This list of mammals of India comprises all the mammal species alive in India today. Some of them are common to the point of being considered vermin while others are exceedingly rare. Many species are known from just a few zoological specimens in museums collected in the 19th and 20th centuries. Many of the carnivores and larger mammals are restricted in their distribution to forests in protected areas, while others live within cities in the close proximity of humans. They range in size from the Eurasian pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus) to the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). They include nocturnal small mammals endemic to India such as the Malabar large-spotted civet (Viverra civettina). While the status of many of these species is unknown, some are definitely extinct. Populations of many carnivores are threatened. The tiger (Panthera tigris), dhole (Cuon alpinus), and Malabar large-spotted civet (Viverra civettina) are some of the most endangered carnivore species. Two rhinoceros species are extinct within the Indian region, but the remaining species, the Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) has its last stronghold within India.
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^Molur, S.; Srinivasulu, C.; Bates, P.; Francis, C. (2008). "Pteropus giganteus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T18725A8511108. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T18725A8511108.en. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
^Khajuria, H. (1977). "Extension of distributional ranges of some rare South Indian Bats". Cheetal. 19 (2&3): 16-20.
^Chetry, D.; Long, Y.; Htun, S.; Timmins, R.J.; Boonratana, R. & Das, J. (2020). "Macaca arctoides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T12548A17949098.
^Sinha, A.; Datta, A.; Madhusudan, M. D.; & Mishra, C. (2005). "The Arunachal macaque Macaca munzala: a new species from western Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India". International Journal of Primatology. 26 (4): 977-989.
^Mootnick, A.; Groves, C. P. (2005). "A new generic name for the hoolock gibbon (Hylobatidae)". International Journal of Primatology. 26 (4): 971–976. doi:10.1007/s10764-005-5332-4. S2CID 8394136.
^Hoffmann, M.; Arnold, J.; Duckworth, J. W.; Jhala, Y.; Kamler, J. F. & Krofel, M. (2018). "Canis aureus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T118264161A46194820.
^Kamler, J. F.; Songsasen, N.; Jenks, K.; Srivathsa, A.; Sheng, L. & Kunkel, K. (2015). "Cuon alpinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T5953A72477893.
^Gray, T.N.E.; Timmins, R.J.; Jathana, D.; Duckworth, J.W.; Baral, H. & Mukherjee, S. (2016). "Felis chaus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T8540A50651463.
^Ghoddousi, A.; Belbachir, F.; Durant, S.M.; Herbst, M. & Rosen, T. (2022). "Felis lybica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T131299383A154907281. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T131299383A154907281.en.
^Breitenmoser, U.; Breitenmoser-Würsten, C.; Lanz, T.; von Arx, M.; Antonevich, A.; Bao, W. & Avgan, B. (2015). "Lynx lynx". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T12519A121707666.
^Gray, T.; Borah, J.; Coudrat, C.N.Z.; Ghimirey, Y.; Giordano, A.; Greenspan, E.; Petersen, W.; Rostro-García, S.; Shariff, M. & Wai-Ming, W. (2021). "Neofelis nebulosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T14519A198843258.
^Ross, S.; Barashkova, A.; Dhendup, T.; Munkhtsog, B.; Smelansky, I.; Barclay, D. & Moqanaki, E. (2020). "Otocolobus manul". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T15640A162537635.
^Jhala, Y. V.; Qureshi, Q. & Nayak, A. K. (2019). Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India 2018. Summary Report. TR No./2019/05 (PDF) (Report). New Delhi, Dehradun: National Tiger Conservation Authority & Wildlife Institute of India.
^Singh, H. S. & Gibson, L. (2011). "A conservation success story in the otherwise dire megafauna extinction crisis: The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) of Gir forest" (PDF). Biological Conservation. 144 (5): 1753–1757. Bibcode:2011BCons.144.1753S. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2011.02.009.
^Stein, A.B.; Athreya, V.; Gerngross, P.; Balme, G.; Henschel, P.; Karanth, U.; Miquelle, D.; Rostro-Garcia, S.; Kamler, J. F.; Laguardia, A.; Khorozyan, I. & Ghoddousi, A. (2019). "Panthera pardus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T15954A160698029.
^McCarthy, T.; Mallon, D.; Jackson, R.; Zahler, P. & McCarthy, K. (2017). "Panthera uncia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22732A50664030.
^Ross, J.; Brodie, J.; Cheyne, S.; Datta, A.; Hearn, A.; Loken, B.; Lynam, A.; McCarthy, J.; Phan, C.; Rasphone, A.; Singh, P.; Wilting, A. (2016). "Pardofelis marmorata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T16218A97164299.
^Ross, J.; Brodie, J.; Cheyne, S.; Hearn, A.; Izawa, M.; Loken, B.; Lynam, A.; McCarthy, J.; Mukherjee, S.; Phan, C.; Rasphone, A. & Wilting, A. (2015). "Prionailurus bengalensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T18146A50661611.
^Mukherjee, S.; Duckworth, J. W.; Silva, A.; Appel, A. & Kittle, A. (2016). "Prionailurus rubiginosus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T18149A50662471.
^Mukherjee, S.; Appel, A.; Duckworth, J. W.; Sanderson, J.; Dahal, S.; Willcox, D. H. A.; Herranz Muñoz, V.; Malla, G.; Ratnayaka, A.; Kantimahanti, M.; Thudugala, A.; Thaung, R.; Rahman, H. (2016). "Prionailurus viverrinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T18150A50662615.
