Endangered animals or threatened animals

• Animals whose numbers are diminishing to a level that they might face extinction are known as the endangered animals.
• Some of the wild threatened animals are – black buck, white eyed buck, elephant, golden cat, pink headed duck, gharial, marsh crocodile, python, rhinoceros, etc
• India contains 172 species of animals considered globally threatened or 2.9% of the world’s total number of threatened species. This includes 53 species of mammals, 69 of birds, 23 of reptiles and 3 species of amphibians.
• India contains globally important population of some of Asia’s rarest animals such as the Bengal fox, Marbled cat, Asiatic lion, Indian elephant, Asiatic wild ass, Indian rhinoceros, gaur, Wild Asiatic water buffalo, etc.
• Survival of some animals has become difficult because of disturbances in their natural habitat.
• Small animals are much more in danger of becoming extinct than the bigger animals.

Red Data Book:

• It is the source book which keeps a record of all the endangered animals and plants.

Migration:

• Migratory birds like Siberian crane fly to far away areas every year during a particular time because of climatic changes.
• They fly for laying eggs as the weather in their natural habitat becomes very cold and inhospitable.

Reasons for illegal hunting or poaching:

• Body parts of animals valued as ornaments. E.g. Asian elephants for ivory
• Body parts used in traditional medicine.
• Fur and hides of animals
• For meat and other extracts