Hi my name is Jess.I love to explore.Today I am going in search of wildlife in an Indian Jungle

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Click on India’s jungle to enter and see the animals I found

Click on the animals to find out information for other animals I didn’t see click here.Back to start

The Indian Elephant

Where does it live?

What does it look like?

What does it eat?

Is it endangered?

Did you know?

Back to the jungle

Where does it live?

The species is found primarily in large parts of Bangladesh,India, Sri Lanka, Indochina and parts of Indonesia.

Asian elephants are spread over areas where rainfall levels vary considerably. They can survive in dry places where less than 40cm of rain falls per year, and in wet areas where over 8m of rain can fall in a year

They are also found in captivity, most popular, zoo’s and circus in India where they are tamed.

Distribution of Indian Elephant. Click map to enlarge

What does it eat?

The Asian elephant is a vegetarian and feeds on a wide variety of grasses and other vegetable matter including cultivated crops such as bananas and sugar cane.

In captivity they are fed on a mixture of wheat, grains and vegetables.

In the wild the average elephant eats 200 – 300g of food a day.

What does it look like?They are very large, grey, four-legged herbivorous mammals.

They have almost hairless skin, a distinctive long, flexible, prehensile trunk. Its upper incisors form long curved tusks of ivory. The ears of Indian elephants are significantly smaller than African elephants.

The Asian Elephant tends to grow to around two to four meters (7–12 feet) in height and 3,000–5,000 kilograms (6,500–11,000 pounds) in weight.

Is it Endangered?Elephants have been captured from the wild and tamed for use by humans. Their ability to work under instruction makes them particularly useful for carrying heavy objects. They have been used particularly for timber-carrying in jungle areas. Other than their work use, they have been used in war, in ceremonies, and for carriage. They have been used for their ability to travel over difficult terrain by hunters, for whom they served as mobile hunting platforms. The same purpose is met in safaris in modern times.

Click to find out moreAt this elephant training camp, captive elephants are taught to handle logs.

Is it Endangered?Asian elephants are classified as Endangered by the 2000 IUCN Red List. They have long since vanished from Southwest Asia and most of China. Sri Lanka was once recognised for its large elephant populations, but today the numbers are being reduced.

As the number of humans increases, the area of natural habitat that the elephants rely on is being depleted. Elephants are being forced onto farming areas, where they cause damage. It is estimated that 28,000 to 42,000 Asian elephants remain in the wild.The greatest threat to elephants is the ivory trade. Most commercial ivory comes from elephant's tusks. From 1979 to 1989 was a bad time for African elephants. About 70,000 wild elephants were killed for ivory each year. In 1989 an international treaty limited the trade in ivory, decreasing the number of elephants killed, but elephants are still being killed for ivory. Please don't ever buy anything made from ivory! Don't even buy anything that looks like ivory!

Did you know?There are two kinds of elephants: the African elephant and the Indian elephant. African elephants can be identified by the larger ears. The African elephant grows up to 10 feet tall and weighs as much as 12,000 pounds.

Elephants are the largest land animals currently on Earth. An elephant's trunk contains over 40,000 muscles and tendons!

The Indian elephant grows up to 9 feet tall, and weighs up to 8000 pounds. It's easier to identify because of its smaller ears. Most circus elephants are Indian elephants. Another name for the Indian elephant is the Asian elephant.

The Bengal Tiger

Where does it live?

What does it look like?

What does it eat?

Is it endangered?

Did you know?

Other types of Cat found in India To jungle

Where does it live?The Bengal tiger, or Royal Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris or Panthera tigris bengalensis), is a subspecies of tiger primarily found in Bangladesh, India, and also Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and southern Tibet.[1]

It is the second largest and the most common tiger subspecies, living in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, subtropical and tropical rainforests, scrub forests, wet and dry deciduous forests, and mangroves. It is the national animal of India and Bangladesh.

Click on map to enlarge

What does it eat?Bengal tigers hunt small-sized and large-sized animals, such as wild boar, sambar, barasingha, chital, nilgai, gaur,water buffalo and they also feed on fish and other animals too. They sometimes prey on smaller animals like hares, monkeys, langurs or peacocks and carrion is also readily taken.