^Timmins, R.J.; Duckworth, J.W.; Chutipong, W.; Ghimirey, Y.; Willcox, D.H.A.; Rahman, H.; Long, B. & Choudhury, A. (2016). "Viverra zibetha". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41709A45220429.
^Choudhury, A.; Duckworth, J.W.; Timmins, R.; Chutipong, W.; Willcox, D.H.A.; Rahman, H.; Ghimirey, Y. & Mudappa, D. (2015). "Viverricula indica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T41710A45220632.
^Duckworth, J.W.; Timmins, R.J.; Choudhury, A.; Chutipong, W.; Willcox, D.H.A.; Mudappa, D.; Rahman, H.; Widmann, P.; Wilting, A. & Xu, W. (2016). "Paradoxurus hermaphroditus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41693A45217835.
^Willcox, D.H.A.; Duckworth, J.W.; Timmins, R.J.; Chutipong, W.; Choudhury, A.; Roberton, S.; Long, B.; Hearn, A. & Ross, J. (2016). "Arctogalidia trivirgata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41691A45217378.
^Duckworth, J.W.; Lau, M.; Choudhury, A.; Chutipong, W.; Timmins, R.J.; Willcox, D.H.A.; Chan, B.; Long, B. & Roberton, S. (2016). "Prionodon pardicolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41706A45219917.
^Maran, T.; Skumatov, D.; Abramov A. V. & Kranz, A. (2016). "Mustela eversmanii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T29679A45203762. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
^Choudhury, A.; Timmins, R.; Chutipong, W.; Duckworth, J. W.; Mudappa, D. & Willcox, D. H. A. (2015). "Herpestes urva". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T41618A86159618.
^Meijaard, E.; Narayan, G. & Deka, P. (2019). "Porcula salvania". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T21172A44139115. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T21172A44139115.en. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
^Groves, C. & Meijaard, E. (2005). "Intraspecific variation in Moschiola, the Indian Chevrotain". The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Supplement 12: 413-421. Archived from the original 27 July 2008.
^Brook, S.M.; Donnithorne-Tait, D.; Lorenzini, R.; Lovari, S.; Masseti, M.; Pereladova, O.; Ahmad, K. & Thakur, M. (2017). "Cervus hanglu". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T4261A120733024.
^Brook, S.M.; Thakur, M.; Ranjitsinh, M.K.; Donnithorne-Tait, D. & Ahmad, K. (2017). "Cervus hanglu ssp. hanglu". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T113259123A113281791.
^Datta, A.; Pansa, J.; Madhusudan, M. D. & Mishra, C. (2003). "Discovery of the leaf deer Muntiacus putaoensis in Arunachal Pradesh: an addition to the large mammals of India". Current Science. 84: 454-458.
^Gray, T.N.E.; Brook, S.M.; McShea, W.J.; Mahood, S.; Ranjitsingh, M.K.; Miyunt, A.; Hussain, S.A. & Timmins, R.J. (2015). "Rucervus eldii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T4265A22166803.
^Duckworth, J. W.; Sankar, K.; Williams, A. C.; Samba Kumar, N. & Timmins, R. J. (2016). "Bos gaurus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T2891A46363646.
^Gardner, P.; Hedges, S.; Pudyatmoko, S.; Gray, T.N.E. & Timmins, R.J. (2016). "Bos javanicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T2888A46362970.
^Bragina, E.; Kim, S.; Zaumyslova, O.; Park, Y.-S. & Lee, W. (2020). "Naemorhedus caudatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T14295A22150540.
^Ropiquet A, Hassanin A (2005). "Molecular evidence for the polyphyly of the genus Hemitragus (Mammalia, Bovidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 36 (1): 154–168. Bibcode:2005MolPE..36..154R. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.01.002. PMID 15904863.
^Choudhury, A.U. (2007). "A new flying squirrel of the genus Petaurista Link from Arunachal Pradesh in north-east India". The Newsletter and Journal of the Rhino Foundation for Nature North East India. 7: 26–34, plates.
^Choudhury, A.U. (2009). "One more new flying squirrel of the genus Petaurista Link, 1795 from Arunachal Pradesh in north-east India". The Newsletter and Journal of the Rhino Foundation for Nature North East India. 8: 26–34, plates.
^Smith, A.T.; Johnston, C.H. (2019). "Lepus tibetanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T41307A45193298. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T41307A45193298.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Other references
Corbet, G. B. & Hill, J. E. (1992). The Mammals of the Indomalayan Region: A Systematic Review. Oxford University Press.
Ellerman, J. R. & Morrison-Scott, T. C. S. (1951). Checklist of Palaearctic and Indian Mammals 1758 to 1946. Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History), London
Prater, S. H. (1971). The Book of Indian Animals. Oxford University Press. (Third edition 1997)
Talmale, S. S.; Pradhan, M. S. (2009). A Checklist of Valid Indian Bat Species (Chiroptera: Mammalia) (PDF). Zoological Survey of India, Western Regional Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, PIN 411044. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
Nameer, P. O. (2000). "Checklist of Indian Mammals". Kerala Forest Department and Kerala Agricultural University. 90+xxv pp.
External links
A sortable list of all mammals of India and their taxonomic status on Biodiversity of India database. This list is based on data obtained from the Jeev Sampada (IBIN) database. Taxonomy was created based on Catalogue of Life 2010 checklist.