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We may all be familiar with the national symbols of India but few know that each state has its own set of markers to represent itself. Not only are they icons of the subcontinent’s biological diversity, but have also merged into the state’s cultural landscape, in their language, clothing, and symbology. In a time where most of these animals are endangered or even near extinction, it would do us good to learn about them and the effort going into protecting them.
I.Blackbuck | Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab
No citizen of the country is a stranger to the case of a popular film star arrested for hunting the blackbuck, a protected animal whose population numbers reached a new low in the 1990’s. Though revered by communities such as the Bishnois, these spiral-horned creatures are continued to be hunted and poached illegally for their hide.
II. Mithun | Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland
Also known as Gayal, these bovines have been domesticated and reared by the hill peoples of states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Tripura. Among the Nyishi tribe, the possession of a gayal is a symbol of wealth and prosperity.
III. One-Horned Rhinoceros | Assam
Excessively hunted from the 1800’s onwards, the one-horn rhino had a close brush with extinction in the early 1900’s. Now they’re only found in certain pockets of India and Nepal, and the countries government’s are combining efforts to protect them. You can spot these magnificent creatures in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park.
IV. Gaur | Bihar and Goa
The ox, also known as Gavoredo in Konkani, was marked vulnerable in 2002. A high-demand for their meat from markets in the India-Nepal border aided their dwindling numbers. They may seem frightening but are actually quite timid creatures and avoid confrontation as much as they can.
V. Wild Water Buffalo | Chhattisgarh
Also endangered, The Wild Water Buffalo is found in wet grasslands and swamps. Under a project at the National Dairy Research Institute in Haryana, a clone of a captive wild buffalo was successfully created in 2015, to promote the growth of their population, and was christened “Deepasha”.
VI. Nilgai | Delhi
Though Nilgai might translate directly to “blue cow”, it actually isn’t a cow at all, but an antelope! Though Hindu scriptures revere it as sacred as the cow, the Bihar government has classified it as a pest because of its tendency to wreak havoc on fields. They are also featured in many miniature paintings from the Mughal period.
VII. Asiatic Lion | Gujarat
The lion as an icon occurs in a plethora of forms across India, from Vishnu’s avatar as Narasimha to Ashokan pillars. It also features prominently on Gujarat’s tourism campaigns. Despite its cultural importance, this formidable creature now has only one habitat in the world, the Gir forest of Gujarat. Its numbers are alarmingly low, even recently (attach article)11 lions were found dead in the very same forest.
VIII. Snow Leopard | Himachal Pradesh
New habitats of snow leopards were recently found along the Sutlej river in Himachal Pradesh, to the relief of conservationists. The correct population numbers of these creatures have been proven hard to gauge, due to their elusive and reclusive nature. In the past few years, cameras have been installed in the Spiti valley to monitor their movements.
IX. Kashmir Stag | Jammu and Kashmir
The Kashmir Stag, locally known as Hangul resides in the high valleys of the state. It gets its name after the Kashmiri word “Haang” which means rusty-brown, signifying the colour of the deer. The Dachigam National Park is a popular place to spot these endangered animals.
X. Indian Elephant | Jharkhand, Karnataka and Kerala
The image of the elephant is one of the most prevalent in the country, from being a prominent god of the Hindu pantheon to an important symbol in Buddhist and Jain iconography. Elephants are hunted for ivory and hide, used in circuses and temples as well as commercial elephant-ride enterprises. Along with habitat loss, these factors have pushed these gentle giants into the endangered list.
XI. Swamp Deer | Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh
Previously found in Bangladesh and Pakistan as well, the Barasingha now only exists in the Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh. To improve awareness and connection to the public, the national park created an adorable mascot, “Bhoorsingh the Barasingha” in collaboration with Rohan Chakravarty, a wildlife cartoonist.
X. Giant Squirrel | Maharashtra
Twice the size of the squirrels you’re used to seeing around, the Indian giant squirrel also sports a range of colours, from beige to red-brown. Interestingly, these creatures flatten themselves against a tree or stand still when confronted, instead of fleeing. As they can leap up to six meters between tree branches, locals call them flying squirrels.
XI. Sangai | Manipur
The brow-antlered deer is found only in Manipur and is held sacred by its people. In fact, their annual festival, The Sangai Festival was named in honour of the animal. The deer can be spotted in the state’s Keibul Lamjao National Park.
XII. Clouded Leopard | Meghalaya
These wild cats are distinguished by dark cloud-shaped blotches on their body, giving rise to their name. The clouded leopard became the mascot of Meghalaya’s Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation initiative.
XIII. Serow | Mizoram
The categorisation of the serow is ambiguous, some describe it to be a goat-like mammal, some an antelope. This grizzly furred antelope-goat were hunted, as their body parts were thought to contain medicinal properties by local communities. Currently, it is believed that an epidemic is wiping out the population of serows.
XIV. Sambar | Odisha
Not to be confused with the delicious lentil dish, Sambars are dark-brown deer found in almost all forests of the state, like Chandaka or Simlipal National Park. Like other types of deer and antelopes in the country, Sambars have been marked vulnerable due to poaching and hunting activities.
XV. Squirrel | Puducherry
The squirrel has been etched into mythology, as the creature that helped Lord Rama build a bridge across to Sri Lanka. In fact, the stripes on the furry critter’s back are believed to have been marks from where the god stroked it. Squirrels have adapted well to urbanisation and habitat change and can be found in the nooks of buildings and houses.
XVI. Camel | Rajasthan
Camels are such an integral part of Rajasthan’s social and economic landscape, in fact, an entire community known as the Raikas base their living off of the camel industry. The National Research Center of Bikaner is also trying to develop camel-milk products, and are keen on developing a market for it.
XVII. Red Panda | Sikkim
Known as Saknam or Kaala, these furry brown-red creatures are found in the forests of Eastern Himalayas. To remove pressure on their habitats created by local communities collecting wood, the World Wildlife Fund installed solar-heating units in villages around the protected area to reduce their dependence on the forest for fuel. You can spot them lounging on trees in Sikkim’s Khangchendzonga National Park.
XVIII. Nilgiri Tahr | Tamil Nadu
Known as varaiaadu, these endangered deer now exist in fragmented groups in hilly areas. Along with urban construction works and hydroelectric projects being the primary reasons for their habitat loss, the increase of tourists to Tahr areas is proving to be problematic. The animals ingest litter and plastic left behind, so if you ever do visit, make sure to clean up after yourself.
XIX. Spotted Deer | Telangana
The golden-brown spotted deer is also locally known as jinka. According to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, it was chosen as the state’s animal for its important role in the myth Ramayana as well as it’s innocent nature, representing the nature of the people of Telangana.
XX. Phayre’s Langur | Tripura
Also known as Phayre’s leaf monkey, these primates are known for the white rings eyes, which gives them a “spectacled” look. You can spot these monkeys in Sipahijala, Trishna and Gumti wildlife sanctuaries, where their diminishing numbers are well protected.
XXI. Musk Deer | Uttarakhand
A little-known fact is that though the “musk” scent can now be synthetically produced, many perfumeries from Europe as well as makers of traditional Chinese medicine prefer to use natural musk, the secretion from the deer’s scent gland. This commercial need has aided the endangerment of these animals. The Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary was set up in Uttarakhand in 1986, with the primary goal of protecting them.
XXII. Fishing Cat | West Bengal
The fishing cat is also known as Mach-Bagrol in Bengali. Found in the mangrove forests of Sundarbans within the state, these cats are adept swimmers and capture fish underwater for their food. Endangered due to loss of habitat, they are also often poached for their skin.
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