THE WILDLIFE IN INDIA

 Wildlife refers to undomesticated animal species, but has come to

include all plants, fungi and other organisms that grow or live
WILD in an area without being introduced by humans.
 India has a huge variety of species and organisms. India has an
amazingly wide spectrum of animals native to the country. It is
home to Bengal and Indochinese tigers, Asiatic Lions, Snow
leopards, various species of deer, the Indian Elephant, The Great
Indian Rhinoceros and many more.
 India has some of the most biodiverse regions of the world and
hosts four of the world’s 35 biodiversity hotspots- Western
Ghats, The Eastern Himalayas, Indo-Burma and Nicobar Islands.
 India is a home to some of the endangered species. This include
Bengal Tiger, Indian Rhinoceros, Asiatic lions, mugger crocodile,
etc.
 Many Indian species are descendants of animals originating in
Gondwana, to which India originally belonged. Volcanism and
climatic change 20 million years ago caused the extinction of
many endemic Indian forms.
 Notable endemics are Nilgiri leaf Monkey and the brown and
carmine Beddome’s Toad of the Western Ghats.

THE CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE

 In recent years, human encroachment has posed a threat to

India’s wildlife; in response, the system of national parks and
protected areas, first established in 1935, was substantially
expanded. In 1972, India enacted the Wildlife Protection Act and
Project Tiger to safeguard crucial habitat.
 Along with over 515 wildlife sanctuaries, India now hosts 18
biosphere reserves, 10 of which are part of World Network of
Biosphere reserves.