Land animals: India S-Z
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Land animals: India S-Z
SEROW
Serow is a very awkward looking animal and is not slim and agile like its other relative mountain goats. They are confined to thickly wooded gorges where large rocky outcrops and caves provide them shelter.
Habitat loss and hunting for flesh have secured the Serow a place in the endangered list of animals. Nandadevi National Park is a safe heaven for them.
SAMBAR
Sambar is the largest deer found in India. It prefers forested hilly tracts with open grassy patches. The male with its majestic pair of horns is a sight to watch. They live in small parties but during non-breeding seasons, the males congregate together and live as a separate group. They are very cautious by nature and hence always relied upon by other communities. Their typical alarm call is always a definite clue to the presence of large predators like Tiger in the world - the Brow-Antlered deer, has a very restricted distribution in India. It inhabits swamps and Kashmir stag is confined to the Kashmir valley mainly, besides a few being reported from Chamba region of Himachal Pradesh. They sustains on floating mass of aquatic vegetation of Loktak Lake in Manipur. Their extended hooflets provide them an adequate balancing mechanism on the spongy ground. In fact, walking on such unstable grounds requires constant movement of legs and their movements creates an impression of dance and this has in turn given it a name "Manipur dancing deer" also. Hardly 50 animals survive in their natural habitat. Human pressures on their limited habitat are always a threat.
They are nocturnal and feed on aquatic grasses. A boat trip at dusk along the canals in Kaibul Lamjao National Park is the only way of observing them in the wild. It could be a lifetime experience.
SLOW LORIS
Slow Loris, although cat like in appearance is infact related to primates. It is nocturnal in habit and large eyes provide a better vision in the night. It feeds mainly on insects and fruits. Highly adapted toes for arboreal life make it clumsy on the ground. It is very shy in nature.
Slow Loris like its cousin from south is a victim of myth. Its specialized eyes for nightlife are said to possess magical powers and medicine made out of them is believed to have hypnotizing quality. Wanton killing and habitat disturbance has pushed this unique species to the verge of extinction.
Mugger, top predator of the aquatic world, plays an important role in the chain of food-web by maintaining balance of nature. It can be compared with tiger on land. In Indian mythology its importance is duly recognized as the most powerful elephant Lord Indra's Vahan, Airavat was helpless in front of Mugger in water. However Mugger is helpless on land and hence rarely ventures out of its aquatic world. Being cold-blooded animal, basking in the sun is an essential ritual in keeping its body warm. Though Mugger attains huge size and looks formidable, its food requirement is very small due to its slow and sluggish life style.
SMOOTH OTTER
Smooth Otter, highly adapted aquatic mammal, inhabits refresh water bodies. Its highly muscular body with flattened tail, webbed feet make it completely at home in water. Smooth Otters like all Otters are very playful animals and they are a sight to observe when they are at their best. Smooth Otter, highly adapted aquatic mammal, inhabits refresh water Otters are mainly fish eaters, but can take other aquatic animals also. Being fish eaters, fishing communities look at them as pests and kill to eliminate competition and secondly its soft thick fur can be converted into high value fancy garments. But they play an important role as higher predator in freshwater eco-system and hence must be protected.
Selling of skins or even hunting is completely banned. Otters get complete protection under Wildlife Protection Act.
SNOW LEOPARD
Snow Leopard confined to 8000 to 20,000 ft. high mountain ranges of Himalayan region, with long hairy coat and feet with hair lined pads, is well equipped to survive in snow covered regions. Its basic silvery grey to white colour coat with darler bold patches helps it in camouflaging in rocky snow covered habitat. Its perfect colouring enables it to hunt its prey at ease in otherwise difficult terrain.
TIGER
Tiger, with its agility, courage, strength, and beauty, has become one of the most romanticized species and in fact with its wide spread distribution in the country, has become synonymous with India.
Tiger is a very gentle creature and is not ferocious as commonly portrayed. It is very sensitive to human disturbance and as default, keeps a distance from human habitation - but occasionally, when forced, may become a man-eater. Most of the man-eating tigers were found to be incapable of hunting their normal prey mainly due to natural injuries inflicted upon them.
The tiger prefers shady cool places and an individual animal may have clearly defined territory averaging up to 10 sq.km, depending on availability of food. The Project Tiger destinations and other protected areas are places where one can sight tigers. Its reserve and aloof nature makes it all the more difficult for sightings. It is mainly active at dawn or dusk and prefers the forest roads and dust tracks.
