Khadubhai IAS: [Environment & Biodiversity] Critically Endangered Species

Critically Endangered Species of Animals

· The Red List of 2012 was released at the Rio +20 Earth Summit.

· It contains 132 species of plants and animals in India listed as critically endangered.

· The Critically Endangered list included 18 species of amphibians, 14 fishes and 10 mammals. There are also 15 bird species in the category.

· This article gives you an overview of birds, amphibians and mammals which are critically

endangered.

Birds

· The latest International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Birds (2013) shows that fifteen bird species in India continue to be Critically Endangered (CR).

· Migratory wetland species:

Name	Details	Habitat	Distribution	Others
Baer’s Pochard	· It is a diving duck found in eastern Asia · Hunting and wetland destruction are thought to be the causes of the decline	Vegetated coastal wetlands, or around lakes and ponds surrounded by forest Freshwater lakes and reservoirs	Southeast Russia and Northeast China Migrating in winter to southern China, Vietnam, Japan, and India	In 2012 it was further uplisted from Endangered to CR. It is legally protected in Russia, Mongolia and Hong Kong (China) and in some provinces in China.
Siberian Crane	· It is a large, strikingly majestic migratory bird that breeds and winters in wetlands. · Also known as the Siberian White Crane or the Snow Crane.	Wetland areas	Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan.	The last documented sighting of the bird in India was in 2002 It is subject of the MoU concerning Conservation Measures for the Siberian Crane concluded under the Bonn Convention.
Spoon-billed Sandpiper	· The most distinctive feature of this species is its spatulate bill · Requires highly specialized breeding habitat, a constraint that has always kept its population scarce	Coastal areas with sparse vegetation	West Bengal, Orissa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu	The main threats to its survival are habitat loss on its breeding grounds and loss of tidal flats through its migratory and wintering range It was reclassified to CR status in 2008

· Non-migratory wetland species:

Name	Details	Habitat	Distribution	Others
White-bellied Heron	· also known as the Imperial Heron or Great White-bellied Heron · It is mostly all dark grey with white throat and underparts. · It is inherently rare, and populations have never been known to be very high.	Rivers with sand or gravel bars or inland lakes	Bhutan and North-East India to the hills of Bangladesh and North Myanmar	It has therefore been uplisted from Endangered to CE status in the 2007 IUCN Red List.

· Grassland species:

Name	Details	Habitat	Distribution	Others
Bengal Florican	· It is a rare bustard species that is very well known for its mating dance · They are normally silent but when disturbed utters a metallic chik-chik-chik call.	Grasslands occasionally interspersed with scrublands.	Native to only 3 countries in the world -Cambodia, India and Nepal. In India, it occurs in 3 states Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.	It is known to have become increasingly threatened by land conversion for intensive agriculture, particularly for dry season rice production + Poaching.
Great Indian Bustard (GIB)	· One of the world’s heaviest flying birds. · The bird population estimate in 1980s was around 1,500, during 2003-04 was 500, in 2011 it is around 250-300 birds. · It breeds mostly during the monsoon season. · They are omnivorous and feed on insects, lizards, frogs, herbs, wild berries, oil seeds, and legume pods	Dry plains of the Indian subcontinent	It used to be in 11 states, now it is limited to 6 Indian states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh	Rajasthan: has the largest stronghold of the GIB, is the first Indian state to initiate a project “Great Indian Bustard” under the campaign of Conservation India.
Jerdon’s Courser	· It is a nocturnal bird endemic to India. · It is a flagship species for the extremely threatened scrub jungle.	Undisturbed scrub jungle with open areas	· Found only in the northern part of the state of Andhra Pradesh in peninsular India · Old records do attribute its presence in the neighboring areas of the state of Maharashtra	The species was considered to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1986 and the area of rediscovery was subsequently declared as the Sri Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary
Sociable Lapwing	· It is a winter migrant to India. · This attractive medium-sized lapwing has longish black legs and a short black bill	Fallow fields and scrub desert.	· In India, distribution is restricted to the north and north-west of the country	In 2004 BirdLife International categorized this bird as critically endangered, due to a very rapid population decline for poorly understood reasons

· Forest species:

Name	Details	Habitat	Distribution	Others
Forest Owlet	· An owl that is endemic to the forests of central India. · They have a relatively large skull and beak · They appear to be strongly diurnal although not very active after 10 AM	Dry deciduous forest.	South Madhya Pradesh North-west Maharashtra North-central Maharashtra.	It had been lost for more than a century. After 113 long years it was rediscovered in 1997 and reappeared on the list of Indian birds.

