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Herbivores

Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus)

Asian elephant is the largest terrestrial animal in Asia. Asian elephant has smaller body and smaller, more rounded ears than its African cousin.

  1. Habit: Live in groups, Tuskers are solitary and join the group during must, herd is matriarchal.
  2. Habitat: Hilly undulating forested areas, scrub forest, grasslands with low woody plants and trees.
  3. Activity: Diurnal
  4. Distribution: Southeast Asia, Northeast India, West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, North Indian terai and South India.
  5. Height (at shoulder): 245-275 cm
  6. Weight: Male: 4,000-5,000 kg; Female: 2,000-3,000 kg.
  7. Body Length: 550-640 cm.
  8. Diet in Captivity: Ragi Java & Green Feed (Coconut, Banana, Watermelon, Sugarcane, Amaranths, Banana Fronts and Grass)
  9. Sexual maturity: 14-18 years
  10. Breeding season: Throughout the year
  11. Gestation period: 20-22 months
  12. Litter size: One
  13. Life span: 60-80 years
  14. Threat in wild: Deforestation, Habitat loss & Poaching. 
  15. Conservation status: “Endangered” by IUCN.
  • Only male Asian elephants have tusks. Females have reduced tusks known as tushes.
  • Asian elephant has very long trunk it has around 1, 50, 000 muscles. It can contain up to 8 liters of water.
  • Greater one-horned rhinos use communal dung heaps, where they often scrape their feet, leaving a scent as they move around. Sadly, poachers can also track rhinos this way.
  • The single horn is present on both male and females. It starts to show after around 6 years and usually grows to about 25 cm.

Indian one horned rhinoceros: (Rhinoceros unicornis)

Indian rhinoceros (great one-horned rhinoceros) is the second largest member (white rhino is the largest) of a rhino family.

  1. Habitat: Solitary in nature but both are together during mating season.
  2. Habitat: Tall grasslands and forests of the foot hills of Himalaya.
  3. Activity: Diurnal 
  4. Distribution: Assam, Northern West Bengal, Terai area of Utter Pradesh and Nepal.
  5. Height (at shoulder): 170-180cm.
  6. Weight: Male: 2200-2700 kg; Female: 1500-1600 kg.
  7. Body Length: 3.0-3.8 m
  8. Diet: Cattle Feed (Maize+Soya+Weat bran+Peddy bran+ Hussk), Grass and Green feed.
  9. Sexual maturity: male: 7 years & female 5 year
  10. Breeding season: Throughout the year
  11. Gestation period: 16 to 18 months
  12. Life span: 25 years
  13. Threat in wild: Deforestation, Habitat loss and civil wars. 
  14. Conservation status: “Endangered” by IUCN.

Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)

Hippopotamuses (hippos) are third largest land mammals. These animals are famous for their bad temper.

  1. Habit: Live in herds.
  2. Habitat: Rivers and lakes surrounded by grasslands.
  3. Activity: Diurnal 
  4. Distribution: Africa
  5. Height (at shoulder): 130-165 cm.
  6. Weight: Male: 1500-3200 kg; Female: 1350-2500 kg.
  7. Body Length: Male: 320-420 cm; Female: 280-370 cm.
  8. Diet: Cattle Feed (Maize+Soya+Weat bran+Peddy bran+ Hussk), Grass and Green feed.
  9. Sexual maturity: male: 7-8 years & female 5-6 year
  10. Breeding season: Throughout the year
  11. Gestation period: 8 months
  12. Life span: 30-40 years
  13. Threat in wild: Deforestation, Habitat loss and man-animal conflict.
  14. Conservation status: “Vulnerable” by IUCN.

Hippos secrete an oily red substance, which gave rise to the myth that they sweat blood.

  • Giraffes have one of the highest blood pressures in the animal kingdom because of their height and size of heart.
  • Their heart is 2 feet long and weigh up to 20 pounds. This large and strong heart pumps 75 liters of blood every minute.

