There is a rapid decline in the percentage of forest land in India, but in terms of the total geographical area which is occupied by forests, they still have a good coverage. India has many rivers, lakes and ponds which are important wildlife habitats.
The following table would elaborate on Species diversity in different classes of animals and plants:
1. Normal Species: Normal species are the species whose population levels are considered to be normal for their survival, such as cattle, sal, pine, rodents, etc.
2. Endangered Species: An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. For examples, species are black buck, crocodile, Indian wild ass, Indian rhino, lion tailed macaque, sangai (brow anter deer in Manipur), etc.
3. Vulnerable Species: A vulnerable species is not yet endangered by extinction, but is a species that may become endangered and unable to live in the wild owing to unfavorable circumstances that threaten its habitat or livelihood. 4728 animal species and 4914 plant species are currently regarded as vulnerable. Eg: Blue sheep, Asiatic elephant, Gangetic dolphin, etc.
4. Rare Species: A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon, scarce, or infrequently encountered. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and is distinct from the term endangered or threatened. The examples of such species are the Himalayan brown bear, wild Asiatic buffalo, desert fox and hornbill, etc.
5. Endemic Species: Endemic species are those plants and animals that exist only in one geographical region. Species can be endemic to large or small areas of the world. Some may be endemic to the particular continent; some are endemic to a part of a continent, and others to a single island. Examples of such species are the Andaman teal, Nicobar pigeon, Andaman wild pig, Mithun in Arunachal Pradesh.
6. Extinct Species: Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds, usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point. Eg: Asiatic cheetah, pink head duck.
