Ground Pangolin found in Baringo_ Kenya

Extinct Animals 20th Century

India loses top tiger defender

India loses top tiger defender
by Staff WritersNew Delhi (AFP) March 2, 2011One of India's foremost conservationists, who devoted his life to saving the country's dwindling tiger population, has died aged 73 after a two-month battle with cancer.
Fateh Singh Rathore, known as the "Tiger Man" and often pictured in a safari hat with his characteristic handlebar moustache, passed away on Monday near the wildlife sanctuary in the western state of Rajasthan that he helped create.
The Ranthambore tiger reserve, set up in 1973, is his greatest legacy after more than 40 years campaigning for India's Big Cat, whose numbers have shrunk dramatically from 40,000 in 1947 to about 1,400 today.

World's Smallest Animals

World’s Smallest Dog: 12.4 cm (4.9-inch) tall

At 1.4 pounds and 4.9 inches tall, Ducky, a yappy short-coat Chihuahua from Charlton (Massachusetts, USA), holds the Guinness World Record for the world's smallest living dog (by height). Ducky succeeds Danka Kordak of Slovakia, a Chihuahua who measured 5.4 inches tall. The smallest dog ever, according to Guinness, was a dwarf Yorkshire terrier who stood 2.8 inches tall.

World's Smallest Snake: 10.1 cm (4-inch) long

Leptotyphlops carlae is the world's smallest species of snake, with adults averaging just under four inches in length. Found on the Caribbean island of Barbados, the species --which is as thin as a spaghetti noodle and small enough to rest comfortably on a U.S. quarter-- was discovered by Blair Hedges.

World’s Smallest Fish: 7.9 mm (0.3-inch) long

On January 2006, the world's smallest fish was discovered on the Indonesian island of Sumatra: a member of the carp family of fish, the Paedocypris progenetica. It is the world's smallest vertebrate or backboned animal; only 7.9 mm (0.3 inches) long.

The title, however, is contested by 6.2 mm (0.2 in) long male anglerfish Photocorynus spiniceps (not technically a fish but a sexual parasite) and the 7 mm (0.27 in) long male stout infantfish Schindleria brevipinguis.

World’s Smallest Horse: 43.18 cm (17-inch) tall

The little horse was born to Paul and Kay Goessling, who specialize in breeding miniature horses, but even for the breed Thumbelina is particularly small: she is thought to be a dwarf-version of the breed. At just 60 lb and 17-inch tall, the five-year-old Thumbelina is the world’s smallest horse.

World’s Smallest Cat: 15.5 cm (6.1-inch) high and 49 cm (19.2-inch) long

Meet Mr. Peebles. He lives in central Illinois, is two years old, weighs about three pounds and is the world's smallest cat! The cat's small stature was verified by the Guinness Book of World Records on 2004.

World's Smallest Hamster: 2.5 cm (0.9-inch) tall

Only slightly bigger than a 50p piece, PeeWee is the smallest hamster in the world. Weighing less than an ounce, the golden hamster stopped growing when he was three weeks old - his five brothers and sisters went on to measure between 4in and 5in.

World's Smallest Chameleon: 1.2 cm (0.5-inch) long

The Brookesia Minima is the world's smallest species of chameleon. This one is just half an inch. Found on the rainforest floor of Nosy Be Island off the north-west coast of Madagascar, females tend to be larger than males.

World's Smallest Lizard: 16 mm (0.6-inch) long

So small it can curl up on a dime or stretch out on a quarter, a typical adult of the species, whose scientific name is Sphaerodactylus ariasae is only about 16 millimeters long, or about three quarters of an inch, from the tip of the snout to the base of the tail. It shares the title of "smallest" with another lizard species named Sphaerodactylus parthenopion, discovered in 1965 in the British Virgin Islands.

World’s Smallest Cattle: 81 cm (31-inch) height

The world’s smallest cattle is a rare breed of an Indian zebu called the Vechur cow. The average height of this breed of cattle is 31 to 35 inches (81 to 91 cm). The photo above shows a 16 year old Vechur cattle as compared to a 6 year old HF cross-breed cow.

