From the Himalayan heights to the mangrove forests, India teems with wildlife. But did you know that some of the country’s animals are found nowhere else in the world? These endemic species are unique to India’s diverse ecosystems. Many are rare, endangered, and often live in remote corners of the country. My Kolkata looks at 10 such extraordinary animals you’ll only spot in India, including one found in the Sundarbans of West Bengal.
Lion-tailed Macaque (Macaca silenus)
These shaggy, black monkeys are instantly recognisable by their silver-white manes and lion-like tails. They are arboreal and shy, preferring the dense canopy of tropical rainforests. Habitat loss due to deforestation has made them one of the most endangered primates in the world. You may catch a glimpse of them at the Western Ghats – Kerala, Karnataka, and parts of Tamil Nadu.
Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius)
India’s only wild mountain goat species, the Nilgiri Tahr balances gracefully on steep cliffs and grasslands of the Nilgiri Hills and Western Ghats. With a distinctive curved horn and stocky build, this endangered animal is mostly spotted in protected areas like Eravikulam National Park in Kerala.
Kashmir Stag or Hangul (Cervus hanglu hanglu)
The Hangul is the last surviving subspecies of red deer in India. Known for its magnificent antlers with 11-16 points, the Hangul can be found in Dachigam National Park, Jammu & Kashmir. Today, critically endangered, fewer than 250 remain in the wild.
Purple Frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis)
Discovered only in 2003, the Purple Frog or the Mahabali frog is like a living fossil. With a bloated body and a snout, it spends most of its life underground and emerges just a few days a year to breed. Its evolutionary lineage dates back over 100 million years. These are found in the Western Ghats, Kerala.
Salim Ali’s Fruit Bat (Latidens salimalii)
Named after India’s legendary ornithologist, this bat is extremely rare and restricted to a small area in Tamil Nadu (High Wavy Mountains). Deforestation and habitat degradation have made it critically endangered
Namdapha Flying Squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi)
Only known from a single specimen collected in the 1980s, this nocturnal gliding squirrel may never have been seen again. Critically endangered (possibly extinct), if it still exists, it lives high in the forests of northeastern India in Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh
Indian Bush Rat (Golunda ellioti)
Though not as glamorous, this small rodent is endemic to India and Sri Lanka. In India, it’s mostly found in dry scrub forests of peninsular India and is crucial for ecosystem balance.
Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti)
Critically endangered, this small, elusive owl was thought extinct for over a century until it was rediscovered in 1997. Today, fewer than 250 are believed to exist in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh. Conservationists are racing against time to save it.
Nicobar Megapode (Megapodius nicobariensis)
This vulnerable chicken-sized bird builds massive nesting mounds out of decaying vegetation. Native to the Nicobar Islands, the megapode is a skilled digger and an unusual breeder, relying on heat from decomposing material to incubate its eggs.
Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska)
This freshwater turtle, once widespread in South Asia, now survives only in the Sundarbans’ tidal creeks. Conservation breeding programs in West Bengal are trying to rescue this species from the brink of extinction.