Endangered species in India are a recurring and high-scoring topic in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Banking, State PSC exams, and all environment-based competitive papers.
India is one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries — home to over 7–8% of the world’s species in just 2.4% of Earth’s land area. Despite this richness, habitat loss, poaching, and climate change have pushed hundreds of species to the brink. This page gives you a complete, updated list of India’s most important endangered and critically endangered species with their IUCN status, habitat, conservation programmes, and exam-critical facts.
⚡ Quick Facts
- India is one of only 17 megadiverse countries in the world — recognised by the IUCN and Conservation International.
- The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is India’s most critically endangered large bird with fewer than 150 individuals remaining — mainly in Rajasthan; state bird of Rajasthan.
- The Cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952; African cheetahs were reintroduced at Kuno National Park (MP) from September 2022 — the world’s first intercontinental carnivore reintroduction.
- The Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros has recovered from under 200 individuals (early 20th century) to over 4,000 today — one of conservation’s greatest success stories.
- India has over 172 Critically Endangered animal species as per the latest IUCN Red List assessments.
IUCN category confusion: Critically Endangered (CR) is the highest threat level — NOT “Endangered (EN).” The order is CR > EN > VU. Also: the Gangetic Dolphin is India’s National Aquatic Animal (not marine); it is functionally blind and uses echolocation. The cheetah reintroduced in 2022 is the African cheetah — the extinct Indian species was the Asiatic cheetah (different subspecies). And Asiatic Lion is found only in Gir (Gujarat) — not in any other state.
✅ My Progress Tracker
🦅 Endangered Species in India — Complete List
| # ↕ | Species ↕ | IUCN Status | Group ↕ | Habitat / Range | Conservation Programme | Key Exam Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Indian Bustard (GIB) | CR | Birds | Rajasthan (mainly), Gujarat, MP | Project GIB; captive breeding (Jaisalmer) | Fewer than 150 left; India’s heaviest flying bird; state bird of Rajasthan; overhead power lines = main threat |
| 2 | Gyps Vultures (White-rumped, Indian, Slender-billed) | CR | Birds | Throughout India | Diclofenac ban (2006); Vulture Safe Zones; captive breeding | Diclofenac veterinary drug caused 99% population crash in 1990s; ban in 2006 crucial |
| 3 | Gharial (Gavial) | CR | Reptiles | Chambal, Gandak, Girwa Rivers | Gharial Conservation Project; National Chambal Sanctuary | Fewer than 250 mature adults; only wild Chambal population survives; fish-eater |
| 4 | Indian Pangolin | CR | Mammals | Central and South India | Schedule I (WPA); TRAFFIC monitoring | World’s most trafficked mammal; poached for scales (traditional medicine); nocturnal insectivore |
| 5 | Jerdon’s Courser | CR | Birds | Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh (Godavari) | Eastern Ghats Wildlife Society | Nocturnal; extremely rare; only found near Nallamala Hills on Godavari riverbed |
| 6 | Bengal Tiger | EN | Mammals | Tiger Reserves (all India) | Project Tiger (1973); NTCA | ~3,682 in India (2022 avg. estimate); ~75% of world’s wild tigers; Project Tiger started 1 Apr 1973 |
| 7 | Asiatic Lion | EN | Mammals | Gir National Park, Gujarat ONLY | Asiatic Lion Conservation Project | ~891 in wild (2025 census); only wild population in the world is in Gir; vulnerable to disease/inbreeding |
| 8 | Red Panda | EN | Mammals | Sikkim, West Bengal (Darjeeling), Arunachal Pradesh | Red Panda Network; Singalila NP | ~2,500 left globally; depends on bamboo; climate change threatens its cool-altitude habitat |
| 9 | Asian Elephant | EN | Mammals | Northeast, South, Central India | Project Elephant (1992) | ~27,000–28,000 in India = 60% of world’s Asian elephants; man-animal conflict a major issue |
| 10 | Gangetic River Dolphin | EN | Aquatic | Ganges, Brahmaputra, Meghna systems | National Aquatic Animal (2009); Project Dolphin (2020) | India’s National Aquatic Animal; functionally blind — uses echolocation; Schedule I protection |
| 11 | Wild Water Buffalo | EN | Mammals | Kaziranga, Manas, Dudhwa | Schedule I protection | World’s largest bovid; ancestor of domestic buffalo; hybridisation with domestic buffalo = major threat |
| 12 | Sangai (Manipur Brow-Antlered Deer) | EN | Mammals | Keibul Lamjao NP, Manipur ONLY | Keibul Lamjao NP (world’s only floating NP) | Manipur’s state animal; fewer than 260 left; lives on floating phumdis of Loktak Lake |
| 13 | Irrawaddy Dolphin | EN | Aquatic | Chilika Lake (Odisha), Brahmaputra | Chilika Development Authority | ~93 individuals in Chilika Lake; found in coastal marine and freshwater habitats |
