Endangered species of India

                     Endangered Species

An endangered species is a living thing that is on the verge of extinction. Species become endangered due to two factors: habitat loss and genetic variation loss.

Habitat Loss

Natural calamities can cause problems in ecosystems. For example, dinosaurs have been extinct for 65 million years. The hot, dry environment of the Cretaceous period abruptly altered, most likely due to an asteroid impact. Habitat loss can be exacerbated by human activity. The habitat of native organisms is reduced due to development for housing, industry, and agriculture. It can occur in a several ways.

                                    source:- fao.org

Development has the potential to eliminate habitat and native species directly. Hundreds of thousands of acres of the Amazon rain forest in South America have been removed by developers. Indirectly, development can endanger species. Some species, such as rain forest fig trees, may serve as habitats for other animals. Species that rely on tree habitats may become threatened as a result of tree destruction. In a rainforest's canopy, or upper layer, tree crowns provide habitat. The rain forest canopy is home to plants like vines, fungi like mushrooms, and insects like butterflies. Hundreds of tropical birds and animal species, including monkeys, agree. This habitat is being lost as trees are cut down. There is less space for species to survive and reproduce.

Loss of Genetic Variation

The diversity seen within a species is referred to as genetic variation. It's why people's hair might be blond, red, brown, or black. Species can adapt to changes in the environment thanks to genetic variety. Generally, the larger a species' population, the more genetic variety it has.
Inbreeding is the practise of reproducing with close relatives. Because no new genetic information is transferred to groups of animals that have a predisposition to inbreed, they usually have limited genetic variation. Disease is far more common and devastating among inbred populations.
Inbred species lack the genetic diversity needed to acquire disease resistance. As a result, fewer kids of inbred groups reach adulthood. Natural selection can lead to a loss of genetic variety. Cheetahs are a threatened African and Asian species. There is virtually little genetic variation among these large cats. Cheetahs underwent a long period of inbreeding during the previous ice age, according to biologists. As a result, cheetahs have extremely few genetic distinctions from one another. Because they are unable to adjust to changes in the environment as fast as other animals, fewer cheetahs reach adulthood. Cheetahs are also considerably harder to procreate in captivity than other big cats like lions.
Genetic variety can also be lost as a result of human activities. Many animal species have been decimated as a result of overhunting and overfishing. There are fewer breeding couples when the population is reduced. A breeding pair consists of two mature members of the species who are not related and are capable of producing healthy offspring. Genetic variation decreases as the number of breeding couples decreases. 

List of 7 National Endangered Species 

1. Asiatic Lion

The Asiatic Lion is one of the most potent lion species on the planet. The species' entire population is currently restricted to Gir National Park and its environs in Gujarat, and India is the only place you can find it. The species has been listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List due to a steady decline in its number since 2010. There are currently about 650 Asiatic Lions surviving in the country.

2. Bengal Tiger

The Bengal Tiger, often known as the "Big Cat" in our country, has 70 per cent of its population in India. In the last four years, the species has become endangered due to widespread poaching in India. Currently, there are a considerable number of Bengal Tigers in Corbett National Park, while the entire population of these tigers in India is around 2000.

                                                            source:- nationalgeographic.com

3. Snow Leopard

The snow leopard is a huge cat that used to be found in vast numbers in Asia's mountain ranges, but the number of snow leopards has decreased to almost 500 due to persistent human meddling in their natural environment. Only Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the western and eastern Himalayas are presently home to these cats.

                                       source:- www.panda.org

4. Nilgiri Tahr

The Nilgiri Tahr is a critically endangered mountain goat that can currently be found in parts of Kerala. Because to ongoing poaching and a lack of natural habitats, the species has become endangered. They are the state animal of Tamil Nadu, although they are now having difficulty finding a home in the state. There are around 2500 Nilgiri Tahrs left in the world, and their numbers are steadily declining due to detrimental human activities.

                                               

                                                       source:- thenewsminute.com

5. Kashmiri Red Stag

For decades, the Kashmiri Red Stag, also known as Hangul, has been critically threatened. The animal can be found in the deep riverine woods of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh's upper valleys. The number of Kashmiri red stags had plummeted to just 150 in 1970, but many conservation efforts have been undertaken since then to safeguard this critically endangered species in our country.

                              source:-thecitizen.in

6. Blackbuck

The blackbuck, also called as the Indian antelope, can be found in India, Nepal, and Pakistan in a variety of habitats. Due to excessive poaching and interference with its natural environment. In Bangladesh, the species has been declared extinct, while it is now endangered in India. The blackbuck is presently only found in tiny herds throughout the country, but it has been imported to Argentina and the United States as a precautionary step to raise their numbers.

                                    source:- worldlandtrust.org

7. One- horned rhinoceros

The IUCN lists the one-horned rhino, also known as the Indian rhinoceros, as a vulnerable species. The animal is primarily found in the Himalayan foothills of India and Nepal. Their horns, which are said to have medicinal benefits, are generally poached. Because of persistent poaching, the population has declined over time, with fewer than 2000 rhinos left in the wild. They are now protected in a number of wildlife refuges and parks around the country.

                                source:- worldwildlife.org