5 Exotic Animals Seen While Traveling in India
Taking a trip to India, with its unique architecture, landscapes and culture, can be an experience unlike any other. While there are many sights to see when traveling the country, perhaps the most intriguing are the ones found in nature. If you are planning to visit India, you’ll definitely want to be on the lookout for some of the most exotic animals found on the Asian subcontinent.
Indian Elephants
Standing at an average of eight feet with a weight of six tons, it’s hard to believe that the Indian elephant is considered relatively small compared to other species, like its African relatives. There are only about 40,000 Indian elephants left in the wild, with the majority found in India, as they have been heavily poached for their ivory tusks. The government has passed a number of laws and regulations to protect the endangered animal, which can also be found in nature reserves.
Bengal Tiger
Another endangered Indian animal, it is estimated that there are only about 2,000 Bengal tigers left in the world. Although the Bengal is the national animal of neighboring Bangladesh, the vast majority of them are found in nature reserves in over a dozen Indian states, the highest number of which are in the Western Ghats forest complex of southwestern India. The 14,400 square mile forest covers several areas set aside for endangered animals, but there are plenty of cases of people and wildlife sharing the same habitat. This is problematic, as tigers are solitary animals that do not react well to human interference in their territories.
Indian Gaur
In the hilly forests of India, you’ll find the gaur—or Indian bison—a breed of wild cattle that can reach a height of six feet or more. Gaurs prefer secluded evergreen or moist deciduous forests, and when they do inhabit the same areas as humans, they are often only seen in the open at night. Gaur that are not used to humans are very timid, but in the more heavily populated southern regions of India, they are more aggressive and may charge unprovoked, especially in the hot summer months. These animals travel in small herds that are generally led by an older adult female.
Bar-headed Goose
If you look to the skies during your Indian adventure, you might notice the bar-headed goose, one of the world’s highest-flying birds. This goose nests in northern India and migrates over the Himalayas to southeastern India and Burma in the winter months. One of the palest birds in its genus, the bar-headed goose is grey with, as its name suggests, distinctive black bars across its head. Sadly, the sight of these lovely birds is increasingly rare, as its population has declined from overhunting.
Indian Python
Low to the ground, there’s the Indian python. Growing to an average length of nearly ten feet, these snakes are difficult to miss in the grasslands, jungles, marshes, swamps and foothills of India. With a white or yellowish skin patterned with tan or dark brown blotches, the Indian python has been poached for both its beautiful skin and its meat. These reptiles are slow moving but are excellent swimmers, although they generally stay on the banks of rivers. Indian pythons are not overly known for preying on humans and rarely even try to escape if confronted or attacked.
These are just a few of the various beautiful and exotic creatures found in India. As is unfortunately the case with many of the world’s most unique animals, a good number of them are threatened by extinction. Because of this and the unpredictable nature of wild animals, if you encounter any of these creatures, it is best to keep a respectful distance. While you have the chance, however, keep your eyes open and enjoy the wonderful wildlife India has to offer.
Erica Gustafson is a freelance writer and consultant for Expedia. She has had the opportunity to visit many countries including India where she was able to capture a variety of different animals on camera while visiting.