.Bengal tigers have also been known to take other predators such as leopards, wolves, jackals, foxes, crocodiles and dholes as prey, although these predators are not typically a part of the tiger's diet.

Bengal tigers prefer to hunt mostly by day, but are awake in the daytime. During the day, the cover of the tall "elephant grass" gives the feline excellent camouflage.

Bengals kill prey by overpowering their victim and severing the spinal cord (preferred method for smaller prey), or applying a suffocation bite of the throat for large prey. A Bengal tiger will usually drag its kill to a safe place to eat away from possible predators.

The Bengal tiger can consume up to about 30 kg (66 lb) of meat at a time and then go without eating for days..

What does it look like?

Bengal Tigers measure 275cm – 310cm with a tale of approximately 85cm long.

They have orange/brown fur with black stripes

Their weight ranges from 180 to 272 kilograms (400-600 pounds),

Click on picture for more detail

Distribution of the Bengal Tiger.

Is it Endangered?Habitat loss and poaching are important threats to species survival. Poachers kill tigers not only for their pelts, but also for components to make various traditional East Asian medicines.

The Tigers home is under threat throughout the country. The forests are felled for agriculture and timber. As space is reduced the number of animals in the jungle decreases and therefore the Tiger can no longer find enough prey to survive.

Other factors contributing to their loss are urbanization and revenge killing. Farmers blame tigers for killing cattle and will shoot them.

Poachers also kill tigers for their bones and teeth to make medicines that are alleged to provide the tiger's strength. The hunting for Chinese medicine and fur is the biggest cause of decline of the tigers. In India, retired Indian Army personnel are being recruited to save the Bengal tiger from poaching gangs.

Did you know?

A Tigers roar can be heard 2 miles away

Females give birth to 2 – 6 cubs at one time.

The Asiatic Lion

Where does it live?

What does it look like?

What does it eat?

Is it endangered?

Did you know?

To the Jungle

Where does it live?The Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) is a subspecies of the lion which survives today only in India. They ranged once from the Mediterranean to India, covering most of Southwest Asia and hence it is also known as the Persian lion.

The current wild population consists of about 350 individuals restricted to the Gir Forest in the state of Gujarat, India.

The historic distribution included the Caucasus to Yemen and from Macedon to present-day India through Iran (Persia), and Pakistan Through to the borders of Bangladesh.

Click on map to enlarge

What does it eat?

Like all wild cats, the Asiatic lion is a carnivore. The typical diet of the Asiatic lion is deer, antelope, wild boar and buffalo.

The head of the family kills its prey by attacking its body and dragging it to its family. They then all share the feast

A Lion killing its prey

What does it look like?

Male Asiatic lions measure 1.7 - 2.5 metres long and weigh 150 - 250 kg, while female Asiatic lions measure 1.4 - 1.75 metres in length and weigh in at 120 - 182 kg. The Asiatic lions tail averages around 70 - 105 centimetres long.

Like all cats Asiatic lions are equipped with powerful retractable claws and long sharp canine teeth that are used in dragging their prey to the ground.

Compared to their African cousins, Asiatic lions have shaggier coats, with a longer tassel on the end of the tail and longer tufts of hair on the elbows. Both sexes have a distinctive fold of skin that runs along the belly.

Is it endangered?Asiatic lions are classed as critically endangered animal. Official protection by the imperial government was given in 1900, the government declared 1412 square mils of Gir Forest as Lions sanctuary.

With increasing human population, overgrazing, and destruction of forest cover, suitable habitat was reduced to about 1,300 square kilometres

The Asiatic Lions themselves aren’t as big as African lions, and they have shorter manes and a long fold of skin on their undersides that many lions in Africa don’t have.

Did you know?

The Tree Swift

Where does it live?

What does it look like?

What does it eat?

Is it endangered?

Did you know?

Back to jungle

Where does it live?Tree swifts live in various types of tree habitats. They live in forests with deciduous trees that lose their leaves during cold or very dry seasons.