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

Giraffes are tallest mammals on Earth. Giraffes are one of the landmarks of Africa. They are divided in 9 subspecies according to the area of Africa where they could be found and by the coloration of their bodies.

  1. Habit: Terrestrial, tropical.
  2. Habitat: Giraffes are found in savannas, grasslands, or open woodlands.
  3. Activity: Diurnal 
  4. Distribution: Native to Africa, 
  5. Height (at shoulder): 18-19 feet; Neck: 2.5 meters
  6. Weight: Male: 1800-2000 kg; Female: 1000-1200 kg.
  7. Diet: Cattle Feed (Maize+Soya+Weat bran+Peddy bran+ Hussk), Leaves and Green feed.
  8. Sexual maturity: male: 4-5 years & female 3-4 year
  9. Breeding season: Throughout the year
  10. Gestation period: 13-15 months
  11. Litter size: One
  12. Life span: 12-15 years in wild & 20-25 years in Captivity.
  13. Threat in wild: Deforestation, Habitat loss. 
  14. Conservation status: “Least concern” by IUCN.
  1. Conservation status: “Endangered” by IUCN.

Indian Guar (Bos gaurus)

Gaur is the largest member of the bovine family. There are three subspecies of gaur that can be found in Nepal and India (Indian bison).

  1. Habit: Terrestrial
  2. Habitat:  It is essentially a hill animal. It is seen in evergreen, scrub, deciduous bamboo forests and grasslands.
  3. Activity: Diurnal 
  4. Distribution: In India it is found in Western Ghats, Central and Southeastern peninsula, West Bengal and Northeast India  
  5. Diet in Captivity: Cattle Feed (Maize+Soya+Weat bran+Peddy bran+ Hussk), Grass and Green feed.
  6. Weight:  Male: 600-1000 kg; Female: 300-500 kg
  7. Breeding season: Throughout the year, peaks in December to January.
  8. Gestation period: 240-270 days
  9. Offspring: One young one.
  10. Lifespan: 20-25 years.
  11. Conservation status: “Endangered” by IUCN.
  • The Indian bull is not only powerful also the high pried animal in the world. The one semen of this gaur can be sold up to 5000 dollar ( 3.4 lakh).
  • This semen has been used to improve the milk production of dairy buffalo in other countries, such as Italy and Egypt.
  • A group of zebra is called a ‘dazzle’
  • The Grévy’s zebra is named after Jules Grévy, president of France (in 1882) who received a zebra as a present from the emperor of Abyssinia.

Grant’s Zebra (Equus quagga boehmi)

Zebra can be easily recognized by its specific black and white appearance. There are three species of zebra: Grevy’s, Mountain and Plain zebra. First two species are endangered.

  1. Habit: Social animals, live in family groups.
  2. Habitat: Zebras can be found in shrub lands, grasslands, mountains and grasslands of Africa.
  3. Activity: Diurnal
  4. Distribution: Native in Africa.
  5. Height: 4-5 feet
  6. Weight: 350-450 kg
  7. Body length: 6-7 feet
  8. Diet: Cattle Feed, Green feed
  9. Sexual maturity:  2-3 years 
  10. Breeding season: Throughout the year
  11. Gestation period: 365 days
  12. Litter size: One
  13. Life span: 20-25 years
  14. Threat in wild: Deforestation, Habitat loss. 
  15. Conservation status: “Vulnerable” by IUCN.

Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)

The Sloth bear is a myrmecophagous bear species native to the Indian subcontinent. They primarily eat termites and ants and have also been called “labiated bears” because of their long lower lip and palate used for sucking insects.

