World Wildlife Day Spotlight: India’s Hidden Gems Facing Extinction

World Wildlife Day, celebrated on 3rd March every year, is a call to action for protecting the planet’s most endangered creatures. From the Asiatic lion to the critically endangered Siberian Crane, many species are teetering on the edge of extinction. Their decline in population is a reminder of the environmental crisis we face—poaching, habitat destruction, and climate change threaten life as we know it.

Here are some endangered species of India:

Bengal Tiger – National Animal

Status: Endangered
Population: Around 2,500 individuals
Habitat: Forests across India, especially in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttarakhand
Why They’re Important: As the apex predator, the Bengal tiger plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of its ecosystem. Their population is threatened by habitat destruction, poaching, and loss of prey. Protecting Bengal tigers also helps preserve the entire ecosystem.

2. Indian Rhino (Great One-Horned Rhino)

Status: Vulnerable
Population: Around 3,000 individuals
Habitat: Kaziranga National Park, Assam, and parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh
Why They’re Important: The Indian rhino is the largest of the rhino species and helps shape the environment through grazing. Poaching for their horns and loss of wetland habitats have put them at risk, although conservation efforts in places like Kaziranga have seen positive results.

3. Asiatic Lion

Status: Endangered
Population: Around 600 individuals
Habitat: Gir Forest, Gujarat
Why They’re Important: Asiatic lions once roamed much of the Middle East and Asia, but now they are found only in Gujarat’s Gir Forest. Their role as apex predators helps regulate prey populations, maintaining a balanced ecosystem. Conservation efforts have helped increase their numbers in recent years.

4. Indian Elephant

Status: Endangered
Population: Around 27,000 individuals
Habitat: Grasslands and forests in states like Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu
Why They’re Important: Elephants are considered a keystone species in their ecosystems, promoting biodiversity by dispersing seeds and creating paths through dense forests. Poaching for tusks and habitat loss due to human encroachment are major threats to their survival.

5. Snow Leopard

Status: Vulnerable
Population: Estimated to be between 200 and 600 individuals in India
Habitat: High-altitude regions in the Himalayas, including Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand
Why They’re Important: Snow leopards are elusive big cats that play an important role in regulating populations of herbivores and smaller predators. Poaching, retaliation killings by herders, and habitat fragmentation are the biggest threats to their survival.

6. Siberian Crane

Status: Critically Endangered
Population: Less than 50 individuals in India
Habitat: Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan, and migratory habitats in the north
Why They’re Important: The Siberian crane is an iconic migratory bird that travels from Siberia to India. Their decline is due to loss of wetlands, hunting, and disturbances in their migration routes. Protecting these birds also helps safeguard the wetlands they rely on.

7. Ganges River Dolphin – National Aquatic Animal

Status: Endangered
Population: Estimated to be around 1,200 individuals
Habitat: Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems
Why They’re Important: The Ganges river dolphin is one of the few freshwater dolphin species in the world. These dolphins are integral to maintaining the health of river ecosystems. Pollution, water diversion, and poaching have led to their rapid decline.

8. Indian Wild Ass (Khur)

Status: Endangered
Population: Approximately 4,000 individuals
Habitat: Rann of Kutch, Gujarat
Why They’re Important: The Indian wild ass is a unique species of wild donkey found only in the Rann of Kutch. They are important for maintaining the ecological balance of their grassland habitat. Overgrazing, habitat degradation, and human-wildlife conflict are major threats to their survival.

9. Chilika Irrawaddy Dolphin

Status: Vulnerable
Population: Around 150 individuals
Habitat: Chilika Lake, Odisha
Why They’re Important: The Irrawaddy dolphin is found in the brackish waters of Chilika Lake. They help maintain the health of the freshwater ecosystem by controlling fish populations. Habitat loss due to pollution and fishing practices poses significant threats to their existence.

10. Nilgiri Tahr

Status: Endangered
Population: Around 2,000 individuals
Habitat: Western Ghats, particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Why They’re Important: The Nilgiri tahr is a high-altitude herbivore that plays an important role in the vegetation dynamics of the Western Ghats. Poaching and habitat loss due to human activities like farming and construction have caused a decline in their numbers.

References:

https://www.iucnredlist.org

https://www.wwfindia.org/news_facts/endangered_species

Image 1: Photo by Jignesh Minaxi, National Geographic Your Shot

Image 2: Photo by Sankar Ghose, National Geographic Your Shot

Image 3: Photo by Joel Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark

Image 4: Photo by Ola Jennersten, World Wildlife Fund

Image 5: Photo by Valeriy Maleev, World Wildlife Fund (Banner Image)

Image 6: Photo by Malihe Rajabi, Ebird

Image 7: Photo by François Xavier Pelletier, World Wildlife Fund

Image 8: Photo by https://forests.gujarat.gov.in/wild-ass-sanctuary.htm

Image 9: Photo by WWF Greater Mekong