| 14 | Indus River Dolphin | EN | Aquatic | Beas River, Punjab (India) | Beas Conservation Reserve; WII programme | Only ~100 left in Indian waters (Beas River); Pakistan’s national animal |
| 15 | Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros | VU | Mammals | Kaziranga, Manas, Dudhwa | Project Rhino; IRV 2020 | ~4,000 individuals; 2/3 in Kaziranga; one of conservation’s greatest success stories (from under 200) |
| 16 | Snow Leopard | VU | Mammals | Himalayas, Trans-Himalayas (J&K, Ladakh, HP, UK, Sikkim, Arunachal) | Project Snow Leopard; SECURE Himalaya | ~700 in India; secretive; known as “Ghost of the Mountains” |
| 17 | Sarus Crane | VU | Birds | Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat | WII conservation; wetland protection | World’s tallest flying bird; UP state bird; monogamous — mates for life |
| 18 | Olive Ridley Sea Turtle | VU | Reptiles | Odisha coast (Gahirmatha, Rushikulya) | Olive Ridley conservation; turtle exclusion devices | Gahirmatha = world’s largest mass nesting site (Arribada); trawlers and lights are threats |
| 19 | Leatherback Sea Turtle | VU | Reptiles | Andaman & Nicobar, Tamil Nadu coast | Schedule I; nesting beach patrols | World’s largest turtle (up to 900 kg); critical keystone species |
| 20 | Mugger Crocodile | VU | Reptiles | Most of India — rivers, lakes, reservoirs | Schedule I (Wildlife Protection Act) | Widespread but declining; found in Chambal and throughout India |
| 21 | Barasingha (Swamp Deer) | VU | Mammals | Kanha (MP), Dudhwa (UP), Kaziranga | Saved from extinction at Kanha | “Swamp deer”; saved from extinction at Kanha; hard-ground subspecies is genetically distinct |
| 22 | Dugong (Sea Cow) | VU | Aquatic | Gulf of Mannar, Andaman & Nicobar | Dugong Conservation Reserve, Tamil Nadu (2022) | India’s only marine mammal on Schedule I; grazes seagrass; Dugong Conservation Reserve (first in India, 2022) |
| 23 | Indian Leopard | VU | Mammals | Throughout India (outside deserts) | Schedule I; fragmented habitat management | Most widespread large cat in India; often in human-wildlife conflict; road kills a major threat |
| 24 | Sloth Bear | VU | Mammals | Central and South India | Schedule I; Wildlife SOS campaigns | Bile trade threat; “dancing bear” tradition ended through Wildlife SOS campaigns |
| 25 | Smooth-coated Otter | VU | Mammals | Rivers throughout India | Schedule II (WPA); wetland conservation | Important indicator of river health; facing habitat loss and pollution |
| 26 | Indian Blackbuck | NT | Mammals | Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh | Velavadar NP (Gujarat); Bishnoi community | Bishnoi community treats as sacred; fastest Indian land animal; near-threatened |
| 27 | Saltwater Crocodile | LC (but Schedule I) | Reptiles | Andaman & Nicobar, Bhitarkanika (Odisha), Sundarbans | Schedule I; Bhitarkanika NP | World’s largest living reptile (up to 6 m); globally LC but strictly protected in India |
| 28 | Cheetah (African — Reintroduced) | VU (African ssp.); EX in India (1952) | Mammals | Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh | Project Cheetah; inter-continental reintroduction | World’s first intercontinental carnivore reintroduction; 8 from Namibia (Sep 2022) + 12 from South Africa (Feb 2023) |
| 29 | Bengal Fox | LC | Mammals | Throughout India | Schedule II (WPA) | Not threatened but widely trapped; featured in Indian folklore |
| 30 | Sumatran / Javan Rhino (historically India) | CR | Mammals | Historically NE India; now extinct in India | None (extinct in India) | Both species historically ranged into NE India; now survive only in SE Asia |
📊 IUCN Red List Categories
Mnemonic: “Even Experts Can Explain Very Notable Life Changes” — EX · EW · CR · EN · VU · NT · LC
| Code | Category | Meaning | Indian Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| EX | Extinct | No surviving individuals anywhere | Indian Cheetah (Asiatic, extinct in India 1952) |
| EW | Extinct in the Wild | Only survives in captivity | (Few Indian examples) |
| CR | Critically Endangered | Extremely high risk of extinction | Great Indian Bustard, Gharial, Indian Pangolin, Gyps Vultures |
| EN | Endangered | Very high risk of extinction | Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Red Panda, Gangetic Dolphin, Sangai |
| VU | Vulnerable | High risk of extinction | Indian Rhino, Snow Leopard, Asian Elephant, Olive Ridley |
| NT | Near Threatened | Close to qualifying as VU | Indian Blackbuck, Sarus Crane (some assessments) |
| LC | Least Concern | Low risk of extinction | Bengal Fox, Saltwater Crocodile (globally) |
CR > EN > VU > NT > LC — Critically Endangered is the highest threat level. If a species is “Critically Endangered,” it is more threatened than one that is merely “Endangered.”
