Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972 consists of 6 schedule lists, which give varying degrees of protection. Poaching, smuggling and illegal trade of animals listed Schedule 1 to schedule 4 are prohibited.
(i) Schedule 1 and part II of Schedule 2
(ii) Schedule 3 and schedule 4
(iii) schedule 5
(iv) Schedule 6
Description of Animals listed in Schedule 1 to 4 of WPA, 1972
Common Name | Category | Range Description | Habitat & Ecology | Major threat |
Andaman Wild Pig | Least Concern | Andaman | Temperate to Tropical Habitat | Habitat destruction and hunting pressure. |
Bharal | Least Concern | Bhutan, China, Northern India, Northern Myanmar, Nepal, North Pakistan. Blue Sheep - North Himalaya & Trans Himalaya - along the border of Arunachal Pradesh. Ladak, Himachal Pradesh, U.P., Sikkim and Eastern Arunachal Pradesh & recently conformed in Western Arunachal Pradesh | Open grass slopes in high mountain from 2500 - 5500 m avoid entering forest area | Competition with livestock, habitat destruction due to livestock. |
Binturong | Vulnerable | India - Sikkim, Bangladesh, Bhutan Myanmar, China | Arboreal animals feed on fruits, insects, birds. | Habitat loss and degradation. |
Brown antlered Deer | Endangered | South & South East Asia, Manipur (Southern end of loktak lake) region of N.E. India through Myanmar. | Open, Grass dominated habitat. | Hunting, Medicinal Product, Habitat loss. “Hydroelectric Power Project - loktak lake |
Brown Beer | Critically Endangered | India (Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarkhant), Nepal, Pakistan, China | Temperate rainforest. (Northern India, Western China) | Man - animal conflict |
Capped Langur | Vulnerable | Bangladesh, Bhutan (N.E. India - A.P., Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura) Brahmaputra (Karbi Anglong, Khasi, Garo, Naga & Jaintia hills) & Myanmar | Diurnal, arboreal, broadleaf, deciduous & bamboo forest | Habitat destruction, jhum cultivation, monoculture, timber and firewood harvest. Traded for meat purpose. |
Caracal desert lynx | Least Concern | Africa, Central Asia, South West Asia into India | Semi - desert to open tropical grassland | Habitat, destruction, hunting |
Cheetah | Vulnerable | 1. Extint - Central - India & Pakistan 2. Asiastic Cheetah (critically endangered) - Iran - only | Open Grassy habitat, dry forest, savanna woodland, semi - desert - absent in tropical rain forest | Habitat loss, fragmentation, loss of prey - due to human hunting activities. livestock damage - hunting by man. |
Chinese Pangolin | Endangered | Occur in Himalayan foot hills in Eastern Nepal, Bhutan, Northern India, North East Bangladesh (India - Sikkim) | Primary & Secondary tropical forest, lime stone forest, bamboo forest, grassland & agricultural field. Nocturnal animal | Habitat loss, hunting for local use trade skin, scales & meat |
Indian Gazelle (Chinkara) | Least Concern | Western & Central India through Pakistan, South-West Afghan. (Thar desert remains strong hold) | Inhabits arid area, Sand deserts, Flat plains & hills, dry scrub & light forest. | Habitat loss through overgrazing, conversion to agriculture & industrial development |
Clouded Leopard | Vulnerable | Himalayan foot hill in Nepal through mainland South East Asia - China | Arboreal, forest habitat (Primary every green tropical rainforest, also in dry deciduous forest Himalaya - 2500 m. | Habitat destruction. Hunted for skin, bones for medicine, captive animal |
Crab eating Macaque | Least Concern | Occurs on Nicobar Island of India, (Little Nicobar & Great Nicobar) where it found up to 600 m. | Grassland, Mangrove, swamp forest and can be found in agricultural area near forest. | Hunting, Habitat loss. |
