Endangered Species in India: IUCN Red List [Table Chart]

Fish

Species	Location	Habitat	Dietary Classification & Habit	Unique Features/Characteristics	Threats
Knifetooth sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata)	Indian and Pacific oceans	Coastal areas and estuaries	Carnivorous, specialized feeding on crustaceans, fish and cephalopods	Long, flat snout with sharp, serrated teeth	Habitat loss and overfishing
Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus)	Southeast Asia, bordering countries in Asia	Slow-moving waters near shorelines	Carnivorous, eating fish and insects	Considered as a symbol of good luck in some cultures	Overfishing, habitat loss, and pet trade
Red line torpedo barb (Sahyadria denisonii)	Western Ghats in India	Fast-flowing hill streams	Omnivorous, feeding on algae, insects, and small aquatic invertebrates	Distinct red line on its side	Overfishing, habitat degradation
Golden mahaseer (Tor putitora)	Himalayan region	Fast-flowing rivers and streams	Omnivorous, feeding on algae, invertebrates, and small fish	Large size and importance as a food fish in local cultures	Overfishing, habitat degradation, and pollution
Deccan labeo (Labeo potail)	Peninsular India	Rivers and streams	Herbivorous, feeding on algae and aquatic plants	Small size, attractive colors, and importance as a food	Overfishing and habitat degradation

Birds

Species	Location	Habitat	Chronotype	Dietary Classification & Habit	Unique Features/ Characteristics	Threats
Steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis)	Western Asia, Central Asia, Russia, and parts of Eastern Europe	Steppes, grasslands, savannas, and deserts	Diurnal	Carnivore, they hunt small mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish	They have a wingspan of 6.6-8.7 ft and are a migratory bird	Threatened by habitat loss and degradation, poaching and hunting, and poisoning
Great knot (Calidris tenuirostris)	Breeds in Siberia, migrates through the Asia-Pacific region, and winters in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia	Mudflats, sandflats, short grass, and saltpans	Nocturnal	Omnivore, they feed on insects, mollusks, and crustaceans	They have a long, straight bill and are known for their non-stop migratory flights covering over 16,000 km	Threatened by habitat loss, over-harvesting of their food sources, and disturbance during migration
Masked finfoot (Heliopais personatus)	Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam	Swamps, marshes, and tropical rainforests	Nocturnal	Carnivore, they feed on fish, frogs, and insects	They have distinctive black facial markings and webbed feet	Threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation, agriculture, and logging
Manipur bush-quail (Perdicula manipurensis)	Northeast India, particularly in the state of Manipur	Grasslands and scrublands	Diurnal	Herbivore, they feed on seeds and vegetation	They have a distinctive rufous-orange plumage and are found in small groups	Threatened by habitat loss due to agricultural expansion, logging, and hunting
Greater adjutant (Leptoptilos dubius)	Cambodia, India, and Nepal	Wetlands and marshes in tropical and subtropical areas	Diurnal	Carnivore, they feed on fish, reptiles, and small mammals	They have distinctive bare skin on their head and neck and a large bill for scavenging	Threatened by habitat loss and degradation, hunting, and pollution
White-bellied blue robin (Myiomela albiventris)	Found in specific regions of the Indian subcontinent, like northern India, Bhutan, and Nepal	Prefer subtropical or tropical moist montane forests as habitat	Diurnal	Insectivorous; forage on the ground or in the understory	Vibrant blue plumage and a white belly	Human activities like deforestation and habitat destruction
Nilgiri blue robin (Myiomela major)	Endemic to the Western Ghats of India	Found in high altitude shola forests	Diurnal	Insectivorous; forage on the ground or in the understory	Dark blue plumage with a bright blue patch on the forehead	Habitat loss due to deforestation
White-winged duck (Asarcornis scutulata)	Found in Southeast Asia, mainly in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam	Found in wetlands with dense vegetation	Diurnal	Omnivorous; feeds on aquatic plants, insects, and small vertebrates	Large size and striking plumage	Habitat loss and hunting
White-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala)	Found in Europe, the Middle East, and northwest Asia	Prefers freshwater lakes and wetlands	Diurnal and nocturnal	Omnivorous; feeds on aquatic plants, invertebrates, and small fish	Has a distinctive white head and bill	Habitat loss, hunting, and hybridization with related species
Green peafowl (Pavo muticus)	Found in Southeast Asia, mainly in Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand	Prefers tall forests near water sources	Diurnal	Omnivorous; feeds on seeds, fruits, insects, and small animals	Has dazzling plumage and a distinctive call	Habitat loss, hunting, and capture for the pet trade
Narcondam hornbill (Rhyticero)	Endemic to Narcondam Island, in the Andaman Sea, India	Found in tropical evergreen forests	Diurnal	Omnivorous; feeds on fruit, insects, and small animals	Has a large bill and striking plumage	Habitat loss and hunting
Nordmann’s greenshank (Tringa guttifer)	Found in northeast Asia, mainly in Russia, Japan, and China	Prefers wetlands with freshwater and coastal habitats	Crepuscular	Carnivorous; feeds on invertebrates and small fish	Long, thin beaks for probing mud	Habitat loss, degradation, and hunting
Black-bellied tern (Sterna acuticauda)	Found in Australia and Southeast Asia	Coastal habitats	Diurnal	Carnivorous; feeds on fish and invertebrates	Black plumage with a white belly	Habitat loss, degradation, and pollution
Black-chinned laughingthrush (Trochalopteron cachinnans)	Found in the Himalayas	Forests and shrublands	Diurnal	Omnivorous; feeds on insects, seeds, and fruits	Black throat with a white belly	Habitat loss and degradation, hunting
Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus)	Found in Europe, Asia, and Africa	Variety of habitats	Diurnal	Scavengers; feed on carrion	White plumage and bare yellow face	Habitat loss and degradation, hunting

