List of endangered animals in India explained

India's Red List of 2018 was released at the Rio+20 Earth Summit.^[1] ^[2] Since then, new animals have been added yearly. While previously this list contained 132 species of plants and animals in 2018, as of the 2023-1 update from the IUCN Red List, over 950 species of animals (and over 600 species of plants) are listed as critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable.^[3] ^[4]

Arachnids (2)

Rameshwaram parachute spider (Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica)
Peacock tarantula (Poecilotheria metallia)

Birds (19)

White-bellied heron (Ardea insignis)
Great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps)
Baer's pochard (Aythya baeri)
Spoon-billed sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea)
Yellow-breasted bunting (Emberiza aureola)
Christmas Island frigatebird (Fregata andrewsi)
Siberian crane (Grus leucogeranus)
White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis)
Indian vulture (Gyps indicus)
Slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris)
Masked finfoot (Heliopais personatus)
Bengal florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis)
Bugun liocichla (Liocichla bugunorum)
Himalayan quail (Ophrysia superciliosa)
Jerdon's courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus)
Pink-headed duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea)
Red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus)
Lesser florican (Sypheotides indicus)
Sociable lapwing (Vanellus gregarius)

Cnidaria (1)

Millepora boschmai possibly extinct

Fish (44)

Stripenose guitarfish (Acroteriobatus variegatus)
Knifetooth sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata)
Wayanad mahseer (Barbodes wynaadensis)
Pondicherry shark (Carcharhinus hemiodon)
Oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus)
Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus)
Dwarf gulper shark (Centrophorus atromarginatus)
Indian swellshark (Cephaloscyllium silasi)
Garra arunachalami
Sharpnose guitarfish (Glaucostegus granulatus)
Halavi guitarfish (Glaucostegus halavi)
Widenose guitarfish (Glaucostegus obtusus)
Clubnose guitarfish (Glaucostegus thouin)
Giant guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus)
Ganges shark (Glyphis gangeticus)
Glyptothorax kashmirensis
Kudremukh glyptothorax (Glyptothorax kudremukhensis)
Tentacled butterfly ray (Gymnura tentaculata)
Nilgiri mystus (Hemibagrus punctatus) possibly extinct
Horalabiosa arunachalami
Haragi (Hypselobarbus pulchellus)
Red canarese barb (Hypselobarbus thomassi)
Pakistan whipray (Maculabatis arabica)
Shorttail whipray (Maculabatis bineeshi)
Mesonoemacheilus herrei
Bovany barb (Neolissochilus bovanicus)
Deolali minnow (Parapsilorhynchus prateri) possibly extinct
Pookode Lake barb (Pethia pookodensis)
Pinniwallgo kanpurensis possibly extinct
Dwarf sawfish (Pristis clavata)
Common sawfish (Pristis pristis)
Largetooth sawfish (Pristis microdon)
Longcomb sawfish (Pristis zijsron)
Psilorhynchus tenura
Deccan barb (Puntius deccanensis) possibly extinct
Puntius madhusoodani
Schistura papulifera
Bowmouth guitarfish (Rhina ancylostoma)
Bengal guitarfish (Rhinobatos annandalei)
Smoothback guitarfish (Rhinobatos lionotus)
Bottlenose wedgefish (Rhynchobatus australiae)
Smoothnose wedgefish (Rhynchobatus laevis)
Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)
Great Hammerhead (Sphyrna mokaran)
Hump-back mahseer (Tor remadevii)
Triplophysa kashmirensis

Insects (2)

Pygmy hog-suckin' louse (Haematopinus oliveri)
Protostica myristicaensis

Mammals (11)

Namdapha flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi)
Kashmir stag or hangul (Cervus canadensis hanglu)
Elvira rat (Cremnomys elvira)
Andaman shrew (Crocidura andamanensis)
Jenkins' shrew (Crocidura jenkinsi)
Nicobar shrew (Crocidura nicobarica)
Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)
Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla)
Leopard (Panthera pardus)
Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus)
Malabar large-spotted civet (Viverra civettina) possibly extinct

Reptiles and amphibians (59)