· Scavengers:

ü The decline in vulture populations has associated disease risks, including increased risk of spread of rabies and anthrax.

ü Diclofenac is given to working animals it can reduce joint pain and so keep them working for longer

ü The drug is believed to be swallowed by vultures with the flesh of dead cattle which were given diclofenac in the last days of life. Diclofenac causes kidney failure in several species of Vultures

Name	Details	Habitat	Distribution	Others
Indian Vulture	· The Long-billed Vulture is a typical vulture, with a bald head, very broad wings and short tail feather · They have suffered a 97%–99% population decrease in Pakistan and India · The cause of this has been identified as poisoning caused by the veterinary drug diclofenac. .	Forests, villages etc.	Across India	Captive-breeding programmes for several species of Indian vulture have been started. The vultures are long lived and slow in breeding, so the programmes are expected to take decades
Red-headed Vulture	· Also known as the Asian King Vulture, Indian Black Vulture or Pondicherry Vulture · The adult has a prominent deep red to orange naked head and the juvenile being of paler red.	Forests, villages etc.	Mainly found in the Indian Subcontinent Some parts of Southeast Asia	The widespread use of the Diclofenac in India has caused its population to collapse in recent years
White-backed Vulture	· It is called African White-backed Vulture to distinguish it from the Oriental White-backed Vulture · It’s a typical vulture with only down feathers on the head and neck, very broad wings and short tail feathers.	Forests, villages etc.	The savannah of West and East Africa Across India	In 2013 it was uplisted from Endangered to Critically Endangered
Slender-billed Vulture.	· It is about the same size as its sister species, the Indian Vulture · They have suffered a huge decline. The cause of this has been identified as poisoning caused by the veterinary drug diclofenac.	Forests, villages etc.	Gangetic plain north, West to Himachal Pradesh, Northern Odisha, Assam Southeast Asia	It is a protected species listed on the appendix II list of CITES. Captive-breeding programs in India are aiming to conserve the species

· Now considered Extinct for all practical purposes.

· But still under CE category

Name	Details	Habitat	Distribution	Others
Himalayan Quail	· The red bill and legs of this small dark quail and white spots before and after the eye make it distinctive. · It is presumed to be extinct since no reliable records of sightings of this species exist after 1876.	Tall grass and scrub on steep hillsides	Western Himalayas	Indiscriminate hunting during the colonial period along with habitat modification.
Pink-headed Duck	· is (or was) a large diving duck · Males have a deep pink head and neck from which the bird derives its name. · It has not been conclusively recorded in India since 1949.	Overgrown still-water pools, marshes and swamps in lowland forests and tall grasslands	Recorded in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Maximum records are from north-east India	Wetland degradation and loss of habitat, along with hunting are the main causes of its decline

*******************************End of CE birds*********************************

· The species that have been uplisted (facing greater danger) in 2013 IUCN list are

