India’s most unique nature experiences

Did you know that Indian wildlife comprises 45,000 species of flora and 91,000 species of known fauna? India enjoys diverse physical features and climatic conditions, due to which there are mountain ranges, arid desert, ancient grasslands, dense forest cover, lush mangroves and long coastal belt. This mixed environment is why India has such diverse wildlife.

Surprisingly, even with this megadiversity, the wildlife scene in India is not as popular as it should. For many, wildlife in India means sher –Bengal tiger or the Asiatic lion, bhaalu–sloth bear and haathi–wild elephants. Most of the natural excursions in the country revolve around these, and we are not saying it shouldn’t; but when tunnel vision sets in, we tend to forget that there are more than 45,000 plant species and 91,000 animal species to talk about.

Here are some of the best and unique wildlife experiences in India for the discerning traveller.

Hoolock gibbons are India's only ape species, and are also endemic. In India, they are only found in the forests of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary in Jorhat, Assam, is the only sanctuary named after the species. It’s a treat to see them in the wild.

With less than 150 individuals left in the wild and in the whole world, the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is one of the most important birds in the world. Out of 150, around 122 are in the Desert National Park, Rajasthan, and remaining in Kutch Bustard Sanctuary, Gujarat, and Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary, Maharashtra.

Shirui Lily grows only in the upper Shirui hill ranges in Ukhrul district, Manipur. There were failed attempts to grow the lily species in other parts of the state. Shirui hill range continues to be the only place where one can see this flower.

The Neelakurinji flower grows here once in every 12 years and only in the Western Ghats mountain range that falls under Kerala. When they bloom, they bloom with gusto and cover the entire hill range in a shade of blue-purple hue. One will feel extremely lucky to see them bloom, because 12 years is a long time.

Did you know that the Gangetic dolphins are blind? Millions of years of evolution has made them blind. And while they are blind, their other senses like sound is what gets them around in their habitat. These Gangetic dolphins’ habitat comprises the Brahmaputra river, the Ganges river in Bihar, Jharkhand, Allahabad and Chambal area. Due to this limited habitat and the problem of illegal fishing, their numbers are rapidly declining. River cruises on the Ganges river are the best way to see them in the wild.

Believe it or not, a lot of recent discoveries of new species of amphibians and reptiles in India is also because of something called Citizen Science. Citizen Science is something that allows non-scientific people to record species and add them to a database that helps the scientific researchers gather information about the habitat and the species. The Western Ghats is one of the best places to visit if amphibians and reptiles are your thing.

During the monsoon season, there are many herping trips organised by the Bombay Natural History Society in the Western Ghats region of Amboli, Agumbe, Matheran, Coorg, among other places. Arunachal Pradesh is also a great place to go herping.