The wildlife of northern India
The concept of wildlife conservation is very old in India. Indian culture and literature advocate non-violence and respect for all forms of human life. Flora and fauna have enjoyed special protection for millennia, inculcated through ideals and religion. Many of the gods of the Hindu pantheon are associated with animals: Brahma with the deer, Vishnu with the lion and cobra, Shiva with the bull, and Ganesh, a god half-man, half-elephant. Jainism and Buddhism spread throughout India in the 6th century B.C., promoting a healthy diet based on vegetarianism. The first conservation laws appeared in the 3rd century BC, when Emperor Ashoka drew up the Fifth Pillar Decree, prohibiting the felling of certain wild species and limiting forest clearance. This tradition was damaged by the advent of colonialism. The intensive hunting practised by English aristocrats and Indian maharajas, and the felling of forests for agriculture and land development, seriously damaged India's natural capital. Despite all this, respect for living things remains. The Constitution makes the protection of animals a fundamental duty. In 1972, Indira Gandhi passed a major law to protect India's wildlife, prohibiting hunting and poaching, poisoning and mutilation. A year later, a national tiger conservation plan, Project Tiger, was set up to prevent the extinction of the critically endangered species. The tiger generates a significant financial windfall, as India is one of the few countries where the feline can be observed roaming free. The tiger is the leader of an immense variety of fauna, with over 500 species of mammal recorded in the country. Of these, 41 are threatened with extinction.
Emblematic mammals
- The tiger. A national emblem, the Bengal tiger is found mainly in the north of the country. It can be found in a number of national parks, from Assam to Rajasthan, via the country's central plateau. The 2022 census counted just over 3,000 individuals, compared with an estimated 268 in 1973, when Project Tiger was launched. The tiger lives in vast nature reserves, of which there are 53 in India. A male tiger's territory is estimated at 130 km², where not only he, but also his threat, two to three females and their cubs, if any, reside. The best chances of seeing the tiger in India are in the parks of Ranthambore (Rajasthan), Corbett (Uttarakhand), Bandhavgarh (Madhya Pradesh) and Kanha (Madhya Pradesh).
- The Asiatic lion. Smaller than its African cousin and with a less voluminous mane, the Asiatic lion survives only in the Sasan Gir region of Gujarat. It was saved from extinction by the nawab of Junagarh in the 1960s, who transformed his private hunting reserve into a nature conservation park. The most recent census showed 600 individuals and a growing population. The reserve is becoming too small to house the population, and there is talk of relocating groups to other national parks in the country.
- The Asian elephant. It needs vast areas of forest and savannah to find its 150 kg of daily food. The adult male weighs almost 4 tons, while the female weighs 2.7 tons. Elephants travel in herds, family units led by females. Males are driven out of the group around the age of 11. In the north of the country, elephants can easily be seen in Manas or Kaziranga National Parks (Assam) and in Corbett or Rajaji (Uttarakhand).
- The Indian rhinoceros. Once widespread, only 150 individuals remained at the beginning of the last century. The one-horned rhinoceros has been protected since 1910, and its population now numbers around 3,700. They are almost all concentrated in Kaziranga National Park (Assam), where they can be easily seen.
- The gaur. Massive, the Indian bison can reach 2 meters at the withers and weigh 1,500 kg. Beneath its placid appearance and white "socks", the world's largest bovid is also one of the most dangerous animals in the Indian jungle.
- The lippled bear. Beneath its deceptively friendly exterior, the lippu bear is the only jungle animal to dare challenge the tiger. It feeds mainly on ants and termites. It is one of only 8 species of bear in the world. It is characterized by its relatively small size, black coat with a crescent-shaped white collar, and long, sharp claws. It moves mainly at night.
- The dhole. This is the local name for the wild dog. It travels in organized, hierarchical packs and reigns terror over the jungle. Dholes have been known to butcher tigers and leopards. The dhole does not bark or howl, but emits characteristic yelps. Physically, it resembles a cross between a jackal and a wolf.