Name	Details	Habitat	Distribution	Others
River Lapwing	· It has a black crest, crown, face and central throat and grey-white neck sides and nape. · It feeds on insects, worms crustaceans and mollusks in nearby wet grassland and farmland · It is expected to undergo a moderately rapid population decline over the next three generations owing to human pressures on riverine ecosystems and the construction of dams.	It inhabits larger rivers and lakes preferring wide, slow-moving rivers with sand or gravel bars and islands	It occurs in southern China, much of South-East Asia Northern and northeastern India, stretching towards Myanmar, to Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.	Uplisted from Least Concern to Near Threatened
River Tern	· This is a medium-sized tern, dark grey upperparts, white underparts, a forked tail with long flexible streamers, and long pointed wings. · The bill is yellow and the legs red. · Increasing human disturbance and dam construction projects are expected to drive a moderately rapid population decline over the next three generations.	rivers and freshwater lakes, also occurring rarely on estuaries, and breeds on sandy islands	occurs across a wide range in southern Asia, being found in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and southern China (Yunnan) (del Hoyo et al. 1996), with vagrant records from Iran and Afghanistan.	Uplisted from Least Concern to Near Threatened Nesting areas are vulnerable to flooding, predation and disturbance
Long-tailed Duck	· They are mid-sized birds with long, dark tails and gray legs and feet. · This species is fully migratory although its movements are poorly understood	reside in a variety of habitats Winter in the open ocean or large lakes and summer in pools or lakes in the tundra.	Vagrant records in India includes Nagaland, UP, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Maharastra They are found breeding on the Arctic coasts of Canada, Alaska, United States of America, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Russia. They winter further south in the United Kingdom, North America, Korea and on the Black and Caspian Seas.	Uplisted from Least Concern to Vulnerable. The species is threatened by wetland habitat degradation and loss from petroleum pollution, wetland drainage and peat-extraction.

Reptiles and amphibians

· Turtles

Name	Details	Habitat	Distribution	Others
Red-crowned roofed turtle	· Also known as Bengal Roof Turtle · At the end of the rainy season, the heads and necks of male turtles develop a brilliant courtship coloration of red, yellow, white, and blue, with 6 distinctive bright red stripes on top of the head · The diet of turtles consists entirely of water plants	Deep flowing rivers with terrestrial nest sites.	Found in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. In India it resides basically in the watershed of the Ganga	CP: 1. Since 2004, it has reproduced in captivity at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust. 2. Since 2006, the Chambal River Sanctuary Program has implemented projects to protect wild nests, collect and hatch wild eggs
Hawksbill sea turtle	· The species is migratory in nature and nesting occurs in about 70 countries across the world.	Nesting occurs on insular, sandy beaches.	In India they are found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the coast of Tamil Nadu and Orissa.	The CITESoutlaws the capture and trade of hawksbill sea turtles and products derived from them Also included in the Convention on Migratory Species
River terrapin	· Also known as four-toed river terrapin · The omnivorous diet of the river terrapin and other terrapin species makes them an essential part of the efficient clean-up systems of aquatic habitats.	Freshwater rivers and lakes.	Bangladesh, Cambodia, India (West Bengal and Orissa), Indonesia and Malaysia.	Illegally exported from Indonesia and traded in substantial numbers in China despite a CITES I listing

· Crocodile

Name	Details	Habitat	Distribution	Others
Gharial	· It is also called gavial and fish-eating crocodile · It is one of the longest of all living crocodilians · It is characterized by its extremely long, thin jaws	Clean rivers with sand banks	Only viable population in the National Chambal Sanctuary, spread across three states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in India	.Now extinct in Myanmar, Pakistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Conservation programs have been undertaken in India and Nepal, based on the establishment of protected areas and restocking these with animals born in captivity