World's Smallest Seahorse: 16 mm (0.6-inch) long

The creature, known as Hippocampus denise, is typically just 16 millimetres long - smaller than most fingernails. Some were found to be just 13 mm long. H. denise lives in the tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean, between 13 and 90 metres beneath the surface.

13-extinct-animals-found-alive.

They're called "Lazarus species" — creatures that have disappeared, sometimes for millions of years, only to miraculously be rediscovered again in modern times. Just as Lazarus was raised from the dead by Jesus in the Gospel of John, so these species manage to survive. Their rediscoveries are a bewildering reminder that when given a chance, life finds a way to survive. Here's a short list of 13 animals long-feared extinct that, in fact, have been rediscovered.
(Text: Bryan Nelson)

CREDIT: Associated Press

Coelacanth

Coelacanth are an ancient order of fish believed to have gone extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period some 65-plus million years ago. That was until 1938, when one was miraculously discovered off the east coast of South Africa near the mouth of the Chalumna River. Closely related to lungfishes and tetrapods, coelacanths are among the oldest living jawed fishes known to exist. They can live as long as 100 years and swim at depths of 90 to 100 meters.

CREDIT: Wiki Commons/GNU

Bermuda Petrel

The dramatic rediscovery of the Bermuda Petrel has become one of the most inspiring stories in the history of nature conservation. Believed extinct for 330 years, the birds had not been seen since the 1620s. Then, in 1951, 18 nesting pairs were found on remote rocky islets in Castle Harbor. Even so, they are still battling extinction today with a global population just over 250 individuals.

CREDIT: Wiki Commons/Dave Pape

Chacoan peccary

The Chacoan is the largest (by size) species of peccary, a beast that resembles a pig but hails from a different continent and cannot be domesticated. The Chacoan peccary was first described in 1930 based only on fossil records, and was believed to be extinct. Then in 1975, surprised researchers discovered one alive in the Chaco region of Paraguay. Today there are around 3,000 known individuals.

CREDIT: Michael Whiting

Lord Howe Island stick insect

Sometimes referred to as “land lobsters” or “walking sausages,” the Lord Howe stick insect is considered the rarest insect in the world. Believed extinct since 1930 after being wiped off its only known native habitat on Lord Howe Island, the enormous insect was rediscovered in 2001 when fewer than 30 individuals were found living underneath a single shrub on the small islet of Ball's Pyramid, the world's tallest and most isolated sea stack.

CREDIT: "Visor Austral" José Luis Bartheld/Flickr

Monito del Monte

The Monito del Monte is a remarkable, diminutive marsupial believed to have been extinct for 11 million years until one was discovered in a thicket of Chilean bamboo in the southern Andes. The creature is more closely related to Australian marsupials than to other South American ones, and it is likely related to the earliest known Australian marsupial which lived 55 million years ago.

CREDIT: IUCN

La Palma giant lizard

Until its recent rediscovery in 2007, the La Palma giant lizard was believed to have been extinct for around 500 years. It was found again so recently that the IUCN Red List still lists the animal as extinct. Found in the La Palma region of the Canary Islands, the lone discovered individual had an estimated age of 4 years and was a foot long. New expeditions to the area are currently planned in hopes of finding a breeding population.

CREDIT: Wiki Commons/CC License

Takahe

The Takahe is a flightless bird indigenous to New Zealand thought to be extinct after the last four known specimens were taken in 1898. However, after a carefully planned search effort, the bird was rediscovered in 1948 near Lake Anau. This extremely rare, odd-looking bird remains endangered today, with only 225 individuals remaining.

CREDIT: animalpicturesarchive.com

Cuban solenodon

This strange-looking creature is so rare that only 37 specimens have ever been caught. It was originally discovered in 1861, but no individuals were found from 1890 to 1974. Unusual among mammals in that its saliva is venomous, the Cuban solenodon was most recent sighted in 2003, an event so celebrated that the individual was given a name: Alejandrito.

CREDIT: Wiki Commons/public domain

New Caledonian crested gecko

Originally described in 1866 and long feared extinct, this unusual gecko was rediscovered in 1994 in the aftermath of a tropical storm. Its oddest features are the hair-like projections found above the eyes and a crest which runs from each eye to the tail. The species is currently being assessed for CITES protection and endangered status.

