India is one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries, hosting an extraordinary range of wildlife. Sadly, due to centuries of hunting, deforestation, and habitat loss, several magnificent animal species have gone extinct in India. Understanding their loss is crucial for appreciating ongoing conservation efforts.
The Dodo is often mistakenly associated with India. The Dodo was actually a flightless bird from the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean that went extinct in the late 17th century — NOT from mainland India.
1. Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus): The Indian Cheetah (Asiatic Cheetah) was officially declared extinct in India in 1952 when the last three known individuals were shot by a maharaja in Surguja (present-day Chhattisgarh). It was the only large carnivore to go extinct in independent India. Project Cheetah (2022) has reintroduced African Cheetahs to Kuno National Park as a conservation attempt.
2. Indian Aurochs (Bos primigenius namadicus): The wild ancestor of domestic cattle. It became extinct thousands of years ago due to hunting and being domesticated.
3. Sumatran Rhinoceros (from India): Once found in Northeast India's forests, the Sumatran Rhino is now critically endangered globally and extinct in India.
4. Sivatherium (Prehistoric): A giant prehistoric giraffe-like creature that once roamed the Indian subcontinent, extinct since prehistoric times.
Some animals are on the edge of extinction in India and need urgent protection:
No, the Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) is NOT extinct, but is Critically Endangered. Only about 700 individuals survive, exclusively in the **Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary** in Gujarat. India is their last refuge in the world.
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