🛡️ India’s Major Species Conservation Projects
| Project | Year Launched | Flagship Species | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Tiger | 1973 | Bengal Tiger | Launched 1 Apr 1973, Jim Corbett NP; NTCA governs; 3,682 tigers (2022 avg. estimate) |
| Project Crocodile | 1975 | Gharial, Mugger, Saltwater Crocodile | UNDP-assisted; Gharial remains Critically Endangered |
| Project Elephant | 1992 | Asian Elephant | ~27,000–28,000 in India; 60% of world’s Asian elephants |
| Project Snow Leopard | 2009 | Snow Leopard | ~700 in India; “Ghost of the Mountains”; Himalayan states |
| Vulture Safe Zones + Diclofenac Ban | 2006 | Gyps Vultures | Diclofenac ban 2006; slow recovery; still Critically Endangered |
| Project Dolphin | 2020 | Gangetic & Irrawaddy Dolphins | National Aquatic Animal; blind — uses echolocation; Ganges, Brahmaputra |
| Project Rhino (IRV 2020) | Ongoing | Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros | ~4,000 individuals; 2/3 in Kaziranga; major success from under 200 |
| Project Cheetah | 2022 | African Cheetah (reintroduced) | World’s first intercontinental carnivore reintroduction; Kuno NP, MP |
| Project GIB | Ongoing | Great Indian Bustard | Fewer than 150 left; captive breeding at Desert NP, Jaisalmer |
⚖️ Compare Two Species
📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
- CR (Critically Endangered): Great Indian Bustard, Gharial, Gyps Vultures, Indian Pangolin
- EN (Endangered): Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Red Panda, Gangetic Dolphin, Sangai, Asian Elephant
- VU (Vulnerable): Indian One-Horned Rhino, Snow Leopard, Asian Elephant (some lists EN), Olive Ridley, Leatherback
- EX in India (1952): Asiatic Cheetah — reintroduction ongoing with African cheetahs
- Threat order: CR > EN > VU > NT > LC
Mnemonic: “Tiger Elephant Rhino Crocodile Snow Dolphin Cheetah Bustard”
T = Tiger (1973) | E = Elephant (1992) | R = Rhino (IRV 2020) | C = Crocodile (1975) | S = Snow Leopard | D = Dolphin (2020) | C = Cheetah (2022) | B = Bustard (GIB)
- Fewer than 150 individuals remaining (down from thousands)
- Main threat: Overhead power lines (birds fly low and collide); habitat conversion to solar farms
- State bird of Rajasthan; India’s heaviest flying bird
- Supreme Court (2021): ordered power cables to be undergrounded in GIB critical habitat
- Captive breeding at Desert National Park, Jaisalmer
The Asiatic Cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952. India launched the world’s first intercontinental carnivore reintroduction in September 2022 — bringing 8 African cheetahs from Namibia to Kuno National Park (MP). In February 2023, 12 more from South Africa arrived. Key distinction: the reintroduced species is the African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) — a different subspecies from the extinct Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus).
In the 1990s, India’s three major vulture species crashed by over 99% in less than a decade — one of the fastest wildlife declines ever. The cause: diclofenac — a veterinary painkiller given to cattle that left toxic residues in carcasses. When vultures fed on treated carcasses, they suffered fatal kidney failure. India banned veterinary diclofenac in 2006. “Vulture Safe Zones” (VSZs) were established. Recovery is slow — the species remain Critically Endangered. This story is a very commonly tested exam question on ecology and conservation.
