Important Species of India - Wild Ass, Gaur, Yak, Wild Buffalo and Rhinoceros

The Indian Wild Ass (Equus hemionus khur) :

The Indian Wild Ass

• it is the only wild ass found in India
• It is Classified as endangered by IUCN.

Distribution :

• Its last refuge lies in the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch and its surrounding areas of the Great Rann of Kutch in the Gujarat province of India.
• Saline deserts (rann), arid grasslands and shrublands are its preferred environments.

Threats : 

• Disease
• habitat degradation due to salt activities, 
• the invasion of the Prosopis juliflora shrub, and 
• encroachment and grazing by the Maldhari.

The Gaur (Bos gaurus) :

The Gaur (Bos gaurus)

• The Gaur is also called as Indian bison
• It is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. 
• The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. 
• The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger than the African buffalo. 
• The domesticated form of the gaur, Bos frontalis, is called gayal or mithun.

Distribution : 

• The species is seriously fragmented within its range. Gaur are largely confined to evergreen forests or semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests, of Western, Central and North-Eastern India, but also occur in deciduous forest areas at the periphery of their range.
• The Western Ghats and their outflanking hills in southern India constitute one of the most extensive extant strongholds of gaur, in particular in the Wynaad – Nagarahole – Mudumalai – Bandipur complex. 
• Major populations of about 2,000 individuals have been reported in both Nagarahole and Bandipur National Parks, over 1,000 individuals in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Project, 500–1000 individuals in both Periyar Tiger Reserve and Silent Valley and adjoining forest complexes, and over 800 individuals in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary.

 Threats : 

• Poaching for international markets.
• Habitat loss.
• Opportunistic hunting, and specific hunting for home consumption.
• Trophy hunting.

 

The Yak (Bos grunniens) :

The Yak (Bos grunniens)

• The yak is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. 
• it is classified as vulnerable.

Distribution : 

• Wild yaks are found primarily in  Ladakh in India.
• The primary habitat of wild yaks consists of treeless uplands between 3,000 and 5,500 m (9,800 and 18,000 ft), dominated by mountains and plateaus.
• They are most commonly found in alpine meadows with a relatively thick carpet of grasses and sedges, rather than the more barren steppe country.

Threats :

• Genetic pollution from domestic Yak.
• Inbreeding.

 

The Wild Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) :

The Wild Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

• The wild water buffalo is a large bovine. 
• The species is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1986.
• The wild water buffalo is the ancestor of the domestic water buffalo, and the second-largest wild bovid, smaller only than the gaur.

Distribution : 

• The wild buffaloes are associated with wet grasslands, swamps and densely vegetated river valleys. 
• In India, they are largely restricted to in and around Kaziranga, Manas and Dibru-Saikhowa National Parks, Laokhowa and Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuaries and a few scattered pockets in Assam; in and around D'Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh; a small population in Buxa Tiger Reserve northern West Bengal; Balpakram National Park Meghalaya and in Madhya Pradesh in the Indravati National Park and the Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary.

Threats :

• Interbreeding with feral and domestic buffalo in and around protected areas.
• Hunting.
• Habitat loss of floodplain areas due to conversion to agriculture and hydropower development;
• Degradation of wetlands due to invasive species such as stem twiners and lianas;
• diseases and parasites transmitted by domestic livestock;
• Inter-specific competition for food and water between wild buffalo and domestic stock.

The Indian One horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis):

The Indian One horned Rhinoceros

• The Indian rhinoceros is also called greater one-horned rhinoceros and Asian one-horned rhinoceros.
• it is listed as a vulnerable species.

Distribution :

• It is primarily found in north-eastern India's Assam where populations are confined to the riverine grasslands in the foothills of the Himalayas.
• In 2007, the total population was estimated to be 2,575 individuals, of which 2,200 lived in Indian protected areas,
• it's largest population is found in Kaziranga National Park: 2,048 (2009 estimate), also found in Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Orang National Park, Gorumara, Dudhwa National Park, Manas National Park, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary

Threats :

• Poaching is the major threat for one horned rhinoceros, it is mainly used in the  Traditional Chinese Medicine.
• The species is inherently at risk because over 70% of its population occurs at a single site, Kaziranga National Park. Any catastrophic event such as disease, civil disorder, poaching, habitat loss would have a devastating impact on the Indian rhino's status.
• Habitat loss of floodplain areas due to conversion to agriculture and hydropower development;
• Silting up of beels;
• Grazing by domestic livestock.
•  In-breeding depression.