Environment and Ecology - Species in News: Fauna Part 2

Environmental Regulations & Species in News

Species in News: Key Assessments & Traits

Black-Necked Crane

WII and ZSI are conducting population assessments.

• IUCN: Near Threatened
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

• Range: Found in India, China, and Bhutan. It is naturally found in India (UPSC 2012).
• Breeding & Foraging: Breeds in the Tibetan Plateau wetlands, Ladakh, and Sichuan. The Tso Kar Wetlands Complex, an important foraging and breeding ground, was designated as a Ramsar Site in December 2020.
• Wintering Grounds: Sangti and Zemithang valleys (Arunachal Pradesh); Tibet, Yunnan, and Guizhou (China); Phobjika and Bomdaling Valleys (Bhutan).
• Cultural Significance: Sacred to the Monpas and linked directly to the 6th Dalai Lama.
• Conservation: Important habitats have been notified as Protected Areas, such as the Changthang Sanctuary in Ladakh. It is the state bird of the UT of Ladakh.

White Rhinoceros

First successful IVF embryo transfer using a Southern White Rhino as a surrogate has been conducted in Germany.

• Subspecies Breakdowns:
  • Northern White Rhino: Critically Endangered and currently functionally extinct.
  • Southern White Rhino: Near Threatened.
• Habitat & Threat: Inhabits African grasslands and savannas. Severely affected by poaching for rhino horn.
• Comparison with Indian Rhino: The Indian Rhino is listed as Vulnerable and is found in the grasslands and riverine forests of India and Nepal.

Kangaroo Lizard

A new species of Kangaroo Lizard has been discovered in the Western Ghats.

• Taxonomy & Size: Also called Agasthayagama edge or the Northern Kangaroo Lizard. Belongs to the Agamidae family and grows up to 4.3 cm in snout-vent length.
• Habitat: Endemic to the Western Ghats.
• Features & Behavior: Characterized by a dark head, olive-brown body, brick-yellow scales, and a broad dark stripe on the dewlap. It is an insectivore, a fast runner, but a poor climber due to a reduced fifth toe.
• Unique Trait: They derive their name from their distinct behaviour of running on their hindlimbs when threatened.

Golden-Backed Frog

Rediscovered after 200 years in the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh.

• Family & Habitat: Belongs to the Ranidae family. It is endemic to the Western Ghats (specifically Karnataka and Kerala), living near streams and ponds. The Sri Lankan golden-backed frog lives in freshwater.
• Diet & Threats: Insectivorous. Threatened primarily by habitat loss, pollution, and invasive species.
• Disjunct Distribution: Geological events like fluctuating sea levels and monsoon changes likely isolated these populations, leaving a gap of nearly 700 kilometers between their known habitats today.
• Evolutionary Significance: The rediscovery provides evidence of a historic land bridge between India and Sri Lanka during the late Pleistocene period or the Ice Age.

Himalayan Ibex

A population survey has started in Himachal Pradesh.

IUCN Status: Least Concern

• Local Details & Range: Nationally known by the local name Tangrol. Range includes Ladakh, the Greater Himalayas, and the Pir Panjal range across Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
• Features: Noted for contoured horns and beards; males possess larger, ridged horns.
• Unique Behavior: Unlike other caprids, the Ibex is known to dig craters through snow to access forage in winter.

Himalayan Magpies

A few closely related blue magpie species are a common sight from Kashmir to Myanmar.

• IUCN: Least Concern
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule II

• Taxonomy & Size: Belongs to the Corvidae family (crows, jays, ravens). Grows to about 66 cm in size, which includes a 45 cm tail.
• Habitat: Inhabits the lower Himalayas (India, Nepal, Bhutan) and parts of Vietnam.

Limbless Amphibian (Caecilians)

Newly discovered in Kaziranga National Park, Assam.

• Appearance & Habitat: Smooth, cylindrical, and ringed or striped in appearance. They live underground or in leaf litter, being strictly fossorial (adapted to digging).
• Diet & Senses: Carnivorous, feeding on soil invertebrates. They have poor eyesight and rely primarily on chemoreception.
• Reproduction & Range: Exhibits both oviparous (with or without larvae) and viviparous reproduction. Distributed globally across tropical Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

Armoured Sailfin Catfish

A CSIR-CCMB study reveals this invasive species has spread to 60% of the Eastern Ghats' water bodies.

• Alternative Names & Origin: Also called the Orinoco sailfin catfish, Rakashi, or Devil Fish. Native to the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela.
• Traits: A tropical, nocturnal, bottom-dwelling species that prefers temperatures between 23–27°C. Feeds on algae, weeds, worms, insect larvae, and benthic invertebrates.
• Invasive Threats: Introduced via the ornamental fish trade, it harms biodiversity, alters food webs, and causes bank erosion. It also damages fishing nets and injures fishermen.