CREDIT: Doug Beckers/Flickr

New Holland mouse

The New Holland mouse was first discovered in 1843. It vanished from view for over a century before its rediscovery in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park north of Sydney in 1967. The cute creatures are still fighting for their existence despite valiant conservation efforts. One of its remote Victorian populations was wiped out in the Australian wildfires of 1983, although healthier populations still exist in New South Wales and Tasmania.

CREDIT: Yaniria Sanchez-de Leon/University of Idaho

Giant Palouse earthworm

Originally discovered in 1897, these giant worms were declared extinct in the 1980s until three specimens were unearthed, the most recent in 2005. Found in Eastern Washington state and parts of Idaho, these ghostly burrowers can dig down as deep as 15 feet, grow to as long as 3.3 feet in length, and are albino in appearance.

CREDIT: AP/Phillip Round/The Wetland Trust

Large-billed reed-warbler

This species has been hailed as the world's least-known bird. It is known only from a single specimen collected in 1867, and was long believed extinct. Then in Thailand in 2006, a wild population was discovered and confirmed to be large-billed reed-warblers via DNA matching to the original specimen. Today the birds largely remain a mystery, and unfortunately DNA sequence variation points to a stable or shrinking population structure.

CREDIT: David Redfield/WWF

Laotian rock rat

This species was first discovered for sale as meat at a market in Thakhek, Khammouan, in Laos in 1996, and was considered so unusual and distinct from any other living rodent that it was given its own family. Then in 2006, after a systematic reanalysis, the Laotian rock rat was reclassified — incredibly — to belong to an ancient fossil family that was thought to have gone extinct 11 million years ago. Return trips to Laos by the Wildlife Conservation Society have uncovered several other specimens, raising hopes that the animal may not be as rare as once thought.

Malabar Large Spotted Civet

One of the world's rarest mammals, the Malabar Large Spotted Civet was once (20 - 25 years ago) a major source of "civet" (or "civet-musk"), a substance used in the production of perfume. Last spotted in the Western Ghats , these nocturnal cats are carnivorous, solitary and aggressive in nature. Greyish in color with prominent black spots, they forage on the ground and have never been observed in trees. Extensive deforestation and clearing of the cashew plantations that provide their cover has hit them hard. Today, they tend to be treated as raiders of poultry, and are captured and killed when encountered.

Indian Rhinoceros

The largest land mammals after elephants, rhinos have remained mostly unchanged for millennia. Females weigh about 1600 kg, while males go up to 2200 kg, but believe it or not, these heavyweights are vegetarians, whose diet consists mainly of grass but also includes fruit, leaves, branches of trees and shrubs, and cultivated crops. The Indian rhinoceros (both male and female) has one horn, and this is a major reason for its woes. Used in Oriental medicine as an aphrodisiac and commanding a price of four times its weight in gold, the rhino's horn has led to its being mercilessly hunted. Loss of the alluvial plain grasslands that form its habitat is another major contributory factor for the decrease in the rhino population. Today, most rhinos are found in the sanctuaries in Assam .

Hoolock Gibbon

This small (weighs a little over 6 kg) ape was once widespread through eastern India . They live in small monogamous family groups, consisting of a mated pair with their offspring. There are deep social bonds between group members and the group defends its territory with loud songs. Adult males are always black, with prominent white eyebrows, while adult females are gold or buff or brownish buff. They travel through trees extremely fast, descending only when forced to. Thus, clearing of the evergreen forests they live in makes them vulnerable to hunting and predation.

Hispid Hare

Also called the "bristly rabbit" because of its coarse, dark brown hair, this is one of the world's rarest mammals. Formerly found all along the foothills of the Himalayas , it faces extinction due to habitat loss, human-induced changes, being hunted for food and to protect crops, and predation by dogs.