  1. Habit: Solitary in nature
  2. Habitat: Sloth bears live mainly in tropical areas. They can be found in forested areas and grasslands.
  3. Activity: Diurnal and nocturnal 
  4. Distribution: They are found throughout India, Sri Lanka, and further north into Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan.
  5. Height (at shoulder): 65-85 cm
  6. Weight: Male: 125-145 kg; female: 55-95 kg
  7. Body length: 140-170 feet
  8. Diet in captivity: Ragi java; Honey, Bread, Vegetables and fruits
  9. Sexual maturity:  3-4 years 
  10. Breeding season: Peaks in April to June; births occur in December and January. 
  11. Gestation period: 6-7 months
  12. Litter size: 2-3
  13. Life span: 30-40 years
  14. Threat in wild: Poaching, Deforestation and Habitat loss. 
  15. Conservation status: “Vulnerable” by IUCN.
  • Sloth bears are the only bears that carry their young on their back.
  • Sloth bears have 3-inch-long, ivory white claws

The snout of this mammal is elongated and elastic. Wild boar used its snout when digging out roots and bulbs.

Indian wild boar (Sus scrofa)

Wild boar is a close relative of domestic pig. There are four subspecies of wild boar that are similar in size and appearance, but differ in color (which depends on the type of habitat).

  1. Habit: Lives in groups (6-20)
  2. Habitat: Semi desert to temperate broad leaved woodland, grassland and tropical rain forests; terrestrial. .
  3. Activity: Crepuscular and nocturnal
  4. Distribution: All over India, North Africa, British islands to Japan and Sunda islands.
  5. Height (at shoulder): About 90 cm
  6. Weight: 90-100 kg
  7. Body length: 90-180 feet
  8. Diet in captivity: Cattle feed, green feed (Vegetables, roots and fruits)
  9. Sexual maturity:  Male: 9 months; female: 7 months
  10. Breeding season: Throughout the year 
  11. Gestation period: 4 months
  12. Litter size: 4-6
  13. Life span: 15-20 years
  14. Threat in wild: Poaching, and Habitat loss. 
  15. Conservation status: “Lower risk” by IUCN.

Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus)

It is largest Indian antelope. Only males have horns. They are crop raiders but are tolerated because Hindus treat it is as holy cow because of its name (Blue bull).

  1. Habit: Lives in small herd (4-10)
  2. Habitat:  Hilly areas sparsely dotted with trees and scrubs.
  3. Distribution: Throughout Indian peninsula except eastern Bengal, Assam and the Malabar coast.
  4. Height (at shoulder): 130-150 cm.
  5. Weight: 170-240 kg.
  6. Body length: 150-225 cm.
  7. Diet:  They are grazers and eat grasses, green leaves, buds of flowers and fruits.
  8. Sexual maturity: about 25 months.
  9. Breeding season:  Through the year (Peak in June- October)
  10. Gestation period:  245-277 days
  11. Offspring: One or two young ones.
  12. Lifespan: 15-20 years.
  13. Conservation status: “Lower risk” by IUCN”
  • The name "nilgai" comes from the fusion of the Hindi words nil ("blue") and gai ("cow"). The word was first recorded in use in 1882.
  • Sambars shed their antlers every year. Younger deer have smaller antlers, while larger deer have larger antlers.

Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor)

Sambar deer have many subspecies which vary in size and appearance, but it is known as the largest oriental deer with some adult males reaching 500 kg in weight.

  1. Habit: The stages fight for the territory, rarely seen in groups which comprise of 4-5 individuals.
  2. Habitat:  Sambars inhabit both gently sloping and steep forested hillsides.
  3. Distribution: They are found in Indian subcontinent and also have been successfully introduced in Australia, New Zealand, California, Florida and Texas.
  4. Activity: Diurnal
  5. Height (at shoulder): 140-150cm.
  6. Weight: Male: 225-320 kg; Female: 135-225 kg.
  7. Diet in Captivity: Cattle feed, Green feed and grass.
  8. Breeding season: Throughout the year, peaks in the month of March to June.
  9. Gestation period:  240 days
  10. Offspring: One
  11. Offspring: One young one.
  12. Lifespan: 20-25 years
  13. Conservation Status: Not listed in IUCN.

Spotted Deer (Axis axis)

The spotted deer is a beautiful mammal with spotted body and short tail. Both males and females have markings on their bodies; the markings are white, running in rows along the length of their bodies.

