Get to know these interesting animals who take their comfort zone a bit too seriously. Find out what makes them so special
There are unique and rare animals and then there are the endemic ones. In Indian context, there are many such animals that fit the bill of being unique and even rare. We have Bengal tiger, Indian wild elephant, Asiatic lion, greater one-horned rhinoceros, gharial, to name a few, stuff that any wildlife enthusiast's wet dreams are made of. But we also believe in being a bit 'extra'. Indian wilds will never fail to impress you, you only need to delve deeper (literally) to find these well hidden and endemic gems. Here are five such wild beings that are not only endemic, but wherever they are, their status is critical and some even hanging precariously near the point of extinction. Meet these five wildlife gems.
04 Min Read Nilgiri Blue Robin
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The Nilgiri blue robin, spotted in Coonoor
The
Nilgiri blue robin also goes by many names such as Nilgiri shortwing,
white-bellied shortwing, Nilgiri sholakili or rufous-bellied shortwing.
The species may have many names but their number isn't doing so well.
Nilgiri blue robins are endemic to the Shola forests of southern India,
mainly north of the Palghat Gap. If you look closely, you will find them
on the forest floor and in the safety of the undergrowth of dense
forest patches. These birds love the altitude, making the higher hills
of the Western Ghats a perfect home. Their choice of home is limited so
any loss of these forest areas has a direct impact on their population.
Loss of habitat is their biggest threat.Malabar Large-Spotted Civet
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
A sketch of Malabar large-spotted civet
A
sketch is all we got for the Malabar large-spotted civet. That's how
rare this animal is. The species also goes by the name Malabar civet.
Endemic to the Western Ghats, Malabar civets are listed as Critically
Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Last checked, there were fewer than 250
adult individuals still surviving in the wild. Loss of habitat and
hunting have pushed the species to the brink of extinction.Pygmy Hog
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
A pygmy hog is endemic to Assam
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
And they are so little!
Measuring
up to only 21.5 to 28 inches in length, 8–12 inches in height and
6.6–11.8 kg in weight, the pygmy hog is little. Globally, pygmy hogs are
found only in Assam and the 150 odd individuals that are left face the
danger of extinction. The species is the sole representative of Porcula,
a whole different branch of pigs, and their extinction would mean a
total loss of the entire species. Where are the sub-species when we need
them?
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The elusive sangai deer
The
Manipur brow-antlered deer or the Eld's deer is locally known as
sangai. Found only in the floating phumdis of Keibul Lamjao National
Park in Manipur, this very shy species are hard to find. In total, these
are found only in about 15-20 km2 area across the park. According to
the folklore, sangai is that binding factor between humans and nature
and killing it was no less than a sin. But sadly, that didn't stop the
hunters. Sangai is also Manipur's state animal and a lot of conservation
efforts are made to save and protect the species.Purple Frog
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
A purple frog in all its glory
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The name comes from the hint of purple in the skin
Definitely
not something very pleasant to look at, purple frog is the best example
of how we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, however undesirable it
may be. The purple frog is also the best example of how we so little we
know than what our ancestors actually did. Discovered in October 2003,
the purple frog made a big leap in the world of, well, frogs. The rest
of the world came to know about the species upon their discovery but the
species was not unknown to the residents of northern hill ranges of the
Western Ghats.https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/69701/unique-animals-endemic-to-india
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