Sand Cat | Near threatened | Only found in true desert. Northern Africa, Southwest & Central Asia | Specialist of sand desert, localized around spare regetation which can support small rodent prey. | Habitat degradation major threat - by human settlement and livestock grazing |
Dugong Dugong (Sea Cow) | Vulnerable | Coastal Island water belt East Africa & Vanuate belt latitude 27° N - South of Eq (India - Andaman & Nicobar, Laccadives) | Coastal water, wide shallow mangrove & sizeable sea grass bed. | Habitat & degradation loss Indigenous use & hunting, pollution |
Ermine | Least Concern | Throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Greenland, Canada, Siberia, India. | Forest edge habitat, scrub, alpine meadow, marshes, riparian woodland, hedgerows. | No major threat Habitat destruction due to timber loss. |
Fishing Cat | Endangered | Asia - Pakistan - Indus Valley India - Nagpur, Himalayan foothill & Eastern India. (Keoladeo National Park) | Wetland (Swamp and marshy), Oxbow lake, reed beds, mangroves. Evergreen & tropical dry forest. | Wetland destruction 45% of wetland 94% of globally significant wetland - threatened. eg: Human settlement, agricultural pollution, hunting & Wood cutting. |
Four horned antelope | Vulnerable | 2008 - Widely distributed but in scattered population over most of India - From Himalaya foothills to Peninsular India. (Nepal. India) | Found in well wooded undulating (or) hilly area and never far from water, they are solitary & browse & graze. | Habitat destruction through the clearance of scrub & forest for agriculture. |
Ganges river Dolphin | Endangered | Indus Ganges - Brahmaputra Megna, Karnaphuli - Sangu river system of south. Asian subcontinent, from upstream to where they blocked by barrier. | Cone in counter - current pools below channel convergence meanders. Can’t tolerate salinity > 10 ppt. | 1. Water development project 2 . Fragmenting of pop, dams, barrages. 3. Pollutant loads. 4. Deliberate killing 5. Mortality in fishing gear |
India Gaur | Vulnerable | Gaur historically occured throughout main land south. South east asia, Srilanka. | From sea level upto least 2800m. (hill & low lying area.) 1. undisturbed forest tact, 2. hilly terrain 3. availability of water. 4. availability of coarse grasses | Hunting, Habitat degradation, forest fragmentation with human population. |
Golden Cat | Near threatened | Himalayan foothills into China and South East Asia | Forest habitat ranging from tropical and subtropical evergreen to mixed & dry deciduous forest | Habitat loss to deforestations, illegal trading |
Golden Langur | Endangered | Bhutan and Northeast India (Assam). Forest beltwest Assam between manas river in east, sankosh - Brahmaputra | Moist evergreen, diptero carp, riverine & moist deciduous forest | Habitat destruction, Hunting. |
(a) Indian / Malabar Gaint aquirtel | Least Concern | Southwestern, Central, Eastern Peninsular India (W.G., E.G. & Satpura) AP, Kar, TN, M.P. Mah, Chatti, Jhar, Gujar, Kerala | Diuval - arboreal sp. Tropical evergreen, semi evergreen & Moist decidous forest. High Cannopy | Habitat degradation - agriculture and plantation, Monoculture, dam, Hunting. |
(b) Grizzled giant squirrel | Near threatened | Southern India (Kerala, TN) Srilanka | Tropical dry decidous & Montane forest | Habitat degradation agriculture and plantation, Monoculture, dam, Hunting. |
Himalyan Ibex | Least Concern | Central & Northeast Afghanistan, China, North (India) - Hima of Jammu and Kashmir & Himachal Pradesh Hindu Kush range (Karakoram, Trans-Himalayan) | Mountain, open alpine meadow & crags (not in forest zone) | Hunted for food. Habitat loss due to competition with livestock. |
Himalayan Thar | Near threatened | Himalaya China (Southern Tibet), North India (J.K. to Sikkim) & Nepal (Uttarkhand, H.P.). |