  1. Habit: Lives in groups (10-30).
  2. Habitat: Open forests, scrubby grasslands, mixed deciduous forest to evergreen forests, mangroves.
  3. Distribution: Throughout Indian peninsula & Sri Lanka except arid plains of Punjab, Sind and a large portion of Rajaputana..
  4. Activity: Diurnal
  5. Height (at shoulder): 75-110 cm.
  6. Weight: Male: 75-110 kg.
  7. Diet in Captivity: Cattle feed, Green feed and grass.
  8. Sexual maturity: 1 ½ -2 years
  9. Breeding season: Throughout the year, peaks in June to july.
  10. Gestation period:  210 days
  11. Offspring: One
  12. Lifespan: 10-15 years
  13. Conservation Status: Not listed in IUCN.
  • Teeth of the Axis deer are perfectly designed for grazing.
  • They also lick and eat their shed antlers that contain nutrients.
  • The species was described and given its binomial name by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in 1758.

Black buck (Antelope cervicapra)

This is native to Indian subcontinent and also have been introduced in the USA and Argentina where they are thriving very well. It is the state animal of Andhra Pradesh.

  1. Habit: Live in herds (20-30)
  2. Habitat:  They live in open plains with scrub or cultivation, open grasslands, Dry deciduous forests.
  3. Distribution: Indian sub-continent.
  4. Activity: Diurnal
  5. Height (at shoulder): 60-85 cm
  6. Body length: 75-125 cm.
  7. Weight: Male: 35-45 kg; Female: 31-39 kg.
  8. Diet in captivity: Cattle feed, green feed and grass.
  9. Sexual maturity: Male: 3 years & Female: 19-23 month.
  10. Breeding season: Throughout the year, peak in February to March.
  11. Gestation period:  160 days
  12. Offspring: One young one.
  13. Lifespan: 10-15 years.
  14. Conservation status: “Vulnerable” by IUCN.

Hog deer (Axis porcinus)

Hog deer is solitary animals and not found in large herds. They have a habit of rushing through grass with their head down like pig, rather than bouncing or leaping over obstacles like other deer species.

  1. Habit: Solitary or in small groups.
  2. Habitat:  Open grasslands, grass covered delta islands, grass jungles near river banks.
  3. Activity: Diurnal 
  4. Distribution: North India from Punjab to Assam, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan.
  5. Body length: 105-115 cm.
  6. Weight: 30-50 kg
  7. Height (at shoulder): about 61 cm 
  8. Diet in Captivity: Cattle feed, Green feed.  
  9. Sexual maturity: Male: 3-4 years; Female: 2-3 years
  10. Breeding season: September to October.
  11. Gestation period:  8 months
  12. Offspring: One fawn
  13. Lifespan: 15-20 years.
  14. Threats in wild: Habitat loss and poaching.
  15. Conservation status: “Lower risk” in IUCN
  • The eyes of these animals are located on the sides of their head, providing a rather wide view of up to 310 degrees. On the other hand, due to this spacious view, they cannot focus on one point.
  • Muntjacs are amongst the world’s smallest species of deer.
  • The name “Muntjac” means “small deer” and originates from the Sudanese word “mencek”. They are also widely known as “barking deer”, due to their unique cry that sounds like a dog’s bark.

Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak)

The Indian muntjac also called the southern red muntjac and barking deer, is a deer species native to South and Southeast Asia.

  1. Habit: Live singly or in pairs
  2. Habitat:  Lives in thick forests but comes out in the open as well as forest edges for grazing.
  3. Distribution: India (except Jammu & Kashmir, and arid areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan), Pakistan, Nepal, Southern China.
  4. Activity: Diurnal
  5. Height (at shoulder): 50-75 cm.
  6. Weight: 22-23 kg
  7. Diet in captivity: Cattle feed, green feed and grass
  8. Sexual maturity: 2 years
  9. Breeding season: Throughout the year
  10. Gestation period:  160-180 days
  11. Offspring: One
  12. Lifespan: 10-15 years.
  13. Conservation status: “Lower risk” in IUCN.

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