Indian Wild Ass

The Gujarat Forest Department conducted the 10th Wild Ass Population Survey (2024).

• IUCN: Near Threatened
• CITES: Appendix II
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

• Population & Habitat: Increased to 7,672 individuals, marking a 26% rise since the last survey. They inhabit the Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat (an arid zone).
• Features: A solitary, low-density species capable of surviving extreme heat (45-50°C). Can run at speeds of 50–70 km/h.
• Diet & Traits: Feeds on grasses, leaves, and fruits (such as Prosopis). Only males possess horns.

Ganges River Dolphin

First-ever tagging of the Ganges River Dolphin in Assam was completed under Project Dolphin (MoEFCC, 2021).

• IUCN: Endangered
• Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule I
• CITES: Appendix I
• CMS: Appendix I

• Status: India's National Aquatic Animal (designated since 2009) and Assam's State Aquatic Animal (UPSC 2015). Locally known as "Susu" due to the sound made while breathing. Called the "Tiger of the Ganges" as a top predator and ecosystem indicator.
• Habitat: Found strictly in freshwater, mainly in the Karnaphuli systems and the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna rivers.
• Adaptations: Near-blind; uses echolocation to navigate and surfaces every 5-30 seconds to breathe. Features a long snout, stocky body, and large flippers; females are larger and give birth to a single calf every 2-3 years.
• Threats (UPSC 2014): Accidental entanglement in fishing nets, poaching, construction of dams and barrages, and pollution from synthetic fertilizers and agricultural chemicals in adjacent crop fields.
• Conservation Centres: The National Dolphin Research Centre is located in Patna; the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is situated in Bhagalpur.

Jerdon's Courser

The species has not been visually spotted for over a decade.

• IUCN: Critically Endangered
• Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule I
• Covered under the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH) scheme.

• Traits: A nocturnal and highly cryptic bird.
• Range & Habitat: Endemic to Andhra Pradesh, mainly inside the Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary in Kadapa. It prefers the grasslands and scrublands of the Eastern Ghats (arid and semi-arid zones). Historically wider, its distribution is now limited to small pockets like the Kondapalli hills in Krishna district.

Lion-Tailed Macaque

A macaque recently gave birth at the Chamundi Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre, Karnataka.

• IUCN: Endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule I

• Habitat & Range: Endemic to the Western Ghats across Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu (UPSC 2013). Lives in the upper canopy of primary tropical evergreen rainforests.
• Behavior: Territorial, arboreal, and diurnal; communicates via 17 vocal calls and body language.
• Major Protected Areas: Kudremukh National Park (Karnataka), Periyar National Park, and Silent Valley National Park (Kerala).

Southern Birdwing

Recently spotted in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu.

• IUCN: Least Concern
• CITES: Appendix II
• Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule II

• Traits: Scientifically named Troides minos. It is the second largest butterfly in India, boasting a wingspan up to 190 mm.
• Range: Endemic to South India, mainly the Western Ghats; it is the State Butterfly of Karnataka.

Himalayan Wolf

Recently classified as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List.

• IUCN: Vulnerable
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule I

• Population & Range: Estimated at ~2,275–3,792 mature individuals inhabiting high-altitude grasslands across the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau (India, Nepal, China).
• Features: Larger than Indian and European wolves, weighing ~50 kg and measuring up to 180 cm long. Preys on yak, kiang, bharal, and the Tibetan gazelle.
• Distinction: The Indian/Common/Peninsular Wolf is found separately in the Deccan Plateau and plains.

Sal Forest Tortoise

First sighting of this elongated tortoise was recorded in the Aravallis.

• IUCN: Critically Endangered
• CITES: Appendix II
• Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule IV

• Range & Habitat: Also called the Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata). Found in Sal forests and hilly evergreen forests across India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Southeast Asia.
• Threats: Heavily hunted for food, decorative use, and the illegal wildlife trade.

Squalus Hima

A new deep-water dogfish shark species has been discovered by the ZSI near Kerala in the Arabian Sea.

• Taxonomy: Belongs to the Squalidae family, commonly referred to as spurdogs. Found primarily along the southwest coast of India.
• Features & Uses: Characterized by smooth dorsal fin spines, a short angular snout, a small mouth, and an absence of body spots. Differs from other species (such as Squalus lalannei) by vertebrae count, teeth, and fin structure.
• Economic Value: Its liver oil is rich in squalene, which is widely used in cosmetics and anti-cancer drugs.

Malabar Tree Toad

Climate change models indicate that a high-emissions scenario could reduce its habitat by 68.7% by 2080.

