Natural wealth is the mirror and asset of a country. The wildlife in India is very vivid; spread as the colours of diverse cultures. The unique, mysterious and amazing natural wealth of the Indian subcontinent is loved by Wildlife Enthusiasts.
Around 400 varieties of mammals, 1250 species of birds and 10,000 types of insects and 2546 variety of fish, 197 species of amphibians and 450 reptile species are found in India.
Mammals in India
Popular mammals include the Elephant, Lion, the Royal Bengal Tiger, Rhinos, Wild buffaloes, massive Indian bisons, hyenas, wild pigs, jackals, foxes, wolves, deer, antelope species, monkeys etc.They are distributed unevenly according to climatic conditions in the specific regions like Elephants are found in the sparsely populated hilly areas of Karnataka, Kerala and Orissa, Lions in the rocky hills and Gir forests of Gujarat, Tigers in the Sunderbans and the Brahmaputra valley and Wild ass in Rajasthan.
Avi-faunas in India
Bird-Life in India are rich and colorful and thousands of migratory birds add up to the charm. About 1250 species and sub-species of colorful birds are found in India. Indian forests are home to large hornbills, serpent eagles and fishing owls, Parrots, the national bird of India, peacock as well as water birds, herons, ibises, storks, cranes and pelicans.
Reptiles in India
The wildlife also include reptilian fauna. India has over 450 species of reptiles and amphibians. The magnificent king cobras, Kraits, pythons, crocodiles, large freshwater tortoises and monitor lizards are found here. The prominent species of 10,000 insect species found in India includes praying mantis, Idiopid spider, Scorpions, locusts, bees, silkworms and the Lac insect.
National Parks and Sanctuaries
India has a rich variety of wild animals found in forests. Some of the animals have extincted and some are endangered. Government of India established 97 national parks, more than 500 sanctuaries and 28 tiger reserves to conserve endangered species of animals. These national parks cover total land area of 38,029.18 km².
Some of the famous national parks and Sanctuaries are listed below with their home state and land area covered with the year in which they were established.
Famous National Parks in India
| S.No. | National Parks | State | Year in Which Established | Area(in Sq.Km) |
| 1. | Gir National Park | Gujarat | 1975 | 258.71 |
| 2. | Bandhavgarh National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 1982 | 448.85 |
| 3. | Corbett National Park | Uttarakhand | 1936 | 520.82 |
| 4. | Dudhwa national Park | Uttar Pradesh | 1977 | 490.29 |
| 5. | Ranthambore National Park | Rajasthan | 1980 | 392 |
| 6. | Kaziranga National Park | Assam | 1974 | 471.71 |
| 7. | Kanha National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 1955 | 940 |
| 8. | Nagarhole National Park | Karnataka | 1988 | 643.39 |
| 9. | Sundarbans National Park | West Bengal | 1984 | 1330.10 |
| 10. | Manas National Park | Assam | 1990 | 500 |
| 11. | Bandipur National Park | Karnataka | 1974 | 874.20 |
| 12. | Sultanpur National Park | Haryana | 1989 | 1.43 |
| 13. | Sariska National Park | Rajasthan | 1979 | 800 |
| 13. | Panna National Park | Madhya Pradesh | ||
| 13. | Dachigam National Park | Jammu Kashmir | ||
| 13. | Mudumalia Wildlife Sanctuary | Tamil Nadu | ||
| 13. | Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary | Karnataka | ||
| 13. | Nagarhole Wildlife Sanctuary | Karnataka | ||
| 13. | Bhagvan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary | Goa | ||
| 13. | Pench National Park | Madhya Pradesh | ||
| 13. | Kumarakom Bird Sancuary | Kerala | ||
| 13. | Himalayan National Park | Himachal |
Famous Wildlife Sanctuaries in India
| S.No. | Sanctuaries | State | Year in Which Established | Area(in Sq.Km) |
| 1. | Bharatpur Bird Sactuary | Rajasthan | 1971 | 29 |
| 2. | Sariska Tiger Park | Rajasthan | 1955 | 800 |
| 3. | Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary | Kerala | 1950 (as sactuary) 1978 (as tiger reserve) | 777 |
| 3. | Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary | Kerala | 1950 (as sactuary) 1978 (as tiger reserve) | 777 |
Wildlife Safari
A variety of safaris are available in these national parks for tourists to see and watch wild animals in their natural habitat. Forest department conducts Jeep & Elephant Safari in Bandhavgarh to give an opportunity for enjoying the wildlife. Similarly Jeep Safari in Corbett National Park and in Gir Sanctuary is the best approach to observe the big cats at dawn and dusk prowl.
Wild Life Parks