Extinct Animals in India (Historical and Recent)

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:

• Great Indian Bustard: Fewer than 150 left in the wild. Critically endangered due to power line collisions and habitat loss.
• Ganges River Dolphin (Susu): India's National Aquatic Animal; severely threatened by river pollution.
• Bengal Florican: A rare bustard of grasslands in Assam.
• Pygmy Hog: The world's smallest wild pig, found only in Manas National Park, Assam.