Tree swifts also live in forests with coniferous or evergreen trees that generally stay green all winter. They range in rainforests where abundant rainfall produces a lot of growth.

The birds also range in grassland areas called savannas where there are fewer trees and grasses grow. They range near forest openings and are sometimes found near the edge of rivers. Some species also live in towns and are found in gardens.

Tree swifts live in Asia in the countries of India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Bali, China, Cambodia, and Vietnam. They also range in New Guinea, Bismarck, the Philippines, and the Solomon Islands.

What does it eat?

Tree swifts eat flying insects like ants, beetles, wasps, and bees. Tree swifts are aerial feeders; they fly after prey, insects hunted for food. The birds also eat spiders.

The Crested Treeswift feeds in the air, living on the insects it catches in its bill.

What does it look like?

The Crested Treeswift is a large slender bird at 23cm length. This species is dove grey above and white below.

The long swept-back wings are a darker grey above. This treeswift has a crest and a long, deeply-forked tail.

The adult male has orange sides to its face. Young birds have a dark grey head and wings, but the rest of the soft plumage is much streakier than that of the adults.While all the birds share some physical characteristics, swifts and hummingbirds have weak feet and do little perching, sitting or standing on a surface. Instead, they spend much of their time in the air. Tree swifts have stronger legs and are able to perch in trees.

Some birds have whiskers. Other birds have a crest, a group of feathers that stand upright on their foreheads.

Tree swifts are not in danger of extinction, dying out.

Are they endangered?

Did you know?

The Crested Treeswift builds a tiny nest which is glued to an exposed tree branch. It lays one blue-grey egg, which is incubated by both sexes. The nest is so small that incubating birds perch upright on the edge of the nest, covering the egg with their underparts feathers.

The Hoolock Gibbon

Where does it live?

What does it look like?

What does it eat?

Is it endangered?

Did you know?

Other types of monkey To the jungle

Where does it live?

The range of the hoolocks is the most northwestern of all the gibbons, extending from Assam in North-East India, to Myanmar. Small populations (in each case few hundred animals) live also in the eastern Bangladesh and in southwest China.

Like the other gibbons, they are diurnal and arboreal, brachiating through the trees with their long arms.

What does it eat?

Their diet consists mainly of fruits, insects and leaves.

What does it look like?

Hoolocks are the second largest of the gibbons, after the Siamang. They reach a size of 60 to 90 cm and weigh 6 to 9 kg.

The males and females are about the same size, but males are black colored with white brows, while females have a grey-brown fur, which is darker at the chest and neck and have white rings around the eyes and around the mouth give their face a mask-like appearance.

Young hoolocks are born after a seven month gestation, with a milky white fur. After about six months their fur turns black. After 8 to 9 years they are fully mature and their fur reaches its final color.

Is it endangered?

Because of threats such as habitat loss and hunting, its numbers have decreased, although there are no firm population estimates.

Did you know?

Their calls serve to locate family members and ward off other gibbons from their territory.

The Indian Cobra

Where does it live?

What does it look like?

What does it eat?

Is it endangered?

Did you know?

Other snakes in India

To the jungle

Where does it live?

Cobras generally inhabit tropical and desert regions of Asia and Africa.

What does it eat?

The Indian Cobra is known around the world as highly venomous snake that feeds on rodents, lizards, and frogs.

As well as biting, the Indian cobra can attack or defend itself from a distance by "spitting" venom, which, if it enters the opponent's eyes, causes severe pain and damage, then waits while its venom damages the nervous system of the prey, paralyzing and often killing it.

The snake actually forces the venom through its fangs, by exerting muscular pressure on the venom glands, so that it sprays out in twin jets for 2 m (6 1/2 ft) or more.

Like all snakes, the Indian Cobra swallows its prey whole .

What does it look like?

The Indian Cobra's most known characteristic features are the wide black band on the underside of the neck, and the hood marking design which shows half-rings on either side of the hood.

It is a smooth-scaled snake with black eyes, a wide neck and head, and a medium-sized body. Its colouring varies from black, to dark brown, to a creamy white.

