WILDLIFE IN INDIA

India, the land where co-existence and ecocentricism is a way of life, with its variety of climates and ecosystems such as the snowy mountains of the North, the deserts of the West, the marshy mangroves of the East, the peninsular plateau and the dense evergreen jungles of the South, and its predominant tropical climate, hosts a plethora of wildlife, flora, and fauna, along with three of the most assorted biodiversity hotspots in the world. Located in the junction of the Afrotropical, Indomalayan, and the Palearctic realms, Indian wildlife constitutes a combination of the characteristical elements of each of them. With the history of the constantly changing geographical plates, the Indian subcontinent became a hub of exchanging exquisite animals, as they migrated to find a more suitable home, in turn making the Indian forests currently house about 500 species of mammals, more than 2000 species of birds, more than 1600 species of reptiles and amphibians and about 57000 species of insects.

To protect the gifts of nature from unnecessary depletion, the government of India established a system of protected areas of forests and national parks in 1935 that are widespread across the extent of the country. From the ferocious Bengal tigers and Asiatic lions to delicate lichen and the stunning Indian Peafowl, these National Parks have it all. With more than 120 National Parks, 500 Wildlife sanctuaries, and 18 bio reserves, Indian wildlife is one of the most exotic and enriched. The plains of the North are where you can find the Indian blackbucks, the Kashmir stags, the Musk deer, and the Nilgais galloping around along with tigers and snow leopards that prance in the depths of nature reserves. National Parks such as Binsar National Park, Jim Corbett National Park, or even the most recent and India’s first Lichen park, not to mention the Valley of Flowers National Park that singlehandedly holds the capacity to soothe the soul, will show you the natural elegancy of North India.

Mount Kanchenjunga, the highest peak in India and the third-highest worldwide, is located in the East, where you can find the Kaziranga National Park, home to the mighty Single-horned Rhinoceros, the Sundarbans National Park, home to the infamous Royal Bengal Tigers, and the Manas National Park that houses the Assam roofed Turtles and the rare Golden Langurs. Endemic birds such as the Andaman Serpent-eagle, the Narcondam Hornbill, the Nicobar Sparrowhawk, and the Nicobar Parakeet scale the length of the beautiful cluster of 572 emerald islands, the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

The peninsular region of Southern India, bounded by the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean, along with its Western and the Eastern Ghats, and the coastal lines, provide for picturesque bird and animal sanctuaries. The National bird of India, the Indian Peafowl, and other animals and birds such as Jungle Cats, Wild Boars, the Great Indian Gaurs, Deer, the Lion-Tailed Macaque, the Wanderoo, and the Striped Hyena, co-exist harmoniously in the abundance of the rich, evergreen forestry found here. Bandipur National Park, Periyar National Park, and the Viralimalai National Park are the most popular wildlife attractions, along with bird sanctuaries that act as temporary homes to thousands of migratory birds.

The desert terrain and the Savannah Grasslands of the West accommodate Lions, Blackbucks, Eels, Wolves, Ridley Turtles, Desert Fox, Desert Cats, Jackal, and many, many more wildlife species that thrive in those arid and semi-arid regions. The Gir National Park is the home of the only remaining Asiatic Lions in India, and the Marine National Park is where you can find Turtles, Four-Horned Antelopes, Sea Urchin, Shrimp, Sponge, Eels, and the Dugong among the scorching heat of the West. It’s the wild wild west, indeed.

The tropical grasslands and the mountainous dense forests of Central India are where Sloth bears laze around, while many species of Leopards and Panthers pounce for their perfect kill. The Tigers, the Mouse Deer, the Langurs, the Rhesus Macaque, are a few other impeccable creatures of nature that are found here. The Kanger Ghati National Park houses an extension of aves such as Eagles, Peacocks, Red Jungle Fowl, and Kingfishers, while the Kutamsar Caves shelter a wide variety of aquatic animals. The Satpura National Park is most popular for its Bird populace and Marsh Crocodiles. Other remarkable species of the wild such as the Asiatic Elephants and the big Black Bears that send chills of thrill down your spine are found all across the expanse of the country.

All the animals and birds, along with the incomparable flora and fauna, not only live but thrive in the land of India. Wildlife here, flourishes in every domain of earth, water, and sky, so much so that saying ‘India is diverse’, would be an understatement. Language itself becomes a restriction while describing the sheer beauty of every part of India. There is not one but a myriad of reasons why Indian wildlife and Indian vegetation are one in a million. Every part of India sees a change in the kind of wildlife found in it. Each state and each union territory house millions of marvels of nature. India in itself is such an ethereal beauty that here is a place where humans can truly be what they are: a part of nature. The variety of natural abundance cannot be expressed in words. It can only be experienced. And that is exactly what India is: an experience of a lifetime.