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India, home to nearly 500 wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, has seen the return of several rare and vulnerable species in recent months, a promising sign for conservation as the country observes Wildlife Week from October 2 to 8.
India has already lost the cheetah, aurochs and pink-headed duck to extinction as the threats of poaching, deforestation and climate change continue to loom.
Yet, conservation efforts are yielding signs of hope.
"Kaziranga welcomes an old guest after 4 years," On Saturday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the return of painted storks to the park on X. "The elegant migratory Painted Storks (Mycteria leucocephala) have made a comeback... A proof that nature heals when we protect it. Another win for our conservation efforts."
Over the past year, camera traps across India's forests have revealed the presence of some of the country's most elusive animals, many recorded after decades.
Caracal in Madhya Pradesh
In July, a camera trap inside the fenced Cheetah Close Natural Area of Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary captured a caracal. It was the first confirmed sighting in the state in nearly 20 years, spotlighting the rare wild cat's survival.
White-eared night heron in Arunachal Pradesh
A rare and endangered bird, seen once before in Bihar in 2016, was photographed in Namdapha National Park this June.
Clouded leopard in Assam
In March, Assam's environment minister Chandra Moha Patowary shared a trap-camera image of the vulnerable species inside Dehing Patkai National Park, calling it a significant find for the rainforest often described as the "Amazon of the East."
Marbled cat in Assam
In February, the same park yielded another rare species. Patowary posted photos, writing, "Our camera trap inside Dehing Patkai National Pa just captured a rare sighting of an elusive Marbled Cat."
The cat is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.
Forest owlet in Maharashtra
Reported by Deccan Herald in January, the endangered forest owlet was sighted thrice in Melghat Tiger Reserve. Endemic to central India, the bird's population is estimated at fewer than 1,000 mature individuals.
Meanwhile, high-altitude surveys have revealed species rarely recorded in India.
A new study in Himachal Pradesh showed snow leopard populations had grown from 51 individuals in 2021 to 83 in 2024.
Recently, WWF-India, in collaboration with the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department confirmed the first photographic evidence of Pallas's cat in the state.
Globally listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, this cold-adapted wild cat is one of the most elusive, rarely photographed and therefore remains one of the least studied feline species.
The survey fur recorded snow leopards, marbled cats, and clouded leopards above 4,2 metres, pointing to the region's exceptional wildcat diversity.