IUCN Status: Endangered (EN)

• Traits & Habitat: Also called the Warty Asian Tree Toad. Unlike most ground-dwelling toads, it is arboreal and endemic to the Western Ghats. It is unique for being the only species in the genus Pedostibes.
• History & Breeding: Discovered in 1876, went unseen for over 100 years, and was rediscovered in 1980. Its breeding relies entirely on monsoon water pools, making it highly sensitive to changes in rainfall.

Bent-Toed Geckos

6 new species have been discovered in Northeast India by a team of Indian and UK scientists.

• Traits & Classification: Small, nocturnal reptiles belonging to the genus Cyrtodactylus (a highly diverse genus of geckos). Also frequently called Bow-fingered or Forest Geckos.
• Distribution: Distributed across India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and the Solomon Islands, encompassing around 346 species.

Yana (Baby Mammoth)

A 50,000-year-old baby mammoth named Yana was found in Siberia, Russia, representing the best-preserved mammoth ever discovered.

IUCN Status: Extinct

• Details: A female specimen weighing over 100 kg with a height of 120 cm. Exposed due to melting permafrost, highlighting a direct climate change impact.
• About Mammoths: A cold-adapted species that possessed thick fur, layers of fat, and small ears for cold survival. Lived across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America during the Pleistocene and early Holocene epochs. They are closely related to modern Asian elephants.

Siberian Demoiselle Crane

A crane named Sukpak set a record by flying 3,676 km to Khichan, Rajasthan.

IUCN Status: Least Concern

• Range: Breeds across Central Asia, Mongolia, and Northeast China, and winters mainly in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
• Migration Routes:
  • Usual: Travels via Himalayan valleys.
  • Alternate: Flies via Russia → Kazakhstan → Afghanistan → Pakistan.
• Cultural Context: Known as Koonj or Kurjaa in India, holding an important place in Gujarati and Rajasthani folklore.

Ethiopian Wolf

Documented as the first large carnivore that aids pollination by actively feeding on plant nectar.

IUCN Status: Endangered

• Population & Range: Africa's most endangered carnivore, with fewer than 500 individuals remaining. Restricted to the Ethiopian Highlands, often referred to as sky islands.
• Behavior: While it usually hunts rodents, it feeds on the nectar of red hot poker flowers, thereby assisting in pollination and proving that apex predators can act as pollinators.

California Ground Squirrel

A recent study reveals they are opportunistic omnivores rather than strict herbivores.

Status: Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN; not listed under India's Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

• Key Findings: Traditionally categorized as herbivores consuming nuts and fruits, they have now been observed hunting birds, reptiles, insects, and eggs. They showcase adaptive evolution by switching to protein-rich food and exhibit stealthy hunting and problem-solving skills.

Amur Falcon

Manipur's Tamenglong district has strictly banned the hunting and trade of the Amur Falcon.

• IUCN: Least Concern
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule IV
• CITES: Appendix II

• Migration: A small migratory raptor belonging to the falcon family that flies from Siberia and China to Africa via India. It covers a 20,000 km one-way journey, utilizing the Akhuipuina Route, and stops in Northeast India for approximately 2 months.

Great Four-Ring Butterfly

Rediscovered in 2018 inside the Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh, after a gap of 61 years.

• Taxonomy & Features: Belongs to the Satyrinae subfamily under the genus Ypthima (which includes over 100 species globally, with 40 found in India). It stands as the largest among Indian Ypthima species.
• Wings: Features dull brown-grey wings with 3 yellow-ringed eyespots on the hindwings and a large bi-pupilled ocellus on the forewing.
• Habitat: Located in Northeast India, a recognized butterfly hotspot that hosts 23 unique Ypthima species.

Asceua Tertia

A newly discovered spider species located in the Western Ghats.

• Habitat & Genus: Discovered in the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary. It marks the third Indian species discovered under the Asceua genus, following A. cingulata and A. thrippalurensis. Belongs to the Zodariidae family of ant-eating spiders.
• Features & Size: Small spiders where males measure ~2.5 mm and females measure ~3.2 mm.
  • Male: Possesses a yellow-brown prosoma, creamy-yellow legs, and distinct oblique stripes on the abdomen.
  • Female: Characterized by a dark brown prosoma and a wide oval abdomen with 4 creamy-white stripes.

Cyrtobagous Salviniae

Successfully deployed as a biological control agent in Madhya Pradesh to control the infestation of Salvinia molesta.

• About Salvinia Molesta: An invasive, free-floating aquatic plant that forms dense mats blocking waterways. First recorded in Veli Lake, Kerala (1955), and officially declared a pest in 1964.
• About Cyrtobagous salviniae: A subaquatic, herbivorous insect native to Brazil that feeds on both Salvinia molesta and Salvinia minima. Uniquely adapts to breathe underwater by utilizing an air bubble (plastron) and acts as an efficient biological control agent worldwide.