Red Data Book of India – UPSC

In this article, You will read Red Data Book of India for UPSC IAS.

Red Data Book of India

Red Data Book of India includes the conservation status of animals and plants which are endemic to the Indian subcontinent.

The data for this book is provided through surveys which are conducted by the Zoological Survey of India and the Botanical Survey of India under the guidance of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.

The list contains critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable species.

The list is updated by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) from time to time as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 1996.

Critically endangered mammals

• Himalayan Brown/Red Bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus)
• Pygmy Hog (Porcula salvania)
• Andaman White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura andamanensis)
• Kondana Rat (Millardia kondana)
• Large Rock Rat or Elvira Rat (Cremnomys elvira)
• Namdapha Flying Squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi)
• Malabar Civet (Viverra civettina)
• Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)
• Kashmir stag/hangul (Cervus elaphus hanglu)

Critically Endangered Birds

• The Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus)
• White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis)
• Bengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis)
• Himalayan Quail (Ophrysia superciliosa)
• Pink- headed Duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea)
• Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius)
• Spoon Billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus)
• Siberian Crane (Grus leucogeranus)

Critically endangered arthropods include:

• Rameshwaram Parachute spider
• Peacock Tarantula

Critically endangered fish:

• Pookode Lake barb
• Pondicherry Shark (Carcharhinus hemiodon)
• Ganges Shark (Glyphis gangeticus)
• Knife-tooth Sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata)
• Large-tooth Sawfish (Pristis microdon)
• Long-comb Sawfish or Narrow-snout Sawfish (Pristis zijsron)

Critically endangered amphibians:

• Anamalai Flying Frog (Rhacophorus pseudomalabaricus)
• Gundia Indian Frog (Indirana gundia)
• Kerala Indian Frog (Indirana phrynoderma)
• Charles Darwin’s Frog (Ingerana charlesdarwini)
• Kottigehar Bubble-nest Frog (Micrixalus kottigeharensis)
• Amboli Bush Frog (Pseudophilautus amboli)
• Chalazodes Bubble-Nest Frog (Raorchestes chalazodes)
• Small Bush Frog (Raorchestes chotta)
• Green-eyed Bush Frog (Raorchestes chlorosomma)
• Griet Bush Frog (Raorchestes griet)
• Kaikatt’s Bush Frog (Raorchestes kaikatti)
• Mark’s Bush Frog (Raorchestes marki)
• Munnar Bush Frog (Raorchestes munnarensis)
• Large Ponmudi Bush Frog (Raorchestes ponmudi)
• Resplendent Shrub Frog (Raorchestes resplendens)
• Sacred Grove Bush frog (Raorchestes sanctisilvaticus)
• Sushil’s Bush Frog (Raorchestes sushili)
• Shillong Bubble-nest Frog (Raorchestes shillongensis)
• Tiger toad (Xanthophryne tigerinus)
• White-spotted bush frog
• Toad-skinned frog

Critically Endangered Reptiles

• Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
• Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
• Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
• Four-toed River Terrapin or River Terrapin (Batagur baska)
• Red-crowned Roofed Turtle or the Bengal Roof Turtle (Batagur kachuga)
• Sispara day gecko (Cnemaspis sisparensis)

Critically Endangered Corals

• Fire corals (Millepora boschmai)

Critically Endangered Spiders

• Rameshwaram Ornamental or Rameshwaram Parachute Spider (Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica)
• Gooty Tarantula, Metallic Tarantula or Peacock Tarantula (Poecilotheria metallica

Pookode Lake barb

Pookode Lake barb (Pethia pookodensis) is a species of cyprinid fish found in Kerala, where it is only known to occur in Pookode Lake in the Western Ghats.

Ganges River shark

The Ganges shark (Glyphis gangeticus) is a critically endangered species of requiem shark found in the Ganges River (Padma River) and the Brahmaputra River of Bangladesh and India.

Pondicherry shark

The Pondicherry shark (Carcharhinus hemiodon) is an extremely rare species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae. 

The Pondicherry shark is critically endangered. It was once found throughout Indo-Pacific coastal waters from the Gulf of Oman to New Guinea and is known to enter freshwater.