Reptiles

Species	Location	Habitat	Chronotype	Dietary Classification & Habit	Unique Features/Characteristics	Threats
Perrotet’s vine snake (Ahaetulla perroteti)	India (Western Ghats)	Tropical forests	Diurnal	Carnivore (Feeds on small vertebrates)	Slender body, green color, horizontal pupils, and excellent camouflage	Habitat loss, deforestation
Three-striped roofed turtle (Batagur dhongoka)	India (Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems)	Riverine habitats, freshwater	Diurnal	Omnivore (Feeds on plants and animals)	Three distinct stripes on the carapace, dark coloration with yellow markings	Habitat loss, pollution, hunting
Green turtle (Chelonia mydas)	Worldwide (Tropical and subtropical oceans)	Coastal waters, seagrass beds, coral reefs	Diurnal	Herbivore (Feeds on seagrass and algae)	Large size, streamlined body, paddle-like limbs, and greenish coloration	Poaching, bycatch, habitat loss
Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica)	India (Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus river systems)	Freshwater rivers, lakes, and ponds	Nocturnal	Carnivore (Feeds on fish and crustaceans)	Narrow head, elongated snout, and large size	Habitat loss, pollution, hunting
Goan day gecko (Cnemaspis goaensis)	India (Goa)	Tropical forests, rocky outcrops	Diurnal	Insectivore (Feeds on insects)	Small size, flattened body, and adhesive toe pads	Habitat loss, deforestation
Wyanad day gecko (Cnemaspis wynadensis)	India (Kerala, Western Ghats)	Tropical forests, rocky outcrops	Diurnal	Insectivore (Feeds on insects)	Small size, flattened body, and adhesive toe pads	Habitat loss, deforestation
Keeled box turtle (Cuora mouhotii)	India (Northeast), Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, China (Yunnan)	Tropical forests, streams, and marshes	Nocturnal	Omnivore (Feeds on plants and animals)	Keeled carapace, dark coloration, and yellow markings	Habitat loss, hunting, pet trade
Boulenger’s dasia (Dasia subcaerulea)	India (Western Ghats)	Tropical forests	Diurnal	Insectivore (Feeds on insects)	Long, slender body, and prehensile tail	Habitat loss, deforestation
Poona skink (Eurylepis poonaensis)	India (Maharashtra)	Scrublands, grasslands	Diurnal	Insectivore (Feeds on insects)	Elongated body, smooth scales, and cylindrical tail	Habitat loss, urbanization
Inger’s mabuya (Eutropis clivicola)	India (Western Ghats)	Tropical forests, grasslands	Diurnal	Insectivore (Feeds on insects)	Long, slender body, and keeled scales	Habitat loss, deforestation
Yellow-headed tortoise (Indotestudo elongata)	India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia	Tropical forests, grasslands, swamps	Diurnal	Herbivore (Feeds on plants)	Elongated carapace, yellow head, and dark coloration	Habitat loss, hunting, pet trade
Asian forest tortoise (Manouria emys)	India (Northeast), Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia	Tropical forests, grasslands, swamps	Diurnal	Herbivore (Feeds on plants)	Large size, dark coloration, and flattened carapace	Habitat loss, hunting, pet trade
Indian kangaroo lizard (Otocryptis beddomii)	India (Western Ghats)	Tropical forests, grasslands	Diurnal	Insectivore (Feeds on insects)	Long, slender body, and ability to jump like a kangaroo	Habitat loss, deforestation
Assam roofed turtle (Pangshura sylhetensis)	India (Assam), Bangladesh	Freshwater rivers, lakes, and ponds	Diurnal	Omnivore (Feeds on plants and animals)	Roof-like carapace, dark coloration, and yellow markings	Habitat loss, pollution, hunting
Cantor’s giant softshell turtle (Pelochelys cantorii)	India (Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems), Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines	Freshwater rivers, lakes, and ponds	Nocturnal	Carnivore (Feeds on fish and crustaceans)	Large size, flat body, and elongated snout	Habitat loss, pollution, hunting
Travancore Hills thorntail snake (Platyplectrurus madurensis)	India (Kerala, Western Ghats)	Tropical forests	Nocturnal	Insectivore (Feeds on insects)	Slender body, pointed tail tip, and dark coloration	Habitat loss, deforestation
Travancore earth snake (Rhinophis travancoricus)	India (Kerala, Western Ghats)	Tropical forests, grasslands	Nocturnal	Insectivore (Feeds on insects)	Slender body, pointed tail tip, and dark coloration	Habitat loss, deforestation
Cochin forest cane turtle (Vijayachelys silvatica)	India (Kerala, Western Ghats)	Tropical forests, swamps	Nocturnal	Omnivore (Feeds on plants and animals)	Small size, dark coloration, and yellow markings	Habitat

