hard-shelled prey such as crabs and molluscs.

Gujarat · Maharashtra · Tamil Nadu · Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Indian SandalwoodSantalum album

Plant

Dry deciduous and scrub forest of the Deccan, with the classic belt in southern Karnataka and northern Tamil Nadu.

A hemi-parasite: it draws water and nutrients through haustoria attached to the roots of neighbouring host plants, so it cannot be grown in isolation. The fragrant heartwood forms only after about fifteen years. State tree of Karnataka. Smuggling and spike disease are the principal threats.

Karnataka · Tamil Nadu · Kerala · Andhra Pradesh · Telangana · Maharashtra · Madhya Pradesh