Endemic Animal Species of India

What is an Endemic Species?

An endemic species is found only in a specific geographic region and nowhere else.

Gir Forest, GujaratEndangered

The only wild lion population outside Africa, now confined to Gir.

Population: ~674
Habitat: Dry deciduous forest

Western GhatsEndangered

Canopy-dwelling primate with lion-like tail tuft. Key seed disperser.

Population: ~3,000
Habitat: Evergreen forest 600-1800m

Nilgiri HillsEndangered

Stocky mountain goat found only in shola grasslands above 1200m.

Population: ~3,100
Stronghold: Eravikulam National Park

KashmirCritically Endangered

India's only red deer, famous for 11-16 point antlers.

Population: ~200
Park: Dachigam National Park

Western GhatsVulnerable

Large fruit-eating bird vital for forest regeneration.

Role: Key seed disperser

Nicobar IslandsNear Threatened

Closest living relative of the Dodo, with iridescent plumage.

Habitat: Coastal forest

HimalayasLeast Concern

Uttarakhand's state bird with metallic green-blue plumage.

Habitat: 2100-4500m

Western GhatsEndangered

Living fossil, lives underground, emerges in monsoon. Found in 2003.

Lineage: 120 million years old

Western GhatsEndangered

Colourful burrowing snakes (Uropeltidae) found nowhere else.

Hotspot: Agumbe, Coorg

Species	IUCN Status	Main Threat	Protected Area
Asiatic Lion	Endangered	Disease, single population	Gir National Park
Lion-tailed Macaque	Endangered	Fragmentation	Silent Valley NP
Nilgiri Tahr	Endangered	Invasive plants	Eravikulam NP
Hangul	Critically Endangered	Poaching	Dachigam NP
Purple Frog	Endangered	Habitat loss	Periyar Reserve