57 Animal Species Critically Endangered in India

The IUCN recently released the list of critically endangered species of India. This includes birds and animals like the Jerdon’s courser, White Backed Vulture, the pygmy hog and more.

Before you read the complete list of animals included, read further to know what the status critically endangered means.

What is Critically Endangered?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has marked Critically Endangered (CR) to be the highest risk category given to any wild species. This means that the species population is so less that it can become extinct any time.

There are five criteria that govern whether a species can be called CR or not. These are,

1. Populations have declined or will decrease, by greater than 80% over the last 10 years or three generations.
2. Have a restricted geographical range.
3. Small population size of less than 250 individuals and continuing decline at 25% in 3 years or one generation.
4. Very small or restricted population of fewer than 50 mature individuals.
5. High probability of extinction in the wild.

If any animal or plant species is found to be adhering to any of the above criteria, it is said to be critically endangered.

Here are the 57 species of critically endangered animals of India.

Birds

Forest Owlet

1. Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti)
2. Jerdon’s courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus)
3. White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis)
4. White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)
5. Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris)
6. Long-billed Vulture (Gyps indicus)
7. Red- headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus)
8. Bengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis)
9. Himalayan Quail (Ophrysia superciliosa)
10. Pink- headed Duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea)
11. Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarious)
12. Spoon Billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus)
13. Siberian Crane (Grus leucogeranus)

Mammals

Pygmy Hog

1. Pygmy Hog (Porcula salvania) and the Pygmy hog-sucking Louse (Haematopinus oliveri) The survival of this louse is dependent on the pygmy hog.
2. Andaman White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura andamanensis)
3. Jenkin’s Andaman Spiny Shrew (Crocidura jenkinsi)
4. Nicobar White-tailed Shrew (Crocidura nicobarica)
5. Kondana Rat (Millardia kondana)
6. Large Rock Rat or Elvira Rat (Cremnomys elvira)
7. Namdapha Flying Squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi)
8. Malabar Civet (Viverra civettina)
9. Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)
10. Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus)

Reptiles

Gharial

1. Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
2. Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
3. Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
4. Four-toed River Terrapin or River Terrapin (Batagur baska)
5. Red-crowned Roofed Turtle or the Bengal Roof Turtle (Batagur kachuga)
6. Sispara day gecko (Cnemaspis sisparensis)

Amphibians

Anamalai Flying Frog

1. Anamalai Flying Frog (Rhacophorus pseudomalabaricus)
2. Gundia Indian Frog (Indirana gundia)
3. Kerala Indian Frog (Indirana phrynoderma)
4. Charles Darwin’s Frog (Ingerana charlesdarwini)
5. Kottigehar Bubble-nest Frog (Micrixalus kottigeharensis)
6. Amboli Bush Frog (Pseudophilautus amboli)
7. Chalazodes Bubble-Nest Frog (Raorchestes chalazodes)
8. Small Bush Frog (Raorchestes chotta)
9. Green-eyed Bush Frog (Raorchestes chlorosomma)
10. Griet Bush Frog (Raorchestes griet)
11. Kaikatt’s Bush Frog (Raorchestes kaikatti)
12. Mark’s Bush Frog (Raorchestes marki)
13. Munnar Bush Frog (Raorchestes munnarensis)
14. Large Ponmudi Bush Frog (Raorchestes ponmudi)
15. Resplendent Shrub Frog (Raorchestes resplendens)
16. Sacred Grove Bush frog (Raorchestes sanctisilvaticus)
17. Sushil’s Bush Frog (Raorchestes sushili)
18. Shillong Bubble-nest Frog (Raorchestes shillongensis)
19. Tiger toad (Xanthophryne tigerinus)

Fish

Pondicherry Shark

1. The Pondicherry Shark (Carcharhinus hemiodon)
2. Ganges Shark (Glyphis gangeticus)
3. Knife-tooth Sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata)
4. Large-tooth Sawfish (Pristis microdon)
5. Long-comb Sawfish or Narrow-snout Sawfish (Pristis zijsron)

Spiders

Metallic Tarantula

1. The Rameshwaram Ornamental or Rameshwaram Parachute Spider (Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica)
2. The Gooty Tarantula, Metallic Tarantula or Peacock Tarantula (Poecilotheria metallica)

Corals

Fire Coral

1. Fire corals (Millepora boschmai)

List courtesy Zoological Survey of India