Steep rocky mountain side (3000-4000). Grass, herb & fruit. | Uncontrolled hunting & deforestation, habitat lose due to livestock grazing. |
Hispid Hare | Endangered | From Uttar Pradesh through Nepal, West Bengal to Assam (W.B., Assam, Bihar, U.P.) | Tall grassland (Elephant Grass) | Habitat loss, agri, logging, flood control and HD |
Hog budger | Near threatened | Central to South east Asia. Mongolia, India (Sikkim, Terai, Assam, A.P.), China, Indonesia, LaoPDR, Myanmar | Diurnal, forested area (tuber root, earthworm, insects). 1) grass land - India Terai (Evergreen Forest) | Hunting by Dogs & Man. |
Hoolock Gibbon 1) Western 2) Eastern | Endangered Vulnerable | Northeast India, Bangladesh (A.P., Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland) Upto South of Brahamaputra & East of Dibang Southern China & Chindwin river Myanmar. Boundary between (2) Hoolock gibbon uncertain in chindwin head water. India not found (Expect Eastern A.P.) | Forest dweller, locale, inhabit tropical evergreen (Tree to tree more) Hill forest, Mountainous, piro dominated forest | Habitat loss, fragmentation, human interferences hunting, Habitat loss, fragmentation, human interferences hunting, |
Leopard | Near threatened | Southwest Asia, Himalayan foothills, India, China, Jawa, Srilanka “Leopards occur widely in forest of India - sub continent. | Rainforest to desert. India - all forest type-tropical rainforest to temp deciduous and alpine coniferous. | Habitat loss, (deforestation) peaching for illegal trade. Human attack on people. |
Leopard Cat | Least Concern | Widespread up in Asia. Most of India west into pak. Afgh, through Himalayan foothill - across China, Russia. | Upto 3000m, extent into river valley - Tropical to temp broad leaf, coniferous, grassland, cold steppe to desert Pakistan |
Commercial exploitation for skin. Leopard Cat X Domestic Cat - hybridisation is also not threat. |
Red Panda | Endangered | Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar, Southern China. (Meghalayan Plateau - North east India). | Temparate Forest - having bamboo - thickest under stories | Habitat loss, Fragmentation Poaching, inbreeding depression. |
Loin tailed Macaque | Endangered | Endemic “Western Ghat hills range in South Western India (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu) | Upper canopy of primary tropical evergreen rainforest - Monsoon forest in hilly country | Habitat fragmentation (Exotic plant - tea, Eucalyptus, Coffee) |
Indo-pacific Finlers porpoise | Vulnerable | Malabar West of India | Coastal water, Shallow bay, Mangrove, Swamps and Estuaries. | Susceptible to entanglement in gillnets. Pollution boat traffic. |
Red Slenderlori Gray Slenderlori | Endangered Least Concern | Srilanka Southern eastern India (Andhra Pradesh, Kar, Kerala, TN) Srilanka | Primarily insectivorous Near human habitation | Habitat loss due to road kills, electrification, Medicine uses. |
Asian Caracal (Lynx) | Least Concern | Africa, Centralasia, Southwest Asia into India | Semi desert, open savanna to moist wood land, evergreen forest. | Habitat destruction, Hunting due to its attack on livestock |
Malabar Civet | Critically Endangered | Endemic western ghat, Coastal district of Western Ghats. Kanyakumari to Wayanad, Coorg - Karnataka | Lowland forest, lowland swamp and riparian forest in coastal plain district | Habitat loss & degradation. Poaching for civet oil |
Sun Bear | Vulnerable | Southeast Asia, North eastern India, Southern China, Bangladesh | Tropical forest habitat, Mangroves, Swamp | Habitation, Commercial Hunting. |
Marbled Cat | Vulnerable | Tropical Indo-Malaya westward along Himalayan foot hills - Nepal & China, Sumatra Borneo. | Moist - Mixed decidous evergreen tropical forest | Deforestation - due to oil palm, logging, agriculture. |
