Species

Endangered species

 Plant or animal species which are at the verge of their extinction are called endangered species.
 Flying squirrel, Gir lion, Crocodile, Flamingo, Wild ass, Desert cat, desert fox, Asiatic elephant etc. are some endangered animal species of India.

Vulnerable species

 A vulnerable species is one which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as likely to become endangered unless the circumstances that are threatening
its survival and reproduction improve.
 vulnerable species in India: Sarus crane, Great Indian bustard, Common
leopard, House sparrow etc.

Rare species

 A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon, scarce, or infrequently encountered.

Endangered black buck

 The black buck is also known as kala hiran in India.
 Earlier, it was found all over India except in the north-eastern regions of the country.
 Due to large scale-poaching and destruction of habitat, its existence now restricted in some parts
of Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal and Haryana.
 The black buck does not require dense forests, even it is usually found in open plains in herds. So, open plains need to be conserved in order to enable the black buck to move freely.
 Recently, the film actor Salman khan was sentenced to 5 yrs imprisonment for shooting black
bucks.

Endemic Species

 The plant or animal species confined to a particular region and having originated there or a species which occur continuously in that area are known as endemic species. Restriction of species or taxa in small region is known as endemism.
 True Cardamoum (Eletaria repens), Peepal (Ficus religiosa), Palash tree (Butea monosperma), Bargat (Ficus bengalensis), etc. are some of the endemic plants of India.

EDGE species

 Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species represent a disproportionate amount of unique evolutionary history. They have few close relatives, are often the only surviving member of their genus, and sometimes the last surviving genus of their evolutionary family.
 Some EDGE species, such as elephants and pandas, are well known.