National Endangered Species Day 2023: 10 Most endangered species in India

The National Endangered Species Day is celebrated each year on 3rd Friday of May across the nation, in order to raise awareness about the endangered species of flora and fauna. This day also helps us to review about how many animal species are under the threat of extinction and what drastic effects of climate change are disturbing once peaceful ecosystem.

List of 10 Endangered Species in India

1. Bengal Tigers

Bengal Tigers account for about half of the World’s total tiger population, nearing to 70% of which can be found living in India. This one, is very adaptable it can live in varied habitats. The Bengal Tiger populations have plummeted over the years, the animal has been endangered following decades of persistent poaching for its skin and body parts, trophy hunting, and severely reduce habitat from urban development. The species now live in mere 7% of their historical habitat range, with fewer than 2000 individuals left in the wild. We find, densely populated nation like India, human wild life conflict is also a contributing factor to the dwindling numbers

2. Asiatic Lions

The Asiatic Lion is about 10 to 20% smaller when compared to the African cousin with a larger tuft and distinct belly fold. As per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Since 2010, the Asiatic lion has got about 500 to 650 individuals left in the nation, while the animal is mostly confined to the Gir Forest. Most farmers still use crude as well as illegal electrical fence in order to protect their crops and the lions often get caught up in it. Similarly, about 20,000 open wells dug by the farmers in the area for irrigation has led to numerous accidental drowning of the lions.

3. Snow Leopards

Similar like the Asiatic Lion, we find snow leopard has got much larger habitats and prowled across the mountain ranges of Asia. Now, they can only be found in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarkhand and the western and eastern parts of the Himalayas, with the population numbers down to about 500 In India. This drop is due to human interference, namely animal poaching for its pelt and body parts and rapid decline of prey to increasing domestic livestock, which depletes the high altitude pasture lands,

4. One horned Rhinos

One horned rhinoceros have been heavily targeted for their thorns for decades, which has got medicinal properties and killed as agricultural pests. There is also increasing human-wildlife conflicts, as a result, the population dwindled to mere 200 animals. But the Government has taken few strict measures, which helped to increase its numbers, presently there are about 3700 animals in north eastern India and Terai grasslands of Nepal, thus making it one of the most successful conservation efforts in history.

5. Black bucks

The black buck or Indian antelope, in 1947, there were about 80,000 in less than 20 years its population was around 8000. Despite the conservation efforts the population has only risen to 25000. One can find the blackbucks in small herds in open grasslands, dry scrub areas and thinly forested areas across India and has introduced in Argentina and the United States to help increase their numbers.

6. Lion Tailed Macaque

These are rare primates, they are mostly shy and they tend to remain in the upper canopies of rainforest, which continues to dwindle due to deforestation and land clearing. The species “ easy access to human food is also changing their behaviours, driving the animal to spend less time foraging for food.

7. Resplendent Tree Frog

This mysterious grog specious was discovered in the year, 2010 at the highest peak of the Western Ghats and has got a striking orange hue and several big glands covering its body surface. The resplendent tree frog is so rare that they can only be found in Anamudi Summit in Kerala within the Eravikulam National Park. Scientists estimate that there were only about 300 remaining animals and recommend the top-priority conservation for this species.

8. Kashimiri Red Stag

This species is presently largely restricted within a 141 Sq km area in Dachigam National Park, in the early 1990’s the number of red stags was estimated to be around 5000 but dramatically decreased to about 150 in 1970 and around 110 to 130 in the year, 2015.

9. Nilgiri Tahr

This is an endangered mountain goat species only about 2500 to 3000 individuals remaining in the wild. Much like the other animals are on the list, Wildlife poaching and habitat loss has led the nigiri tahr to be contained within the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, covering less than 1015 of their former range. But for these mountain goats, climate change is expected to be an even bigger threat. The animal lives in high altitude mountainous grasslands and rocky cliffs of the western Ghats and is projected to become unsuitable habitats for the goagts as the global surface temperature rise.

10. Indian Bison

The largest and tallest in the family of the wild cattle, the Indian bison is animal native to the South Asia and South-East Asia but one that is severely threatened by wildlife poaching (for its meat, horns and medicinal products), shrinking habitats and food scarcity from destruction of grasslands.

Famously the inspiration behind the branding the popular energy drink, Red Bull, the bison has unfortunately lost more than 70% of its population in many parts of their range.