- India is rich in its fauna. It has approximately 90,000 of animal species. The country has about 2,000 species of birds. They constitute 13% of the world’s total.
- There are 2,546 species of fish, which account for nearly 12% of the world’s stock. It also shares between 5 and 8 percent of the world’s amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
- The elephants are the most majestic animals among the mammals. They are found in the hot wet forests of Assam, Karnataka and Kerala.
- One-horned rhinoceroses are live in swampy and marshy lands of Assam and West Bengal.
- Arid areas of the Rann of Kachchh and the Thar Desert are the habitat for wild ass and camels.
- Indian bison, nilgai (blue bull), chousingha (four-horned antelope), gazel and different species of deer are some other animals found in India
- India is the only country in the world that has both tigers and lions. The natural habitat of the Indian lion is the Gir forest in Gujarat.
- Tigers are found in the forests of Madhya Pradesh, the Sundarbans of West Bengal and the Himalayan region.
- Ladakh’s freezing high altitudes are a home to yak, the shaggy horned wild ox weighing around one tonne, the Tibetan antelope, the bharal (blue sheep), wild sheep, and the kiang (Tibetan wild ass).
- In the rivers, lakes and coastal areas, turtles, crocodiles and gharials are found.
- Peacocks, pheasants, ducks, parakeets, cranes and pigeons are some of the birds inhabiting the forests and wetlands of the country.
To protect the flora and fauna the government has taken followings steps.
- Fourteen biosphere reserves have been set up in the country to protect flora and fauna.
- Financial and technical assistance is provided too many Botanical Gardens by the government since 1992.
- Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard and many other eco developmental projects have been introduced.
- 89 National Parks, 490 Wildlife sanctuaries and Zoological gardens are set up to take care of Natural heritage.