Sarus Crane

Classification

Kingdom :	Animalia
Phylum :	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order :	Gruiformes
Family :	Gruidae
Genus :	Grus
Species :	G. antigone
Zoological name :	Grus antigone
Found In	Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Madhav National Park, Kerala Bustard Sanctuary and Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary

Physical appearance : Sarus Crane reaches to the height of 200 cm with the wingspan of eight feet and weigh around 7.3 kg. This bird stands as tall as the man. It has long red legs. It's head and upper neck are also red in colour. It is highlighted with the white crown, which is covered with the green skin. It has a dark long pointed bill. Black hair like bristles cover the upper throat and neck. They have gray feathers over the ears. Females are shorter than the males. It is the world's tallest flying bird.

Presence in India : Sarus Crane is found in the northern, central and north-eastern pars of India. Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Madhav National Park, Kerala Bustard Sanctuary and Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary.

Subspecies : There are three subspecies of Sarus Crane namely Grus antigone antigone, Grus antigone sharpii and Grus antigone gilli

Habitat : Sarus Crane prefers wetlands, cultivated fields to live.
Diet : Sarus Crane is omnivorous. It feeds on he diet includes frogs, reptiles, eggs of birds, turtles eggs, invertebrates, butterflies, grasshoppers, tubers of aquatic plants, cereals, potatoes, peas, berries and seeds.

Reproduction : Sarus Crane reach the level of sexual maturity at 5-6 years of age. It usually breeds during the monsoon season. During the mating season both male and female dance around each other. Incubation takes 27 -35 days. Only two eggs are laid at a time. Nests are made (on the ground) in the fields near the ponds or canals. Both male and females take care of the nests. Chicks fledging takes 55 -65 days. It is the only resident breeding crane in India.

Conservation status : Sarus Crane is regarded as the threatened species. It is currently listed in the Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. IUCN (Red List) classifies Sarus Crane as vulnerable. The total population of Sarus Crane approximately lies between 13,500 to 15,500. Loss of wetland areas, egg damage by the humans and heavy use of pesticides has seriously declined the population of Sarus Crane. It is widely haunted by the villagers and is also used for the trade purpose in many countries.

Lifespan : Longevity of Sarus Crane exceeds up to 15- 20 years in the wild and for 40 years in captivity.

White Rumped Shama

Classification

Kingdom :	Animalia
Phylum :	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order :	Passeriformes
Family :	Muscicapidae
Species :	C. malabaricus
Zoological name :	Copsychus malabaricus
Found In	Corbett National Park, Royal Chitwan National Park, Sundarbans National Park and Bandhavgarh National Park in India.

Physical appearance : White Rumped Shama is a famous song bird. It is medium in size. It is approximately 27 cm long and weighs around 32 grams. It has a round head, long legs and slender bills. The male is shiny dark in colour. Its head, neck and back are black bullish in colour, wings are dull black in colour, legs are pink in colour and the belly is pale orange in colour. It has along tail and broad wings. They have white feathers on the rump. Females are smaller than the males. Females are brown grayish in colour, with the white coloured belly. They have black bills.

Presence in India : White Rumped Shama is found in almost all the parts of India but are they are mostly found in Northern India. It is also spotted in the Corbett National Park, Royal Chitwan National Park, Sunderbans National Park and Bandhavgarh National Park in India.

Habitat : White Rumped Shama prefers dense jungles and lowlands up to 1500 m.

Diet : White Rumped Shama is a insectivore. It mainly feeds on insects like grasshoppers, termites and caterpillars. They also favour small intvertebrates, maggots, berries and fruits.

Reproduction : Incubation lasts for 12 –15 days. Males are generally aggressive during the breeding season. One egg is laid per day. The egg is white in colour with the reddish brown spots. Both males and females take care of the young ones. Young ones are born blind and featherless. They open their eyes in six days. Their feathers are completely developed in eleven days. They start flying in 14 days. They are sexually mature in 3- 4 months. Their nests are cup shaped, made of mud and leaves. Young ones feed on insects and earthworms.

Conservation status : Least concern. White Rumped Shama is present in large numbers.

Lifespan : White Rumped Shama generally lives for 10- 15 years.