- The snow leopard. Mysterious and enigmatic, the snow leopard is very difficult to track. It lives in the high mountains of Ladakh and Uttarakhand in India, at altitudes of between 2,500 and 5,000 meters. It is threatened with extinction, and one rather hazardous estimate puts the number of individuals in India at 500. Its aura in the wildlife world has earned it the exclusive rights to a documentary filmed by Vincent Munier in 2021.
- The leopard. Shy and nocturnal, leopards are hard to spot in national parks. But it's there! It prefers a sparse forest habitat and often hides high up in the trees, where it can sleep in complete safety.
- The nilgaut. With the body of a horse and the head of a cow, this is actually an antelope. Quite common in northern India, it can be spotted by its bluish-gray coat.
- The barasingha. This twelve-oared deer(barah means "twelve" in Hindi) has practically disappeared from the Indian subcontinent. It can only be seen in Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh).
Other animals
A wide variety of deer and antelope species can be observed, although most of these are kept in protected areas, due to competition with domestic animals and the risk of disease transmission. These include Indian gazelles (chinkara), Indian antelopes (blackbucks), sambars, India's largest deer, barking deer (muntjac) and the tiny mouse deer. You can also see wild buffalo, striped hyena, wild boar, jackal, fox and wolf in forest areas. Smaller mammals include mongooses, known for killing snakes, and giant squirrels. There are only two species of monkey, the rhesus macaque and the long-tailed entelle (langur). There are over 2,000 species and subspecies of birds, including the snake eagle, the fish owl and the elegant national bird, the peacock. Water birds such as herons, ibises, storks, cranes and pelicans can be seen not only in the parks, but also in bird sanctuaries. There are over 500 species of reptiles and amphibians, including king cobras, pythons, crocodiles, large freshwater turtles and monitor lizards. There are also 10,000 species of insects, including large, colorful butterflies.
The flora of northern India
The flora includes some 15,000 plant species. Wildlife reserves and national parks have been established in the former private hunting grounds of the maharajas. The landscape is very diverse: evergreen forests in the northeast; deciduous forests in the plains and swampy expanses of Bengal and Madhya Pradesh; pine forests in the Himalayan foothills. North-western Rajasthan has very poor vegetation. Most of it consists of xerophilous plants, mainly acacia and babul(Mimosa arabica). A few rare oases provide a little fruit (oranges, bananas, mangoes), but most bushes are of little use other than a little shade and firewood. The pods of the khejri(Prosopis cineraria) are used in local cooking, however, and the desert tribes are familiar with the medicinal virtues of this shrub. Central India has been largely deforested to make way for agriculture. Most of the remaining forested areas have been transformed into protected zones for flora and fauna. The peasants who used to live in these areas have been relocated to the outskirts of these reserves.
Emblematic flora
- The banyan tree. Often huge and easily recognizable by its aerial roots, it provides generous shade in squares. The Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose botanical garden in Howrah (West Bengal) is home to a specimen that covers an area of almost one and a half hectares! This makes it the largest tree in the world.
- The sal (Shorea robusta). The British favored the use of this tree, with its hard, long wood, to build their railroads. The British practically wiped out the sal forests that were once everywhere in the north of the sub-continent. Fine examples can still be found in the forests of central India.
- The illipé(Madhuca longifolia), called mauha in Hindi, is another of the country's characteristic trees. It can be found all over the subcontinent, both in the tropics and on the central plateau. At the end of the day, the tree rejects the water collected during the day, giving the impression of rain when sheltered under its leaves.
- The mango tree (Mangifera indica). This tree is the darling of the North Indians. Robust, it lives long enough to reach 18 meters in height. Its tasty fruit is eagerly awaited for use as pickles, lassi, juice or simply for munching. It is often planted in the middle of a field, as its evergreen foliage provides welcome shade on hot summer days.
- The lotus is the national flower. It is used extensively in the ancient architecture of temples and houses. The flower is stylized in the pillars supporting arches and ceilings. It is a symbol of good auspices.
- The marigold. As its name suggests, this variety of carnation comes from Bolivia and Mexico. It was given its name when the West Indies were still called the West Indies. The flower has acclimatized very well in northern India, and is widely used to make garlands for temple offerings or as a gesture of welcome.
