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Fauna of India

The document describes several animal species found in India. It provides details about tigers, such as their coat color and habitat in tropical forests in parts of South Asia. It then discusses lions, elephants, rhinoceros, giraffes, peacocks, cranes, bulbuls, eagles, and mynas. For each species it provides their scientific classification and some distinguishing physical characteristics and behaviors.

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Noble Varghese
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109 views

Fauna of India

The document describes several animal species found in India. It provides details about tigers, such as their coat color and habitat in tropical forests in parts of South Asia. It then discusses lions, elephants, rhinoceros, giraffes, peacocks, cranes, bulbuls, eagles, and mynas. For each species it provides their scientific classification and some distinguishing physical characteristics and behaviors.

Uploaded by

Noble Varghese
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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FLORA OF INDIA

NOBLE K VARGHESE
TIGER

Class: Mammalia

Order: Carnivora

Family: Felidae

Genus species: Panthera (panther, leopard) tigris (tiger)

The tiger has a magnificent appearance. The coat colour of this wildcat is
reddish orange with narrow black, gray or brown stripes, generally in a vertical
direction. The underside is creamy or white; a rare variant has a chalky white
coat with darker stripes and icy blue eyes that will freeze you with fear!
Tigers dwell in tropical jungles, brush, marsh lands, and tall grasslands in fragmented areas of Bangladesh, Nepal,
India, Bhutan, and Burma.
Tigers, are seated at the top-of-the-food-chain predators help in maintaining the ecological balance of populations by
keeping prey populations in check. 

LION

Class: MAMMALIA
Order: CARNIVORA
Family: FELIDAE
Genus species: Panthera leo
The Asiatic Lion is rated the most endangered large carnivore globally. And India has the distinction of being
the last earthly refuge of the Asiatic lion. The Gir National Park and Lion Sanctuary is the one and only
remaining habitat of this proud and majestic species.
Lions live for ten to fourteen years in the wild, while in captivity they can live longer than twenty
years. In the wild, males seldom live longer than ten years, as injuries sustained from continual
fighting with rival males greatly reduce their longevity

ELEPHANT

Class: Mammalia
Order: Proboscidea
Family: Elephantidae
Genus species: Elephas maximus indicus

The Asian elephant is one of the largest land mammals on Earth. The trunk of the Asian elephant has two
finger-like structures at its tip that allow the animal to perform both delicate and powerful movements.
Elephants have long, coarse hairs sparsely covering their body. Their skin is brown to dark gray. They have
been very important to Asian culture for thousands of years - they have been domesticated and are used for
transportation and to move heavy objects.

Nothing can compare the majestic build up of an elephant and when you ride on when, it feels like you've
gone back to the times of the royal. Elephants always catch the attention of every onlooker, but just like
Tigers and Lions this animal has also come under threat of extinction.
RHINOCEROS

Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Rhinocerotidae.
Genus species: Rhinoceros unicornis

The Indian rhinoceros ("rhino") has one horn, and it has skin with loose folds which make it appear armored.
These characteristics distinguish it from the African (black and white) rhinos. It weighs 1600 (female) - 2200
(male) kg (3500 - 4800 lb). The Indian rhino has been recorded from a number of habitats, including marshy
lowland and reedbeds; tall grass or bush with patches of savanna and occasional streams and swamps;
thick tree and scrub riverine forest; and dry, mixed forest. The Indian rhino mainly eats grass, reeds and
twigs, feeding mostly in the morning and evening. It is usually solitary and spends long periods lying in
water and wallowing in mud.

GIRAFFE

Class: Mammalia 
Order: Artiodactyla 
Family: Giraffidae
Genus species: Giraffa Camelopardalis
Being the tallest of all land-living species, the giraffe is a very fascinating animal. The male giraffe is known
to have a height of 4.8 to 5.5 metres (16 to 18 feet tall) and weighs up to 1300 kilograms (i.e. 3,000 pounds).
The female giraffe is comparatively short in height and also weighs less. The name ‘giraffe’ is born out of an
Arab word, ‘Xirapha’ meaning ‘one that can walk very fast’. This animal is one unique creature because
despite its very long neck, the giraffe has equal number of cervical vertebrae as a human being.

PEACOCK

Class: Aves
Order:Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus species: Pavo cristatus

The male Indian Peafowl, commonly known as the peacock, is one of the most recognizable birds in the
world. These large, brightly colored birds have a distinctive crest and an unmistakable ornamental train.
Each of these feathers sports an ornamental ocellus, or eye-spot, and has long disintegrated barbs, giving
the feathers a loose, fluffy appearance. When displaying to a female, the peacock erects this train into a
spectacular fan, displaying the ocelli to their best advantage. 
CRANE

Class: Aves
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Gruidae
Genus species: Grus antigone

The Sarus crane is the world's tallest flying bird; a large male may stand six feet tall. There are three
recognized subspecies of the sarus crane. The Indian sarus cranes live, as their name implies, predominately
in Asia's subcontinent. In areas dominated by the Hindu religion, the Indian sarus suffers little persecution.
They have, as a result, lost much of their fear of humans and often nest in rice paddies where they are
regarded as omens for good crops, especially in India.

BULBUL

Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus species: Grus antigone
The Red-vented Bulbul is easily identified by its short crest giving the head a squarish
appearance. The body is dark brown with a scaly pattern while the head is darker or black. The
rump is white while the vent is red. The black tail is tipped in white. The Himalayan races have a
more prominent crest and are more streaked on the underside.

EAGLE

Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus species: Aquila hastate
The Indian Spotted Eagle is about 60 cm in length and has a wingspan of 150 cm. It is broad-
headed, with the widest mouth of all spotted eagles[1]. This species has a lighter coloration overall
compared to its relatives, with a darker iris that makes the eyes appear darker than the plumage
(rather than the other way around as in the northern spotted eagles).
MYNA

Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sturnidae

Genus species: Acridotheres Tristis

he bird is of a dark chocolate brown colour with bright yellow bill, legs and orbital skin. The
ones found on the island country of Sri Lanka tend to be of a darker shade of brown. Indian
myna has a conspicuous white patch which shows when the bird is in flight. This bird has a
variety of sharp calls that is uttered with an absurd bobbing of the head.

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