Lammergeier

Classification

Kingdom :	Animalia
Phylum :	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order :	Falconiformes
Family :	Accipitridae
Genus :	Gypaetus
Zoological name :	Gypaetus barbatus
Found In :	Dachigam National Park , Ranthambore National Park, Valley of Flowers, Khangchendzonga National Park in India

Physical appearance : Lammergeier are also called Bearded Vulture. It is 108 cm long and weighs around 5- 7 kg. Its wings are three meter long. They do-not have a bald head. Its tail and wings are gray in colour. They have gray blackish hair on their back, wings and tail. They have long, pointed wings and wedged tail. Its eyes are covered with the dark feathers. Its chest is reddish brown in colour. It has spots on the breast and have black and white stripes on the head. Its underparts are pale brown in colour.

Presence in India : It is wide spread in the Indian Himalayas. Dachigam National Park , Ranthambore National Park, Valley of Flowers, Khangchendzonga National Park in India.

Habitat : Lammergeier prefers high mountainous regions, cliffs and gorges, it lives up to an altitude of 25, 500 feet.

Diet : It mainly feeds on dead animals, small mammals, small birds, turtles and carrion. It is the only bone eating bird in the world.

Reproduction : Lammergeier attains sexual maturity at 5 years of age. They breed from January to July. Incubation takes 53 days. Mostly one or two eggs are laid, which are hatched in 58 days. Both males and females take care of the young ones. It breeds on hollow or crags in high mountainous areas. Young ones take 107 to 117 days to fly.

Conservation status : Least concern. This species now survives in only few areas. Lammergeier are mostly poisoned by the humans. Poaching, destruction of natural habitat and lack of food has seriously affected the population of Lammergeier. Many countries have already started the operation of breeding this species.

Lifespan : Lammergeier can live up to 40 years of age.

Great Indian Bustard

Classification

Kingdom :	Animalia
Phylum :	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order :	Gruiformes
Family :	Otididae
Genus :	Ardeotis
Species :	A. nigriceps
Zoological name :	Ardeotis nigriceps
Found In	Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary (Gurgaon), Desert National Park (Rajasthan) and the Lala-Parjau sanctuary in western Kutch (Gujarat)

Physical appearance : Males are 120 cm long and weigh around 18 kg. Females are generally 92 cm longand weigh around 6 kg. Males weigh around three times more than the females. Its underparts and neck is white in colour, it has a black clown on its forehead and and its upperparts are brown in colour. Males have larger crown as compared to the females. It is tall long legged bird. Its wings are black, brown and gray in colour. Both males and females are similar in appearance.

Presence in India : Great Indian Bustard is mostly found in the Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and West Rajasthan. It is mainly spotted in the the Desert National Park (Rajasthan) and the Lala-Parjau sanctuary in western Kutch (Gujarat).

Habitat : Great Indian Bustard prefers short grass plains, desert plains and semi arid regions.

Diet : Great Indian Bustard is omnivorous and feeds on beetles, grasshoppers, seeds and groundnuts.

Reproduction : It makes nest in the open ground, where incubated by female for about 25 days; fledging period 30–35 days. It usually lay single egg in an year. First breeding occurs at 5–6 years in males and 2–3 years in females. Males take no part in nourishing the young ones.

Conservation status : (Vulnerable) Great Indian Bustard has been declared as the endangered species, as its population is very less in number. Due to haunting and greater use of pesticides, the population of Great Indian Bustard is continuously declining. As these birds do not live in birds, so there is greater risk of their eggs destruction. The largest protected area of the Great Indian Bustard is the Desert National Park in India.

Lifespan : Unknown

Indian Roller

Classification

Kingdom :	Animalia
Phylum :	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order :	Coraciiformes
Family :	Coraciidae
Genus :	Coracias
Species :	C. benghalensis
Zoological name :	Coracias benghalensis
Found In	Corbett National Park, Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajaji National Park, Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagarhole National Park and Kanha National Park in India.

Physical appearance : Indian Roller is also called Blue Jay. It is 13 inch long and is striking blue in colour. Indian Roller weighs around 80 -100 g. It's eyes and bill are black. It has a large head and short neck. Its crown, lower wings and tail are blue green in colour. The throat and upper breast are purple in colour. The back and abdomen are gray in colour. Males and females are similar in appearance.

Presence in India : Indian Roller is found in the foot hills of the Himalayas, Southern India and Western India. It can also be spotted in the Corbett National Park, Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajaji National Park, Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagarhole National Park and Kanha National Park in India.