IUCN Categories: “Even Experts Can Explain Very Notable Life Changes”
EX · EW · CR · EN · VU · NT · LC
Conservation Projects: “Tiger Elephant Rhino Crocodile Snow Dolphin Cheetah Bustard”
(Years: Tiger 1973 → Crocodile 1975 → Elephant 1992 → Snow Leopard 2009 → Dolphin 2020 → Cheetah 2022)
🃏 Flashcards
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🧩 Practice Quiz
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The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is primarily found in Rajasthan, with fewer than 150 individuals remaining. It is the state bird of Rajasthan and India’s heaviest flying bird. The main threat is overhead power lines — the Supreme Court in 2021 ordered that power lines in GIB habitat areas be made underground. A captive breeding programme operates at Desert National Park in Jaisalmer.
The first batch of 8 cheetahs under Project Cheetah arrived from Namibia to Kuno National Park (MP) in September 2022. In February 2023, 12 more arrived from South Africa. The Indian Cheetah (Asiatic subspecies) had been declared extinct in India in 1952. This is the world’s first intercontinental carnivore reintroduction. The cheetahs brought are African cheetahs — a different subspecies from the extinct Asiatic cheetah.
The Gangetic River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) was declared India’s National Aquatic Animal in 2009. It is found in the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna river systems. It is functionally blind and uses echolocation to navigate and hunt. It is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Project Dolphin was launched in 2020.
The catastrophic crash of India’s vulture populations (over 99% decline) in the 1990s was caused by diclofenac — a veterinary anti-inflammatory drug given to cattle that left toxic residues in carcasses. When vultures fed on these carcasses, they suffered fatal visceral gout (kidney failure). India banned veterinary diclofenac in 2006, and Vulture Safe Zones were established. The three affected Gyps species remain Critically Endangered.
The Sangai (Manipur Brow-Antlered Deer) lives exclusively on the floating biomass called “phumdis” of Loktak Lake in Keibul Lamjao National Park — the world’s only floating national park. Manipur’s state animal, the Sangai has fewer than 260 individuals. Its name means “the deer that appears from the mist.” It is found nowhere else in the world.
✅ Key Takeaways
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is India’s most critically endangered large bird, with fewer than 150 individuals remaining. It is found primarily in the arid grasslands of Rajasthan and is the state bird of that state. Main threats: collision with overhead power lines (birds fly low and cannot see cables), habitat conversion to agriculture and solar farms. The Supreme Court in 2021 issued orders to underground power cables in critical GIB areas. A captive breeding programme operates at Desert National Park in Jaisalmer. The GIB is India’s heaviest flying bird.
India’s three major vulture species — White-rumped (Gyps bengalensis), Indian (Gyps indicus), and Slender-billed (Gyps tenuirostris) — suffered one of the fastest wildlife population crashes in history, losing over 99% of their numbers between the late 1980s and 2000s. The cause was diclofenac — a veterinary anti-inflammatory drug given to cattle that left residues in carcasses. When vultures fed on treated carcasses, the drug caused fatal visceral gout. India banned veterinary diclofenac in 2006 and established Vulture Safe Zones. Recovery has been slow; the species remain Critically Endangered, but populations appear to be stabilising in some areas.
The Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is one of the most trafficked wild mammals in the world — poached for its scales, used in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine. Listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. India provides the strictest protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Despite this, pangolin trafficking remains a major challenge. The animal is nocturnal and difficult to monitor. It is an insectivore that eats ants and termites, playing an important ecosystem role in pest control.
Endangered species are tested consistently in UPSC Prelims (Environment & Ecology, Current Affairs), SSC CGL, Banking GA, and State PSC exams. Key tested areas: IUCN Red List categories (especially CR, EN, VU), major conservation projects (Tiger, Elephant, Cheetah), the Great Indian Bustard’s critical status and power line issue, the cheetah reintroduction at Kuno NP (2022), the Gangetic Dolphin as India’s National Aquatic Animal, the diclofenac-vulture collapse and 2006 ban, the Sangai deer and Keibul Lamjao floating NP, one-horned rhino recovery at Kaziranga, and India being one of the 17 megadiverse countries. The concept of “megadiversity” and India’s biodiversity-to-land ratio is also frequently tested.