Mammals

Species	Location	Habitat	Chronotype	Dietary Classification & Habit	Unique Features/Characteristics	Threats
Red panda (Ailurus fulgens)	Eastern Himalayas and southwestern China	High-altitude, temperate forests with bamboo understories	Crepuscular	Carnivore that feeds almost exclusively on bamboo, occasionally eats insects and bird eggs	Bear-like body with thick russet fur, elongated wrist bones or “false thumbs” used for grasping bamboo	Habitat loss and degradation, human interference, poaching, and encounters with stray dogs
Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis)	Subtropical, temperate, and subpolar waters around the world	Deep offshore waters, avoids polar and tropical waters and semi-enclosed bodies of water	NA	Carnivore that feeds on copepods, krill, and other zooplankton	Third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale, skims through the water and catches prey in its baleen plates	Pollution, entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, and climate change
Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)	All oceans except the Arctic Ocean	Open ocean	NA	Carnivore that feeds almost exclusively on krill	Largest animal known to have ever existed, heart the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, stomach can hold one ton of krill, and needs to eat about four tons of krill each day	Habitat degradation, pollution, vessel disturbance, climate change, vessel strikes, and entanglements in fishing gear
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)	All major oceans and open seas	All major oceans and open seas	NA	Carnivore that feeds on krill, small fish, and crustaceans	Second-longest species of cetacean on Earth after the blue whale, has a series of 56-100 pleats or grooves along the bottom of the body that run from the tip of the chin to the navel that allow the throat area to expand greatly during feeding	Climate change, entanglement in fishing gear, lack of prey due to overfishing, ocean noise, and vessel strikes
Wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee)	Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia	Swamps, flooded grasslands, other wetlands, alluvial plains, and densely vegetated river valleys	Diurnal and nocturnal	Herbivorous (folivorous, graminivorous) animals	They are smaller than domesticated water buffalo and have a dark brown coat.	Parasites and diseases, hunting, loss of habitat, interbreeding with domesticated water buffalo.
Hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus)	South Asia	Areas with tall-grass savannah, flat, well-drained, and thinly forested habitats with a high amount of thatch	Nocturnal	Herbivorous animals, mainly feed on bark, shoots, and roots of grasses	They have a harsh and bristly coat, short ears, and a dark brown coat on the back.	Decline of natural habitat due to increasing agriculture, flood control, and human development.
Dhole (Cuon alpinus)	Central, South, East, and Southeast Asia	Deciduous and evergreen forests and alpine steppe	Diurnal and nocturnal	Carnivorous animals, feed on hoofed mammals	They are about the size of a border collie, have a charcoal gray to rust red to sandy beige coat, and a long, brushy, fox-like tail.	Habitat loss and fragmentation, depletion of prey base, persecution, and possibly disease transfer from domestic and feral dogs.
Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus)	Mainland Asia	Subtropical broadleaf forest, tropical broadleaf moist forest, dry forest, grassland	Diurnal	Herbivorous animals, feed mainly on grasses, but also eat large amounts of tree bark, roots, leaves, and small stems	They are smaller than African elephants, have a convex or level back, and relatively broader skulls and larger trunks than African elephants.	Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation.
Kolar leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros hypophyllus)	India	Subtropical or tropical dry forests and caves	Nocturnal	Insectivorous animals, feed on aquatic plants, crops, grasses, herbs, leaves, and bark of trees	They are found in only one cave in India, have a leafletted nose, and accumulate fat in the winter months, suggesting that they may use torpor in colder months.	Habitat loss due to illegal granite mining, population less than 200 individuals.
Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus)	Western Ghats mountain range in South India	Tropical evergreen rainforest	Diurnal	Omnivorous animals, feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, insects, small mammals, and birds	They have a distinctive mane of hair around their faces and are black with silver-white fur on their backs.	Habitat loss due to deforestation, fragmentation, and human encroachment.
White-bellied musk deer (Moschus leucogaster)	Himalayan region	Alpine and subalpine forests	Nocturnal	Herbivorous animals, feed on leaves, twigs, and bark of trees and shrubs	They have a stocky build, short legs, and a white belly.	Habitat loss and degradation due to deforestation, hunting for their musk gland, and illegal trade.
Servant mouse (Mus famulus)	India	Forests, grasslands, and agricultural fields	Nocturnal	Omnivorous animals, feed on insects, seeds, and fruits	They are small, have a grayish-brown coat, and are known for their ability to jump.	Habitat loss due to deforestation and human encroachment.
Mandelli’s mouse-eared bat (Myotis sicarius)	India	Forests and caves	Nocturnal	Insectivorous animals, feed on moths, beetles, and flies	They have a brownish-gray coat, large ears, and a wingspan of up to 30 cm.	Habitat loss due to deforestation and human encroachment.
Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius)	Western Ghats mountain range in South India	Grasslands and shrublands	Diurnal	Herbivorous animals, feed on grasses, leaves, and shoots	They have a stocky build, short legs, and a shaggy, dark brown coat.	Habitat loss and degradation due to deforestation, fragmentation, and human encroachment.
Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica)	Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat, India	Dry deciduous forest and savanna	Nocturnal	Carnivorous animals, feed on ungulates such as deer and antelope	They are smaller than African lions, have a distinctive fold of skin along their bellies, and a less developed mane.	Habitat loss and degradation due to deforestation, fragmentation, and human encroachment.
Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)	India	Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, dry forests, grasslands, and mangrove swamps	Nocturnal	Carnivorous animals, feed on ungulates such as deer and antelope	They have a distinctive orange coat with black stripes, and are the largest of the big cats in India.	Habitat loss and degradation due to deforestation, fragmentation, and human encroachment.
Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica)	Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems in India	Freshwater rivers and estuaries	Nocturnal	Carnivorous animals, feed on fish and crustaceans	They have a long, slender snout, and a grayish-brown coat.	Habitat loss and degradation due to dam construction, pollution, and accidental entanglement in fishing nets.
Gee’s golden langur (Trachypithecus geei)	Assam, India	Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests	Diurnal	Herbivorous animals, feed on leaves, fruits, and flowers	They have a distinctive golden-yellow coat, and are considered sacred by some indigenous communities in India.	Habitat loss and degradation due to deforestation, fragmentation, and human encroachment.
Nicobar treeshrew (Tupaia nicobarica)	Nicobar Islands, India	Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests	Diurnal	Omnivorous animals, feed on insects, fruits, and seeds	They have a brownish-gray coat, and are known for their ability to climb trees.	Habitat loss and degradation due to deforestation, fragmentation, and human encroachment.
Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii)	Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur, India	Wetlands and marshy areas	Diurnal	Herbivorous animals, feed on grasses,	Also known as the Manipur brow-antlered deer, it has unique antlers with 12 to 14 tines in mature males.	Habitat loss and degradation due to encroachment, agriculture, and infrastructure development; poaching; and invasive species introductions.