🦋 Chapter 02 · Topic 03 · Endemic & Threatened Species

Endemic & Threatened Species — IUCN Red List

IUCN Red List categories, India’s critically endangered and endangered species, and endemic flora & fauna for UPSC & PSC exams.

Endemic Species

An endemic species is one that is found exclusively in a particular geographic region and nowhere else in the world. Endemism can occur at various scales — a single mountain, an island, a country, or a biogeographic zone.

India has approximately 33% endemic flora concentrated in its biodiversity hotspot regions
Western Ghats alone has over 5,000 endemic plant species and hundreds of endemic vertebrates
Island ecosystems (Andaman & Nicobar) have very high endemism due to geographic isolation
Endemic species are especially vulnerable — any local threat can cause global extinction

🌿 Examples of Indian Endemic Species:
• Flora: Nepenthes khasiana (pitcher plant, Meghalaya), Myristica swamp trees (Western Ghats)
• Fauna: Lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri tahr, Purple frog, Sangai deer (Manipur), Namdapha flying squirrel

IUCN Red List Categories

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains the Red List of Threatened Species — the world’s most comprehensive inventory of species’ conservation status. Categories from most to least threatened:

Category	Code	Definition
EX Extinct	EX	No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died
EW Extinct in Wild	EW	Survives only in captivity or cultivation; none in natural habitat
CR Critically Endangered	CR	Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
EN Endangered	EN	Very high risk of extinction in the wild
VU Vulnerable	VU	High risk of extinction in the wild
NT Near Threatened	NT	Close to qualifying for threatened category
LC Least Concern	LC	Does not qualify for threatened categories; widespread and abundant
DD Data Deficient	DD	Inadequate information to assess extinction risk

⚡ Exam Note: EX, EW, CR, EN, and VU are collectively called “Threatened Species”. NT and LC are not threatened. DD means we simply don’t have enough data — it does NOT mean the species is safe.

India’s Critically Endangered Species (CR)

These species face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild:

Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps): Fewer than 150 individuals; Rajasthan & Gujarat; threatened by power lines, habitat loss
Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus): Critically endangered crocodilian; Chambal, Girwa, Mahanadi rivers; fewer than 650 adults
Hangul / Kashmir Stag (Cervus hanglu hanglu): Only in Dachigam National Park, J&K; fewer than 300 individuals
Malabar Large-spotted Civet (Viverra civettina): Western Ghats; one of world’s rarest mammals; possibly fewer than 250
Namdapha Flying Squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi): Known only from Namdapha NP, Arunachal Pradesh; possibly extinct
Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti): Central India; rediscovered in 1997 after 113 years
Pygmy Hog (Porcula salvania): Manas NP, Assam; world’s smallest wild pig

India’s Endangered Species (EN)

These species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild:

Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris): ~3,167 individuals (2022 census); Project Tiger launched 1973
Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica): Only in Gir Forest, Gujarat; ~674 individuals (2020 census)
Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus): ~27,000–30,000 in India; Project Elephant 1992
One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis): Kaziranga NP, Assam; ~3,700 globally; India has ~3,000+
Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia): Himalayas; ~400–700 in India; Project Snow Leopard
Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica): National Aquatic Animal of India; Ganga-Brahmaputra system

Species Status — Quick Reference Table

Species	IUCN Status	Location in India	Key Threat
Great Indian Bustard	CR	Rajasthan, Gujarat	Power lines, habitat loss
Gharial	CR	Chambal, Girwa rivers	Sand mining, fishing nets
Hangul (Kashmir Stag)	CR	Dachigam NP, J&K	Habitat loss, poaching
Pygmy Hog	CR	Manas NP, Assam	Grassland burning
Bengal Tiger	EN	Tiger Reserves across India	Poaching, habitat fragmentation
Asiatic Lion	EN	Gir Forest, Gujarat	Single-location vulnerability
Indian Elephant	EN	NE India, Western Ghats, Nilgiris	Human-elephant conflict
One-horned Rhino	VU	Kaziranga, Assam	Poaching for horn
Snow Leopard	VU	Himalayas	Climate change, prey depletion
Lion-tailed Macaque	EN	Western Ghats	Deforestation

⚡ Important Update: The One-horned Rhinoceros was downlisted from Vulnerable to Near Threatened in the 2024 IUCN update due to successful conservation in India and Nepal. Always check for latest IUCN updates before exams.

Revision Checklist

✅ Endemic = found only in a specific region; India ~33% endemic flora in hotspots
✅ IUCN Red List: EX → EW → CR → EN → VU → NT → LC → DD
✅ Threatened = EX + EW + CR + EN + VU (5 categories)
✅ DD = Data Deficient ≠ safe; just insufficient data
✅ CR species: Great Indian Bustard, Gharial, Hangul, Malabar civet, Namdapha flying squirrel
✅ EN species: Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion, Indian elephant, Snow leopard, Ganges dolphin
✅ Asiatic lion: only in Gir Forest, Gujarat (~674 individuals, 2020)
✅ Bengal tiger: ~3,167 (2022 census); Project Tiger 1973
✅ One-horned rhino: Kaziranga; ~3,000+ in India
✅ National Aquatic Animal = Ganges River Dolphin (EN)

🏠 Back to Hub
📚 All Chapters
🧪 MCQs
📝 PYQs