Markhor | Near threatened | Northeast Afghan, Northern India (J & K), Pakistan, Uzbekistan. “Pir Panjal range”, Banihal pass on Jammu - Srinagar highway. | Mountain terrain 600 m - 3600 m - feeds on grasses & leaves. | Hunting and Habitat Alteration. (Armed conflict). |
Mouse Deer | Least Concern | India - from T.N. & Kerala infar south - north upto Rajasthan | Tropical deciduous, Moist evergreen & Semi ever-green forest of Peninsular hill | Hunting (for Meat purpose) - W.G. & E.G. |
Himalayan Musk Deer | Endangered | Himalayan of Bhutan, North India (Sikkim), Nepal & China | Alpine environment, barren plateaus at high altitude meadows, fell fields, shurblands forest | 1. Hunting for Meat. 2. Trade - Musk gland - Cosmetic / Pharmaceutical |
Nilgiri Langur | Vulnerable | Western Ghats in South Western India (Karnataka, Kerala, TN) | Evergreen, Semi-evergreen Moist deciduous & riparian forest in lower altitude | Hunted for skin, Medicine, Habitat loss, Mining, dam, road fills. |
Nilgiri Tahr | Endangered | 5% of West Ghats in South India (Kerala & Tamil Nadu) | High elevation, grass covered hills, open terrain | Habitat loss & poaching. |
Indian Pangolin | Near threatened | South asia, Eastern part of pak to India (Except North East India). Himalayan to extreme South. India (TN, Kerala) | Tropical forest, open land, grasslands, etc. High in human settlement area. | Meat & Medicine. (for boots & shoes) |
Pygmy Hog | Critically Endangered | Northwest Bengal & North - Western Assam in India. Himalayan foot hill from Up to Assam | Smallest & Rarest wild pig in world. Grassland - with shrub & tree | Habitat loss, affecting natural succession. |
Greater onehorn Rhino | Vulnerable | Northern part - India along Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra basin includes Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan | Riverine grassland - Terai. Alluvial grass land - swamps & forest | Habitat loss, Poaching for horn - Medicinal use in China. |
Rusty spotted Cat | Vulnerable | India & Srilanka (confined to south) | Moist & dry deciduous forest types, scrub & grassland - absent in evergreen forest. | Habitat loss due to agriculture |
Himalayan Serow | Near threatened | Southeast Bangladesh, Himalaya (Bhutan, Northern India - Sikkim & Nepal), North east India & into west myanmar | Steep hills & rocky places - limestone region upto 3000 m & hill & mountain foreat area. | Meat & tropics, habitat destruction, for agriculture, fuelwood. |
Asia - small clawled offer | Vulnerable | India - Himalayan foothills of H.P. (Kulu), WB, Assam, A.P. & S.I. - Coorg (Karnataka), Ashambu, Nilgiri, Palani Hill (TN), Kerala | Wetland system - having pools & stagnant water. Fresh water swamp, meandering river, mangroves & tidal tools. | Habitat destruction. Tea & Coffee cultivation |
Sloth Bear | Vulnerable | India, Nepal, Bhutan, Srilanka (From Gujarat - to NES) Western Ghats | Wet & dry tropical forest, grasslands. Lowland species - 1500 m W.G. - upto 2000 m | Habitat loss, poaching (harvesting of forest produce, Monoculture) (Medicine) - fat of bear |
Bengal slow lori | Vulnerable | Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, North - Eastern India (A.P., Assam etc). | Arboreal, nocturnal species - tropical evergreen forest, semi & moist deciduous forest. | Habitat loss - Farming, road building, dam, power line. Hunting - Medicine. |
Travancore Flying squirrel | Near Threatened | Restricted to W.G. of Southern India and Srilanka. kerala & T.N. (from Brahmagiri Wildlife Santuary, Karnataka). | Arboreal & Nocturnal Evergreen, decidous and montane forest | Habitat loss due to agriculture & human settlement. |
