Great Hornbill: It is one of the larger members of the hornbill family. It is found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Great hornbill which was earlier categorised as “Near Threatened”, is now “Vulnerable” due to high hunting pressure coupled with habitat loss and deforestation. Hornbills are indicators of the health of a forest. They are seed dispersers and …
Dugongs: Dugong also called ‘Sea Cow’ is one of the four surviving species in the Order Sirenia and it is the only existing species of herbivorous mammal that lives exclusively in the sea including in India. Dugongs are an important part of the marine ecosystem and their depletion will have effects all the way up the food chain. Distribution and Habitat: They are found …
Koala: Koala is an arboreal (lives in trees) marsupial. A marsupial is born in a very incomplete state. They are minute, hairless and with hind limbs only partially formed. Around 2/3rd of them live in Australia. The other third live mostly in South America. Instead of the placenta, the mother’s milk nourishes the young and allows it to …
Golden Langur: Golden langur are found only in Assam and Bhutan. They are highly dependent on trees, living in the upper canopy of forests. They are also known as leaf monkeys. IUCN Status: Endangered They are Schedule-I species under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Kakoijana Reserve Forest is one of the better-known homes of the golden langur.
Indian Desert Cat is also known as the Asian steppe wildcat and Asiatic Wildcat. The cat is considered as a subspecies of African Wildcat. It is mostly found in Kazakhstan, western India, China and Mongolia. Habitat: The cat is found in deserts and can survive without water. The toes of the species have cushion-like hair which helps them to balance the fluctuating desert …
It is found in the exclusively in north-western plains particularly parts of Rajasthan and also Pakistan. It is one of the heaviest flying birds. IUCN Status : critically endangered bird with less than 150 birds left in the wild. Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act,1972: Schedule I CITES: Appendix I Threats: Death by collision with infrastructure, particularly power lines …
Lesser Florican The lesser florican, also known as the likh or kharmore is the smallest in the bustard family. The bird is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent, where it is found in tall grasslands. Habitat: In India, the bird is observed in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and some other regions during the monsoon season when it breeds and later disappears …
Whale Shark: Whale Shark(Rhincodon typus) is the largest known extant fish species. Features: Whale Sharks are a ‘filter feeder shark’ which means it does not eat meat like other sharks. They filter seawater and feed on tiny planktons. Habitat: The whale shark is found in open waters of the tropical oceans and is rarely found in water below 21 °C (70 …
Himalayan Yak: Himalayan Yak is a long-haired domesticated cattle found throughout the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, Tibetan Plateau, Myanmar and as far north as Mongolia and Siberia. They are accustomed to very cold temperatures and can survive up to -40 degrees but find it difficult when the temperature crosses 13 degrees. The total yak population in …
Pygmy Hog: Pygmy Hog is the smallest member of the pig family. It is native to alluvial grasslands in the foothills of the Himalayas at elevations of up to 300 m. Habitat: The only known population of Pygmy Hog lives in Assam, India, and possibly southern Bhutan. Features: The pygmy hog is one of the very few mammals that build its own home, or nest, complete …