10 major wild animals of India

 India is the place where there is numerous types of wild creatures. Indeed, the fauna of India is pretty much as rich as its greenery. More than 600 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are established in more than 20% of India's land under the cover of forests, which is home to some of the most fascinating wildlife creatures. These wild animals of India are also an important part of Indian tourism, which attracts many thousands of domestic and foreign tourists every year. Indian lands are home to some wild animals such as the Asiatic Elephant, Royal Bengal Tiger, Black Buck, Great Indian Rhino, Leopard and Asiatic Lions. Apart from this, India is also home to snakes, lizards and a large number of reptile species.

Let me tell you, although several hundred species of wildlife are found in the Indian land, but today we are going to tell you about the 10 most prominent wildlife species of India in our article.

Bengal Tiger

Name - Panthera tigris

Family – Felidae

Total Population- 2,226

Kingdom – Indian Subcontinent

Conservation Status – Threatened

The Bengal tiger is the second largest species of wild cat after the Siberian tiger, and is also the national animal of India. It is mostly found in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. Let us tell you that according to a 2012 report, the number of Bengal tigers was below 1000, and since then it was classified as "endangered". This decline was due to smuggling and poaching of body parts of Tigers. Which was taken very seriously at that time and concrete steps were taken for the conservation of Tigers. The latest 2016 census shows that Bangladesh has 106 tigers, Bathan has 103, Nepal has 198 and India has 2,226, which is definitely an improvement. And the largest population of Royal Bengal Tiger is found in Kanha National Park of India.

 Indian elephant

Family - Elephantidae

Total Population –31,368

Kingdom – Mainland Asia

Elephant has a prominent place in our Indian culture, Elephant is one of the most liked animals in India. The largest population of the Asian elephant is found in South India, as well as in many places in India, including West Bengal, Kerala and Assam. Apart from this, they can also be easily seen in the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary located in Uttar Pradesh.

Indian Rhinoceros

Family – Rhinoceros (Rhinocerotidae)

Total Population- 3,555

Kingdom – Indian Subcontinent

Conservation Status – Weak

The Indian rhinoceros, also known as the "one-horned rhinoceros", is native to the Indian subcontinent. The Indian rhinoceros is mainly found in the northeastern part of India and parts of Nepal. Due to poor eyesight and numerous enemies, it usually hides in the high grasslands or foothills of the Himalayas for its protection. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park are home to Indian rhinoceros.

Indian Lion

Family Felidae (Felidae)

Total Population-523

Kingdom – India

Conservation Status – Threatened

The Great Indian Lion is one of the five pantherine cats living in India, including the Bengal tiger, Indian panther, snow leopard, clouded leopard, which were also known as "Indian lion" and "Persian lion". There was a time when Asiatic lions roamed from northern Greece to central India. But today the natural habitat of these species has been limited only to the forests of Gir and Junagadh in India. The Great Indian Lion is also depicted on the national emblem of India, representing power and sovereignty.

Indian panther

Name – Panthera pardus fusca

Family – Felidae

Total Population – 14,000

Kingdom – Indian Subcontinent

Conservation Status – Weak

The Indian panther (Panthera pardus fusca) is a subspecies of leopard, widely found in the Indian subcontinent. Indian Leopard is one of the most classy animals of India. Indian leopards are known for their ability to climb trees and swim. The Indian leopard is the largest of the "5 big cat species". The name "leopard" is derived from a combination of two Greek and Latin words. It was also classified as an endangered species by the IUCN in 2008.

Indian Black Bear

Name – Melurus ursinus

Family - Ursida

Total Population- 20,000

Kingdom – Indian Subcontinent

Conservation Status – Weak

The Indian Black Bear is also known as the "Moon Bear of India" or the "Himalayan Black Bear". It is a medium-sized bear species endemic to Asia, largely adapted to an arid lifestyle. The Indian black bear is a very aggressive animal. The male black bear weighs between 220 and 480 pounds, while the female weighs between 110 and 275 pounds. They are popular in China, Russia, India, Japan and Taiwan.

Indian wild ass

Total Population – 4,800

Kingdom – India

Conservation Status – Near Threatened

The Indian wild ass, commonly known as "Ghadakhur" in the local language of Gujarat, has an average lifespan of 20-25 years. It is found only in the state of Gujarat, India. As of 2016, this species was listed as "endangered" by the IUCN.

Indian wild buffalo

Family – Bovidae

Total Population –4,000

Kingdom – Indian Subcontinent

Conservation Status – Threatened

Indian wild bison otherwise known as "water bison" or "Asian bison" is exceptionally famous in India, Nepal and different other Asian nations. It is the second biggest wild creature, which should be visible just in Kaziranga National Park in Assam. In the IUCN it is listed in the list of endangered wildlife in 1986.

Blue bull nilgai

Family – Bovidae

Total population – 1 million (10 lakh)

Kingdom – Indian Subcontinent

Conservation Status – Least Concern

Nilgai or blue bull is the largest Asiatic antelope and one of the most commonly seen species of wild animals in India. Nilgai, also known as "Blue Bull", is one of the most commonly found wild animals in northern India as well as in East Pakistan. It is the largest antelope in Asia, weighing between 100 kg and 288 kg. Even though it is an antelope, it looks like a bull, which is why it is called the "blue bull of India". The average lifespan of a Nilgai is 21 years.

Gaur – Indian Bison

Family – Bovidae

Total Population- 22,000

Kingdom – India

Conservation Status – Weak

Indian Bison commonly known as Gaur. The Indian bison is the largest extant bovine and one of the strongest species of bovine, native to the Indian subcontinent. Gaur is the tallest of the wild cattle species and is listed as vulnerable wildlife. Indian bison can be seen in Bandhavgarh, Kanha and other wildlife sanctuaries of India.