Snubfin Dolphin | Vulnerable | Southeast Asia, India - Chilika lake. | Coastal area with muddy, brackish water at river mouth. | Habitat loss and degradation. |
Snow leopard | Endangered | High mountain of C.A, Pamir, Karakorum, Hindu Kush and Himalayan Range. India - “J.K., H.P., Sikkim, Uttarkhand). | Alphine & Sub alphine ecological zone favouring steep terrain. | Reduce in prey, illegal trade, people conflict, lack of conservation capacity policy & awarness. |
Swamp Deer | Vulnerable | Northern & Central India, Southwestern Nepal (Assam - Sunderbans (Indo - Gangetic) | Open sal, with grass understorey and grassland forms, true swamp deer, Mangroves of Sunderban. | Habitat loss - due to conversion into agriculture land. |
Chiru | Endangered | China, India ( J & K) | High altitude plain, hill plateau & Montane valley | Hunted for fur (Shahtosh) Quality - making “shawls” |
Tibetan Fox | Least Concern | Tibetan Plateau, Ladak area of India, China, Nepal | Upland plains, hills - mostly spare grassland devoid of trees & shrub | No Major threat |
Tibetan Gazelle | Near threatened | Qinghai - Tibet Plateau, India (ladak, Sikkim). | High altitude plains, hills also grasses in wetland margin. | Habitat loss. |
Kiang (Wild Ass) | Least Concern | Tibetan Plateau, China, Northern Pak, India, Nepal) Ladak & Sikkim | Open terrain, plains, alphine meadows - where grasses & sedges abundant. | Hunting, disease transmission from domestic livestock. |
Tiger | Endangered | Southwest Asia, Central Asia, (Java & Bali) - disappeared. Asian Countries - Bang, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand & Vietnam | Forest of tropical Asia | Poaching, Man animal conflict, (bore antiinflammatory property) |
Urial | Vulnerable | India - Only (laddak), Central and South West Asia. | Moderate to arid habitat grassland. | Poaching, Competition with livestock. |
Indian Buffalo | Endangered | S. Nepal, Southern Bhutan, Western Thailand, Northern Myanmar, India (Bastar region - M.P., Assam, AP, Meghalaya, Orissa, Maharastra) | Low - lying Alluvial grassland, deciduous forest - with marshes & rivers. | Interbreeding with feral & domestic buffalo, hunting & habitat loss. |
(a) Terrapin | Critically Endangered | Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia. | Terrestrial nest sites, tidal area of largest river estuaries | Trade |
(b) Tricarinate Hill Turtle | Vulnerable | Bangladesh, India | Fully terrestrial | |
Gharial | Critically endangered | India - Chambal River, Girwa river. Pop - Son River Bihar, U.P. | Terrestrial, Fresh Water | Alternation of habitat, Fishing, Agriculture, grazing, utilization |
India Softshell Turtle | Vulnerable | Bangladesh, India (Ganges River), Pakistan | Terrestrial, Fresh Water | Trade in East Asian Market |
Green Turtle | Endangered | Throughout tropical water, lesser - subtropical. Indian ocean - east, west, mediterranean Sea, Pacific ocean | Highly migratory, broad habitat during their lifetime. | Harvest of egg & Adult from nesting beaches, retting, trawling. |
Hawsbill Turtle | Critically endangered | Throughout tropical water, larger extent subtropical, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific Ocean | Highly migratory, broad habitat - during life time. | Tortoises shell trade Egg collection, meat, Destruction of Nesting habitat, Foraging habitat, oil pollution, hybridisation |
Leather Back Turtle | Vulnerable | Leather back are distributed, with nesting site on tropical sandy beaches & foraging range that extent into temp / sup polar. | Turtle inhabiting tropical, subtropical & sub polar extensive migration, different feeding area at different season. | Habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, Fisheries by Catch. |
