Asian Elephant

Smaller than its African cousins the Asian Elephant is one of the few living species of elephants. These large (can go upto 5400 kg) gentle animals have been domesticated for centuries and are docile when well treated. The single most important cause of their decline is loss of habitat. They have also been persecuted due to the crop damage they are perceived to cause. Poaching for ivory has not affected them as much as the African elephant, since, unlike African elephants, only the male of the species has tusks.

Chiru (Tibetan Antelope)

India is the only place outside of China where you will find the chiru, a shy, gazelle-like animal whose wool makes the softest, warmest, most expensive shawls in the world - shahtoosh . Found at elevations of 3250 - 5500 m (10,660 - 18,000 ft), they are so rare that it is difficult to imagine they once roamed in herds of 15,000. It takes three to five chirus to make one shawl, and as long as shahtoosh shawls are a rage in international fashion, the outlook is bleak for their survival. India has banned the manufacture and sale of shahtoosh , but it might already be too late for this species.
  

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Ganges River Dolphin

One of the world's rarest mammals, the river dolphins of India 's sacred Ganges River (one of the five species of river dolphins in India ) live in one of the world's most densely populated areas and since the consequent degradation of its habitat shows no signs of abating, it seems its numbers will continue to decline. Grey-brown in color, with a long beak, a stocky body, and large flippers, they prefer murky waters and are unsociable, unlike their marine cousins made popular by movies like "Freeing Willy". Their eyes lack a lens, and the species is sometimes referred to as being blind, although its eyes do seem to function as a direction-finding device. They have declined due to pollution, accidental capture in fishing nets, and hunting for meat, oil and traditional medicine. Construction of numerous dams in the 1930s split their population into smaller groups, impeded migration and also had an impact.
 

Hispid Hare

Also called the "bristly rabbit" because of its coarse, dark brown hair, this is one of the world's rarest mammals. Formerly found all along the foothills of the Himalayas , it faces extinction due to habitat loss, human-induced changes, being hunted for food and to protect crops, and predation by dogs.

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Hoolock Gibbon

This small (weighs a little over 6 kg) ape was once widespread through eastern India . They live in small monogamous family groups, consisting of a mated pair with their offspring. There are deep social bonds between group members and the group defends its territory with loud songs. Adult males are always black, with prominent white eyebrows, while adult females are gold or buff or brownish buff. They travel through trees extremely fast, descending only when forced to. Thus, clearing of the evergreen forests they live in makes them vulnerable to hunting and predation.

 

Indian Rhinoceros

The largest land mammals after elephants, rhinos have remained mostly unchanged for millennia. Females weigh about 1600 kg, while males go up to 2200 kg, but believe it or not, these heavyweights are vegetarians, whose diet consists mainly of grass but also includes fruit, leaves, branches of trees and shrubs, and cultivated crops. The Indian rhinoceros (both male and female) has one horn, and this is a major reason for its woes. Used in Oriental medicine as an aphrodisiac and commanding a price of four times its weight in gold, the rhino's horn has led to its being mercilessly hunted. Loss of the alluvial plain grasslands that form its habitat is another major contributory factor for the decrease in the rhino population. Today, most rhinos are found in the sanctuaries in Assam .

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Lion-tailed Macaque

This highly intelligent monkey has never been common. Since it seems to be unable to adapt to human settlement (for example, it apparently doesn't travel through plantations or live in them), the loss of habitat due to the spread of agriculture has hit it hard and led to its decline. The species has also been extensively captured for the pet trade, zoos and research, as well as for use in Oriental medicine, apart from being hunted for food and fur. Sanctuaries and zoos are breeding the species in captivity in an attempt to save it from extinction.

Malabar Large Spotted Civet

One of the world's rarest mammals, the Malabar Large Spotted Civet was once (20 - 25 years ago) a major source of "civet" (or "civet-musk"), a substance used in the production of perfume. Last spotted in the Western Ghats , these nocturnal cats are carnivorous, solitary and aggressive in nature. Greyish in color with prominent black spots, they forage on the ground and have never been observed in trees. Extensive deforestation and clearing of the cashew plantations that provide their cover has hit them hard. Today, they tend to be treated as raiders of poultry, and are captured and killed when encountered.

Nilgiri Tahr

These stocky but agile mountain animals, considered to be primitive cousins of true goats, are found in the vast terrain and grass-covered hills of Northern India and the Western Ghats . Herbivores, they are found at altitudes above 2,000 m. According to reports, they once roamed at will in vast herds all over the Nilgiri Hills, but by the end of the 19th century, uncontrolled hunting and poaching, and habitat degradation had reduced their numbers to barely 100. Even so, they survived. Today the largest population of Nilgiri Tahrs is found at the Eravikulam National Park , Kerala.

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Royal Bengal Tiger

The largest of the cat family, this fabulous feline is India 's national animal, symbolic of her rich cornucopia of nature's marvels. One of 5 surviving subspecies of the tiger, the Royal Bengal requires dense vegetative cover, an adequate supply of large prey (about 50 deer-size animals are needed to feed one tiger for a year), and access to a reliable source of water. Tigers are extremely adaptable and even adjust to some contact with humans, so long as their food supply is assured. Poaching (various parts of the tiger's body are used to make Oriental medicines), a declining prey base, and loss of habitat are the main threats to its continued survival. Launched in 1973-74, when the first ever all India tiger census revealed the existence of only 1827 tigers (down from 40,000 at the turn of the century) Project Tiger - aimed at saving this magnificient species - is one of our most successful conservation ventures in recent times. Currently, the tiger population is estimated to be about 3000. 27 reserves are covered by Project Tiger.