The body is usually covered with a spectacled white or yellow pattern, which sometimes forms ragged bands. The Indian cobra may grow from 1.8m to 2.2m.

Is it endangered?

Although the Indian Cobra is not an endangered species, it has recently been hunted for its distinctive hood markings in the production of handbags.

It is listed under the treaty because it closely resembles other species that are threatened and in need of protection.

Did you know?

Indian cobras pay more attention to their eggs than is usual in snakes. The 8 to 45 eggs (usually 12 to 20) are laid in a hollow tree, a termite mound or earth into which the snakes tunnel. The female guards the clutch throughout the incubation period, leaving them only for a short time each day to feed.

Snakes, especially the cobra have been one of the most significant symbols in Hindu religion and mythology and are mostly associated with wealth, power and fertility.

Types of Apes, Monkeys & Lemurs for you to research Animals Habitat Hoolock Gibbon Garo and Khasi hills Assam and

Manipur Bonnet Macaque The Indian Peninsula from Bombay on

the west to Godavari on the East Rhesus Macaque Himalayan region and Northern India Pig tailed Macaque Naga Hills Lion-tailed macaque The western ghats from Kanara to

Kerala Common langur Whole of India Slow Loris Assam Slender Loris South India Capped Langur Assam Stumped tailed Macaque

Assam

Nilgiri Langur Western ghats, Anaimalai , Brahmgiri, Tirunelveli, Bhramgiri, Palani hills

The Cats of India for you to research Tiger Throughout India from the Himalayas to

Kanyakumari except desert of Rajasthan, Punjab and Kutch

Lion Gir forests in Kathiawar (Gujarat) Leopard or Panther The whole of India from Kashmir in north to

Kanyakumari in the south, absent in parts of Punjab

Snow-Leopard Along the Himalayan range from Kashmir to Sikkim

Clouded Leopard Sikkim, North Bengal and Assam Leopard Cat Punjab , Peninsular

India and Assam Desert Cat The desert of north west India-extending up to

drier of central India Jungle Cat All over the country Caracal North and north-west hills of Kutch, Punjab,

Rajasthan, UP, central India, Peninsular India, Malabar coast

Snake Habitat

   Indian Python  Indian peninsula and Bengal    Russels Viper Throughout India    Saw Scaled Viper North-South of Karnataka and Konkan in the

Peninsula    Purple Pit Viper From the Himalayas to Andaman and Nicobar

   Common Cobra All over India    King Cobra Rarer than common Cobra, found in forests

   Krait Common in India    Flower Snake Throughout  India    Common Rat Snake Throughout  India

Other snakes found in India for you to research

Quiz time

Start Quiz.

The quiz is a set of True or False questions. Click on the one you think to find out if you are correct. Good Luck!

Question 1The Asian Elephant has smaller Ears than the African Elephant?

TRUE

FALSE

correct answer

Well Done!

Question 2

Incorrect AnswerClick hear to find the correct answer

Try again

Did you know?There are two kinds of elephants: the African elephant and the Indian elephant. African elephants can be identified by the larger ears. The African elephant grows up to 10 feet tall and weighs as much as 12,000 pounds.

Elephants are the largest land animals currently on Earth. An elephant's trunk contains over 40,000 muscles and tendons!

The Indian elephant grows up to 9 feet tall, and weighs up to 8000 pounds. It's easier to identify because of its smaller ears. Most circus elephants are Indian elephants. Another name for the Indian elephant is the Asian elephant.

Question 2The Bengal Tiger are herbivores which means they eat only plants and vegetables

TRUE

FALSE

Incorrect AnswerClick hear to find the correct answer

Try again

correct answerThe Bengal Tiger is a Carnivore and only eats meat

Well Done!

Question 3

What does it eat?Bengal tigers hunt small-sized and large-sized animals, such as wild boar, sambar, barasingha, chital, nilgai, gaur,water buffalo and they also feed on fish and other animals too. They sometimes prey on smaller animals like hares, monkeys, langurs or peacocks and carrion is also readily taken.