Dehradun stream frog (Amolops chakrataensis)
Madras spotted skink (Barkudia insularis)
Northern river terrapin (Batagur baska)
Three-striped roofed turtle (Batagur dhongoka)
Red-crowned roofed turtle (Batagur kachuga)
Khasi hill rock toad (Bufoides meghalaynus)
Adi's day gecko (Cnemaspis adii)
Cnemaspis anaikattiensis
Kottiyoor day gecko (Cnemaspis kottiyoorensis)
Cnemaspis shevaroyensis
Thackeray's dwarf gecko (Cnemaspis thackerayi)
Chamba bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus chamba)
Cyrtodactylus montanus
Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Ghats wart frog (Fejervarya murthii)
Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
Jeypore ground gecko (Geckoella jeyporensis)
Satara gecko (Hemidactylus sataraensis)
Southern Ghats slender gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus)
Hemiphyllodactylus kolliensis
Gundia Indian frog (Indirana gundia)
Toad-skinned frog (Indirana phrynoderma)
Yellow-headed tortoise (Indotestudo elongata)
Leptolalax khasiorum
Nagaland Asian toad (Leptobrachella lateralis)
Asian forest tortoise (Manouria emys)
Dzukou valley horned frog (Megophrys dzukou)
Garo white-lipped horned frog (Megophrys oreocrypta)
Rao's torrt frog (Micrixalus kottigeharensis)
Spotted dancing frog (Micrixalus specca)
Cave dancing frog (Micrixalus spelunca)
Charles Darwin's frog (Minervarya charlesdarwini)
Franky's narrow-mouthed frog (Mysticellus franki)
Nasikabatrachus bhupathi
Leith's softshell turtle (Nilssonia leithii)
Black softshell turtle (Nilssonia nigricans)
Dattatreya night frog (Nyctibatrachus dattatreyaensis)
Indraneil's night frog (Nyctibatrachus indraneili)
Assam roofed turtle (Pangshura sylhetensis)
Cantor's giant softshell turtle (Pelochelys cantorii)
Tura bubble-nest frog (Philautus kempiae)
Kobo bubble-nest frog (Philautus microdiscus)
Sacred grove bushfrog (Philautus sanctisilvaticus)
Amboli bush frog (Pseudophilautus amboli)
Raorchestes aureus
White-spotted bush frog (Raorchestes chalazodes)
Green eyed bushfrog (Raorchestes chlorosomma)
Griet bush frog (Raorchestes griet)
Kaikatti bushfrog (Raorchestes kaikatti)
Mark's bushfrog (Raorchestes marki)
Munnar bush frog (Raorchestes munnarensis)
Ponmudi bush frog (Raorchestes ponmudi)
Raorchestes primarrumpfi
Resplendent shrubfrog (Raorchestes resplendens)
Shillong bubble-nest frog (Raorchestes shillongensis)
Anaimalai flying frog (Rhacophorus pseudomalabaricus)
Sushil's bushfrog (Raorchestes sushili)
Rinophis goweri
Superb large fan-throated lizard (Sarada superba)
Spiny lazy toad (Scutiger spinosus)
Island pit viper (Trimeresurus labialis)
Shevaroy hills earth snake (Uropeltis shorttii)
Amboli toad (Xanthophryne tigerina)
Ghats wart frog (Zakerana murthii)

Endangered animals

Listed by the IUCN as of the 2023-1 update.

Arachnids (4)

Birds (20)

White-winged duck (Asarcornis scutulata)
Forest owlet (Athene blewitti)
Steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis)
Great knot (Calidris tenuirostris)
Oriental stork (Ciconia boyciana)
Saker falcon (Falco cherrug)
Pallas's fish-eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus)
Swamp grass babbler (Laticlla cinerascens)
Greater adjutant (Leptoptilos dubius)
Niligiri chilappan (Montecincla cachinnans)
Banasura chilappan (Montecincla jerdoniI)
White-bellied blue robin (Myiomela albiventris)
Nilgiri blue robin (Myiomela major)
Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
White-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala)
Green peafowl (Pavo muticus)
Manipur bush-quail (Perdicula manipurensis)
Finn's weaver (Ploceus megarhynchus)
Indian skimmer (Rynchops albicollis)
Narcondam hornbill (Rhyticero)
Nordmann's greenshank (Tringa guttifer)
Black-chinned laughingthrush (Trochalopteron jerdoni)
Nilgiri sholakili (Sholicola major)
Great nicobar serpant-eagle (Spilornis klossi)
Black-bellied tern (Sterna acuticauda)

Cnidaria (4)

Acropora rudis
Anacropora spinsosa
Parasimplastrea sheppardi
Porites desilveri

Crustacean (2)

Arachnochium kulsiense
Macrobrachium lamarrei lamarroides

Echinoderm (4)

Holothuria lessoni
Holothuria nobilis
Holothuria scabra
Pineapple seacucumber (Thelenota ananas)

Fish (from 2018 - 135 as of 2023)

Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus)
Red line torpedo barb (Sahyadria denisonii)
Golden mahaseer (Tor putitora)
Deccan labeo (Labeo potail)

Insects (4)

Ludlow's Bhutan glory (Bhutanitis ludlowi)
Idionyx galeata
Libellago balus
Orthetrum andamanicum

Mammals (55)

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
Red panda (Ailurus fulgens)
Hog deer (Axis porcinus)
Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis)
Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
Banteng (Bos javanicus)
Wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee)
Hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus)
Dhole (Cuon alpinus)
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus)
Onager (Equus hemionus)
Woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus)
Kelaart's long-clawed shrew (Feroculus feroculus)
Manipur bush rat (Hadromys humei)
Kolar leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros hypophyllus)
Nicobar leaf nosed bat (Hipposideros nicobarulae)
Pomona roundleaf bat (Hipposideros pomona)
Western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock)
Mishmi hills hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock mishmiensis)
Salim Ali's fruit bat (Latidens salimalii)
Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx)
White-cheeked macaque (Macaca leucogenys)
Arunachal macaque (Macaca munzala)
Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus)
Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata)
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Kondana soft-furred rat (Millardia kondana)
Kashmir musk deer (Moschus cupreus)
Alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster)
Black musk deer (Moschus fuscus)
White-bellied musk deer (Moschus leucogaster)
Servant mouse (Mus famulus)
Mandelli's mouse-eared bat (Myotis sicarius)
Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius)
Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis)
Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris)
Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica)
Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)
Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica)
Indus river dolphin (Platanista minor)
Pygmy hog (Porcula salvania)
Nicobar flying fox (Pteropus faunulus)
Nonsense rat (Rattus burrus)
Kerala rat (Rattus ranjiniae)
Andaman horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus cognatus)
Sangai (Rucervus eldii)
Kashmir gray langur (Semnopithecus ajax)
Indian ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea)
Day's shrew (Suncus dayi)
Gee's golden langur (Trachypithecus geei)
Phayre's leaf-monkey (Trachypithecus phayrei)
Trachypithecus phayrei phayrei
Capped langur (Trachypithecus pileatus brahma)
Tenebrous capped langur (Trachypithecus pileatus tenebricus)
Blond-bellied langur (Trachypithecus pileatus pileatus)
Nicobar treeshrew (Tupaia nicobarica)
Nilgiri long-tailed tree mouse (Vandeleuria nilagirica)

Mollusk (3)

Reptiles and amphibians (from 2018 - 122 as of 2023)

Perrotet's vine snake (Ahaetulla perroteti)
Green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica)
Goan day gecko (Cnemaspis goaensis)
Wyanad day gecko (Cnemaspis wynadensis)
Keeled box turtle (Cuora mouhotii)
Boulenger's dasia (Dasia subcaerulea)
Poona skink (Eurylepis poonaensis)
Inger's mabuya (Eutropis clivicola)
Indian kangaroo lizard (Otocryptis beddomii)
Travancore Hills thorntail snake (Platyplectrurus madurensis)
Travancore earth snake (Rhinophis travancoricus)
Cochin forest cane turtle (Vijayachelys silvatica)

Vulnerable animals

Listed by the IUCN .^[5] As of the 2023-1 update, there are 481 animals listed as vulnerable.

Birds

Sarus crane (Antigone)
Nicobar megapode (Megapodius nicobariensis)
Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus)

Mammals

Brown bear (Ursus arctos)
Gaur (Bos gaurus)
Four-horned antelope or chousingha (Tetracerus quadricornis)
Oriental small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinerea)
White-chested bear (Ursus thibetanus)
Yak (Bos grunhniens)
Takin (Budorcas taxicolor)
Barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii)
Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
Dugong (Dugong dugon)
Sun bear (Helarctos malayanus)
Stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides)
Marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata)
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus)
Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)
Snow leopard (Uncia uncia)
Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii)
Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)

Reptiles and amphibians

Olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

Notes and References

Web site: News . 22 June 2012 . 14 April 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120414033451/http://www.iucnredlist.org/current-news . dead .
Web site: Matthew Knight . Extinction threat 'a call to world leaders' at Rio Earth Summit . 2024-01-24 . CNN. 19 June 2012 .
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article3551664.ece?homepage=true Red list has 132 species of plants, animals from India
IUCN. 2023. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2023-1. https://www.iucnredlist.org. Accessed on 23 January 2024.
Web site: Endangered Mammal List. 2007-08-06. Wildlife Institute of India (WII) . https://web.archive.org/web/20070704233109/http://www.wii.gov.in/nwdc/mammals.htm . 2007-07-04.