· Frogs

Name	Details	Habitat	Distribution	Others
Ghats wart frog	· Also known as Murthy’s frog. · It is a montane species found at elevations of around 2,200m asl · This species is known only from the type series, and further taxonomic studies are required.	Tropical moist forest and is terrestrial in nature	Native: India ( Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka )	The species appears to have been recorded from the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, and it is protected by national legislation
Indirana gundia	· It has thick brown strip that extends from nose passing through eyes · It is found at an elevation of around 200 m above mean sea level · Breeding takes place on wet rocks, and the larvae are found on wet rock surfaces next to streams	Moist tropical forest	Known only to exist in Gundia, Kempholey in the Western Ghats region of Karnataka.	It is not known to be present in any protected areas
The Kerala Indian Frog	· Due to the presence of prominent warts and tubercles of various sizes and glandular folds on its dorsal surface, it is commonly also known as the toad-skinned frog. · It is found at elevations of around 500 m above mean sea level	A terrestrial species associated with leaf-litter in tropical moist forest	Anamalai Hills of the Western Ghats	The species is present in Indira Ghandi National Park and protected by national legislation.
Charles Darwin's frog	· It is found at elevations below 500 m above mean sea level.	Arboreal species of tropical moist forest	This species is currently restricted to its type locality of Mount Harriet in South Andaman Island and Saddle Peak in the North Andaman Island, India.	It has been recorded from Mount Harriet National Park and Saddle Peak National Park, and is protected by national legislation in India.
Rao's torrent frog	· The altitude of the type locality is not known, but it was most recently collected at an altitude of approximately 1,000m asl · It was recently collected close to a road and a stream. Like other members of the genus, it probably has aquatic larvae in streams.	Wet forests	This species is known only from the type locality "Kottigehar, Kadur", and from a recently discovered population at Bhadrea, in Chicamangalore District, Karnataka, in the Western Ghats of India.	It is not known whether or not this species occurs in any protected areas.
Amboli bush frog	· It was recently discovered in 2009 in Amboli forest in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. · It is found at elevations ranging from 550 m to 940 m above mean sea level.	It was collected in extremely disturbed areas close to evergreen forest patches, although it is not known whether or not it occurs in primary evergreen forest.	Known only from a few localities in the vicinity of the Amboli forest in Sawantwadi District, Maharashtra, in the northern Western Ghats of India	It is not known to occur in any protected areas, making habitat protection an urgent priority.
The Chalazodes Bubble-Nest Frog	· It is a nocturnal, arboreal species. · Also known as White-spotted bush frog.	Tropical moist evergreen forest	All recorded specimens have been from the Western Ghats, India	It was described in 1876 based on a single femalespecime, from “Travancore”, south India. There was no authentic report of this species since 1876 until its rediscovery in Febuary 2011.
Griet bush frog	· It is a small frog of snout to vent length ranging from 2-2.2 cm only. · This species has been recorded from 1,500m asl.	It is an arboreal species, found commonly in montane forest, and in secondary growth close to shoal forest, but can also be found in tea plantations	This species appears to be restricted to one locality: Munnar, in the southern Western Ghats of India	It is not known from any protected areas, and habitat protection is urgently required.
Munnar bush frog	· It was discovered in 2009 from Munnar in Idukki district of Kerala. · It is found at an elevation of about 1,400	It is known only from a small area (less than 20km²) of secondary vegetation, adjoining the forest along the Ghat road. Specimens were found close to a tea plantation, but not inside the plantation	Currently known only to occur in two locations, Devikulam and Munnar, Idukki district, Kerala, south India.	This threat is very serious as there are no other known areas in the surrounding region that could be considered as suitable habitat for the species.
Ponmudi bush frog	· It is the largest bush frog of India with a snout to vent length upto 4 cm.	Evergreen forest surrounded by grassland.	This species is known only from the type locality at 1,000 m asl on Ponmudi Hill, part of the Agasthyamala Hill range (=Ashambu Hills) in the Western Ghats of India. It might possibly occur more widely in Wynaad District.	It might be present in Shenduruny Sanctuary and Wynaad Wildlife Sanctuary. Strengthening the existing protected areas network and maintenance of remaining habitat in the range of the species are recommended conservation actions.
Sacred Grove bush frog	· It is endemic to India.	Associated with old growth, tropical, moist, semi-evergreen and mesic forest, and does not occur outside forest	Known only to occur in Kapildhara Falls, Amarkantak, Jabalpur District, Madhya Pradesh	Improved protection and maintenance of the habitat is needed
Shillong bubble-nest frog	· It is endemic to India. · It has been recorded from elevations below 1,400m asl.	Tropical moist forest	This species is restricted to a small area of forest, in and around Shilong, Meghalaya, in north-eastern India.	It is not known whether or not this species occurs in any protected areas, but habitat protection and maintenance are urgent priorities for this species, and additional survey work is necessary to assess its current population status.
Anaimalai flying frog	· It is confined to rainforests of south- western Ghats · It lives at elevations greater than 1,000 m above mean sea level.	tropical moist montane forests and intermittent freshwater marshes	It is found in Andiparai Shola, Pudothottam and the Anamalai Hills of Tamil Nada and Kerala	While known to be present in the Indira Gandhi National Park in Tamil Nadu, further habitat protection is needed