.Bengal tigers have also been known to take other predators such as leopards, wolves, jackals, foxes, crocodiles and dholes as prey, although these predators are not typically a part of the tiger's diet.

Bengal tigers prefer to hunt mostly by day, but are awake in the daytime. During the day, the cover of the tall "elephant grass" gives the feline excellent camouflage.

Bengals kill prey by overpowering their victim and severing the spinal cord (preferred method for smaller prey), or applying a suffocation bite of the throat for large prey. A Bengal tiger will usually drag its kill to a safe place to eat away from possible predators.

The Bengal tiger can consume up to about 30 kg (66 lb) of meat at a time and then go without eating for days..

Question 3The Asiatic Lions are the largest species of Lion in the world

FALSE

TRUE

Incorrect AnswerClick hear to find the correct answer

Try again

The Asiatic Lions themselves aren’t as big as African lions, and they have shorter manes and a long fold of skin on their undersides that many lions in Africa don’t have.

Did you know?

correct answerThey aren’t as big as African lions

Well Done!

Question 4

Question 4The Tree Swifts are not endangered and in risk of dying out

FALSE

TRUE

correct answerThey are not endangered

Well Done!

Question 5

Incorrect AnswerClick hear to find the correct answer

Try again

Tree swifts are not in danger of extinction, dying out.

Are they endangered?

Question 5There is no difference in the colour of the male and female Hoolock Gibbons

FALSE

TRUE

correct answerMales are black colored with white brows, while females have a grey-brown fur,

Well Done!

End Quiz

Incorrect AnswerClick hear to find the correct answer

Try again

What does it look like?

Hoolocks are the second largest of the gibbons, after the Siamang. They reach a size of 60 to 90 cm and weigh 6 to 9 kg.

The males and females are about the same size, but males are black colored with white brows, while females have a grey-brown fur, which is darker at the chest and neck and have white rings around the eyes and around the mouth give their face a mask-like appearance.

Young hoolocks are born after a seven month gestation, with a milky white fur. After about six months their fur turns black. After 8 to 9 years they are fully mature and their fur reaches its final color.

We have made it through the jungle and found out many facts about the animals we saw on our way.There are many other animals I did not see. You could now research these yourself. I have added some name of some on the next page

Well Done!!

To other animals

Apes, Monkeys & Lemur Bears, Hyenas & Sheep Cat Civets, Mongoose & The

Dog Tribe Crocodiles, Tortoise &

Lizards

Deers

Elephants, Buffaloes, Wild Ass & Rhinoceros

Goats, Goat Antelopes & Antelopes

Snakes The Weasel Tribe, Insectivores, Pangolins & Rodents

India's wildlife is both rich and varied. More than 4% of India's land is under forest cover- There are at least 90 national parks and 482 wildlife sanctuaries. The country is one of the 12 mega diversity areas in the world, in terms of animal.Common Wild Animals of India

Common Wild Animals of India

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Links to useful websites

Quick links

http://webindia123.com/wildlife/apes.htm

Back to start

www.rainforestweb.org/Rainforest_Regions/Asia/India

www.indianwildlifeportal.com/indian-rain-forest

www.rainforestanimals.net/rainforest.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainforest

MORE

www.hcpl.net/kidsite/funandgames/SRP/forms/gowildjungle.htm

Quick linkswww. junglewalk.com

Back to start

www.rainforestanimals.net/rainforest.html

www.nationalgeographic.com

www.incredibleindia.org

www.indhistory.com/ramayana.html

Apes, Monkeys & Lemur Bears, Hyenas & Sheep Cat Civets, Mongoose & The

Dog Tribe Crocodiles, Tortoise &

Lizards

Deers

Elephants, Buffaloes, Wild Ass & Rhinoceros

Goats, Goat Antelopes & Antelopes

Snakes The Weasel Tribe, Insectivores, Pangolins & Rodents

India's wildlife is both rich and varied. More than 4% of India's land is under forest cover- There are at least 90 national parks and 482 wildlife sanctuaries. The country is one of the 12 mega diversity areas in the world, in terms of animal.Common Wild Animals of India

Common Wild Animals of India

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