Olive Ridly | Vulnerable | Throughout tropical water (Except Mexico). | Multiple habitat, Migration less compared to other - usually carred by major currents | Targeted Exploitation, capturing, by catch in fisheries, Habitat impact, disease & predation |
Bengal Florican | Critically endangered | Two population 1. Indian Sub Continent - (U.P., Nepal, Assam, A.P.) 2. South - East Asia - Cambodia, Vietnam. | lowland dry, natural & seminatural grassland, open forest. | Modification of grassland, overgrazing, inappropriate cutting, burning & ploughing regimes, flooding, dam construction, illegal development. |
Black NeckedCrane | Vulnerable | China, Ladakh (A.P.) - India, Bhutan | Alpine bog meadows & riverine marshes, lacustrine marshes. | Intensive grazing & pesticide use - result in degradation of grassland. |
Cheer Pheasant | Vulnerable | India - Kashmir, H.P., Uttarkhand, Pakistan, Nepal | Rocky terrain dominated by scrub, tall grass & scattered clumb tree (1445 - 3050m) | Hunted, egg consumption, construction project (dam, electricity). |
Forest Owlet | Critically endangered | Endemic - Central India, (North - Western Maharashtra, South-east M.P. Till 1997 only specimen, 2000 rediscovered. | Open dry deciduous forest dominated by Teak, ground with grasses - typical owlet site. | Forest destruction, human settlement & grazing. |
Barking Deer (or) Muntjac | Least Concern | Thai - Malay Peninsula, Greater Sundas (Borneo, Java, Bali, Sumatra) | 1. In forest & areas adjacent to forest 2. In plantations of coffee rubber, sugarcane, teak | Habitat encroachment & Hunting for freshmeat. |
Chital | Least Concern | 8 - 30° N in India (Including SIKKIM), Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Srilanka WB - Eastern Rajasthan NB - Foothills & Himalayas EB - Western Assam SB - Throughout Peninsular India | 1. Avoids - Dense Moist forest Open semi arid & arid desert 2. Moist, dry deciduous day thorny scrub (or) grasslands - Habitat | Hunting & Competition with domestic livestock No Major threat |
Goral (or) Wodgsoni | Near threatened | Bhutan, China (Southern Tibet) Northern India (Incl SIKKIM) Northern Pakistan Possibly Western Myanmar | 1. Steep Mountains & will use evergreen forest near cliff 2. feed in grassy rights & steep rocky slopes | Habitat destruction Hunting competition of livestock |
Hogdeer | Endangered | Pakistan, North & North Eastern India east across nonsundalic region Marginally - Southern China | 1. Wet (or) Moist tall grassland 2. Floodplain grassland | Hunting habitat cons degradation |
Hyena | Near threatened | Africa, Arab peninsula Turkey. Indian Sub-continent recently to Nepal | 1. Open habitat (or) light thorn 2. Avoids & open Desert | Persecution (poisoning) decrease in source |
Nilgai | Least concern | Widely distributed in India. lowland of Nepal & border areas of Pakistan extinct in Bangladesh | 1. Arid areas, scrub, dry deciduous, agricultural areas 2. Avoid - Dense Forest, deserts 3. Browsers & grazers | 1. Constructed as agricultural pest 2. Permit hunting if damage occurs. |
Sambar | Vulnerable | India, East along Southern Himalayas India, Nepal, Bhutan, Srilanka | 1. India - Thorn, arid forests of Gujarat & Rajasthan 2. Moist decidiuous forest throughout Peninsular 3. Pine & Oak trees at himalayan forest | 1. Habitat encroachment 2. Hunting |
Wild Pig | Least Concern | Occur in modified form in all continents except in Antarctica & on many oceanic Islands | 1. Temperate & tropical habitats 2. Semi desert to tropical rainforest | 1. Global lenes & No major threats 2. local lenes & Hunting & habitat destruction. |
India’s Procupine | Least Concern | Turkey to Pakistan, India, China, Nepal & Srilanka | 1. Rocky hill side 2. Tropical & temperate scrub land | Considered as Agricultural Pest - locals trap & use them for food. |
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