********************End of CE REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS****************

Mammals

Name	Details	Habitat	Distribution	Others
Namdapha flying squirrel	· It is an arboreal, nocturnal flying squirrel endemic to India	Tropical forest	Found only in Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh	The species is not protected by any legislation.
Andaman shrew	· This species is a nocturnal animal, endemic to India	Lives in tropical moist deciduous and evergreen forests, where it inhabits leaf litter and rock crevices	South Andaman Islands	This species has been recorded from Mount Harriet National Park
Jenkins' shrew	· It is endemic to India. · It is a nocturnal / crepuscular and semi fossorial animal	Tropical moist deciduous forest.	Found on Wright Myo and Mount Harriet in the South Andaman Island	This shrew has been recorded from Mount Harriet National Park. There is a need to maintain areas of suitable forest habitat for this species
Nicobar shrew	· Also known as Nicobar White-tailed Shrew · It is a nocturnal and semi fossorial species	Lives among leaf litter in tropical moist deciduous forest	This species is known only from the southern tip of Greater Nicobar Island (India) in the Bay of Bengal.	It has been recorded from Campbell Bay National Park (possibly now extinct here) and Galathea National Park in Great Nicobar Islands.
Elvira rat	· Also known as Large Rock Rat. · It is a medium sized, nocturnal and burrowing rodent that is endemic to India. · It is recorded from an elevation of about 600 m above mean sea level.	Tropical dry deciduous shrub land forest, seen in rocky areas	Known only from Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu.	It is listed in the Schedule V (considered as vermin) of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
Kondana soft-furred rat	· It is a nocturnal burrowing rodent that is found only in India. · It is reported from an elevation of about 1,270 m above mean sea level.	Tropical and subtropical dry deciduous forests and tropical scrub.	Known only from the small Sinhagarh Plateau (about one km²), near Pune in Maharashtra.	It is listed in the Schedule V (considered as vermin) of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
Pygmy hog	· It is the world’s smallest wild pig, with adults weighing only 8 kgs. · They live for about eight years, becoming sexually mature at one to two years old	Relatively undisturbed, tall ‘terai’ grasslands	Restricted to only a single remnant population in Manas Wildlife Sanctuary and its buffer reserves. Formerly, the species was more widely distributed along the southern Himalayan foothills	Conservation program is conducted under the aegis of a formal International Agreement, that was originally signed at New Delhi in 1995 and later renewed as a MOU in 2001, between IUCN SSC Pigs Peccaries and Hippos Specialist Group, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT), the Forest Department, Government of Assam, and the MOEF, GOI
Sumatran rhinoceros	· It is the smallest and most endangered of the five rhinoceros species	Rainforests, swamps, and cloud forests	Sumatra, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula.	It is now thought to be regionally extinct in India, though it once occurred in the foothills of the Himalayas and north-east India
Javan rhinoceros	· Also known as lesser one-horned rhinoceros · The Javan rhino is smaller than Indian rhinoceros, and is close in size to the black rhinoceros · Like Indian rhino, the Javan rhinoceros has a single horn	Lowland tropical rainforest areas	Native: Indonesia; Viet Nam Regionally extinct: Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; India; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia); Myanmar; Thailand	It is legally protected in all range states. The species has been on CITES Appendix I since 1975. A Rhino Protection Unit (RPU) has been established for the protection of this species on Java (Sectionov and Waladi pers. comm.). It occurs in two protected areas: Ujung Kulon National Park on Java and the Cat Loc part (Dong Nai province) of the Cat Tien National Park in Viet Nam.
Malabar large-spotted civet	· It also known as the Malabar civet, endemic to the Western Ghats of India. · The species is nocturnal and probably elusive.	Wooded plains and hill slopes of evergreen rainforests	Western Ghats	Conservation Action: It is listed in Schedule I, part I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and on CITES Appendix III (India).