Species : The other two species of Indian Roller include European Roller (Coracias garrulus), and Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis)

Habitat : Indian Roller prefers open ground, cultivated fields, local parks and cities at lower elevation.

Diet : Indian Roller is omnivorous. It mainly feeds on frogs. It also favours lizards, acorns, grasshoppers, crickets, Butterflies and moths.

Reproduction : Incubation takes 18 – 20 days. It lays 4- 5 eggs in the month of March or April. . Males perform ornate sexual displays during the mating season. The eggs are white in colour. It lay eggs in hole in the trees. The Young are fledged between 17 -20 days. Both the males and females take care of the young ones.

Conservation status : Indian Roller is considered as sacred among the Hindus. It has been given the status of State Bird of Karnataka in India. They are sometimes haunted for sports and food.

Lifespan : The longevity of Indian Roller exceeds up to 17 years of age.

Indian Peafowl

Classification

Kingdom :	Animalia
Phylum :	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order :	Galliformes
Family :	Phasianidae
Genus :	Pavo
Species :	P. cristatus
Zoological name :	Pavo cristatus
Found In	Sariska Tiger Reserve, Kanha National Park and Ranthambore National Park

Physical appearance : Males are about 107 cm long and females are about 86 cm long. Males weigh around 5 kg and the females weigh around 3.4 kg. Both have fan shaped crest on their head. Three toes face forward and one backward. The most attracting part of the peacock is the fan or train of feathers that grow from its shimmering blue back. The train is approximately 1.6 m in length. It can also raise its train of feathers. The peahens do not have train, her plumage is brown, white and black in colour. They have royal blue neck and breast. Indian Peafowl is one of the most colorful bird. It is the largest member of pheasant and turkey family.

Presence in India : Peafowls are found all over India. In Haryana they are found in almost every village. They can be spotted in Sariska Tiger reserve, Kanha National Park and Ranthambore National Park. It is the National Bird of India.

Habitat : Peafowls prefers semi- desert grasslands, shrub, cultivated fields, open forests, orchards and deciduous forests.

Diet : Peafowls are omnivorous and feed on the ground. They eat seeds, grains, insects, berries, plants, fruits, reptiles, arthropods and amphibians. They mostly search for food in early morning hours or before the sunset.

Reproduction : Males attract the females with the fan dance. They lay 4- 8 eggs which are hatched within 28 days. The eggs are light brown in colour. The young ones are known as peachicks. Breading season varies geographically. Males usually mates with 2- 5 females.

Conservation status : Not endangered. They are protected throughout the country, especially under Indian wildlife protection Act 1972. Indian Peafowls are also kept as a pet. It is considered as sacred among the Hindus.

Lifespan : The average lifespan of the Indian Peafowls is about 20 years of age.

Indian Animals

Meet the Indian Animals

Bengal Tiger Tiger is the largest living member of the big cat family. It has a graceful built. The reddish yellow coat with black stripes gives it a royal look ....

Indian Rhino The Indian Rhinoceros, internationally known as the Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros is a colossally built beast of truly mammoth proportions....

Indian Elephant The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is a one of three subspecies of the Asian elephant "Elephas maximus". ....

Lion Asiatic lions are seriously endangered. The Indian lion is another name for the Asiatic lion, Panthera leo persica, the sub-species that once ranged from Greece ....

Cobra The King Cobra, found in India is the largest venomous snake in the world. In a single bite it can inject enough venom to kill an elephant....

Peacock Peacocks, commonly called peafowl (peacock refers to the male), are large pheasants, family Phasianidae, of the Indian-Asian region ....

White Tiger Tigers in general are the biggest cats in the world. They live in steamy hot jungles as well as icy cold forests. There are five different ....

Snow Leopard Even though sharing its name with the common leopard, the snow leopard is not believed to be closely associated to the Leopard or the other members of the Pantherine Family and is classified as the only member of the genus Uncia uncia.....

Black Buck Kala Hiran also called Indian Black Buck Antelope (Antelope cervicapra L.) is an exclusively Indian animal, which is perhaps the most graceful and beautiful of its kind...