Indian Flora and Fauna

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) uses the giant panda as its logo since its founding in 1961. The panda was chosen because it is an endangered species and highly recognizable globally.

Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary in Kutch, Gujarat is primarily known for its chinkara (Indian gazelle) population. It's one of the few places where this antelope species is found in significant numbers. Zebra, lion, and tiger are not native to this region.

The Dehang Debang Biosphere Reserve is located in Arunachal Pradesh, in the Dihang and Dibang Valley districts. It's one of the biodiversity hotspots in the Eastern Himalayas.

Chilika Lake in Odisha (formerly Orissa) is one of the largest wintering grounds for migratory waterfowl in India. It's Asia's largest brackish water lagoon and hosts over 160 bird species.

The lion's scientific name is Panthera leo. Panthera tigris is the tiger, Panthera pardus is the leopard, and Rana tigrina is a frog species.

The tiger's scientific name is Panthera tigris. Panthera pardus is the leopard, Panthera leo is the lion, and Rana tigrina is a frog.

The River Dolphin (specifically the Ganges river dolphin or Platanista gangetica) was declared India's National Aquatic Animal in 2009. This designation was made to raise awareness about conservation efforts for this endangered species found in the Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems. It is NOT a crocodile, fish, or frog.

The Sundarbans derives its name from 'Sundari' trees (Heritiera fomes), the dominant mangrove species in the region. These mangrove forests form the primary vegetation of this deltaic ecosystem. The other etymologies are incorrect - 'sunder' (beautiful), 'asunder' (split apart), and explorer Krishna Sunder are not the actual origins.

The Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) was declared the National Aquatic Animal of India in 2009 to save the species from extinction and improve the health of the river.

Samrupa, cloned in 2009 by Indian scientists, was the world's first cloned buffalo. Dolly was the first cloned sheep (1996), Garima was another cloned buffalo, and Injaz was the first cloned camel.

Desert National Park is located in Rajasthan, showcasing the unique desert ecosystem of the Thar Desert. It was established to conserve the desert habitat and its wildlife, including the Great Indian Bustard. Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh do have national parks but not the Desert National Park.

Great Himalayan National Park is located in Himachal Pradesh and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its alpine meadows and high-altitude ecosystems. Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir have Himalayan regions but this specific park is in Himachal. Sikkim has Khangchendzonga National Park instead.

Campbell Bay National Park is located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, specifically on Great Nicobar Island. It is part of the unique island ecosystem of this UT. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha (note the typo Orrisa) are coastal states on mainland India and don't contain this island national park.

Kaziranga National Park is located in Assam and is famous for its population of one-horned rhinoceroses. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of India's most significant wildlife conservation areas. West Bengal, Nagaland, and Manipur are northeastern states but Kaziranga is specifically in Assam's Brahmaputra Valley.