Documenting India’s civilisational and natural heritage.
The Masked Finfoot has since undergone catastrophic decline across much of Asia. It was upgraded to Critically Endangered in 2022, and the eastern Sundarbans of Bangladesh are now considered its most important surviving stronghold.
Small, stocky and unusually active during daylight, the Forest Owlet was once feared to have disappeared forever. After going unrecorded for 113 years, it was dramatically rediscovered in northern Maharashtra in 1997. Subsequent surveys have established surviving populations in parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, but its distribution remains highly fragmented and restricted.
The breed is principally associated with the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and adjoining northern Karnataka, particularly the wider belt around Latur and Bidar. ICAR’s National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources officially identifies Maharashtra and Karnataka as the home tract of Deoni cattle.
India is home to around 60% of the world’s wild Asian elephant population. Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted this global responsibility while marking World Elephant Day on August 12.
There is also an interesting historical dimension to the breed’s name. Tharparkar takes its name from Tharparkar district in Sindh, now in Pakistan, which formed part of undivided India, while its recognised breeding tract in present-day India includes Barmer, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur in Rajasthan and Kutch in Gujarat.
Announcing the achievement on World Lion Day 2026, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said the increase reflects sustained efforts by forest officials, conservationists, frontline workers and local communities involved in protecting the species and its habitat.
The breed developed across the plains of Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and adjoining Rajasthan, an area characterised historically by intensive cultivation, hot summers, seasonal scarcity of fodder and the need for animals capable of performing several functions within a farming household. ICAR’s National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources officially records Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan as the home tract of Hariana cattle.
The gesture renews a little-known connection between India and the famous peacocks that have for decades roamed freely through Ariana Park, the sprawling green estate surrounding the UN’s European headquarters in Geneva.
The species was first noticed in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in January 1995, but its identity remained uncertain for more than a decade. It was formally described as a new species in 2006 by astronomer and naturalist Ramana Athreya, after detailed observations showed that its plumage, size and vocalisations differed from other known liocichlas.
In India, the species is now principally associated with eastern Arunachal Pradesh, particularly the river systems around Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Kamlang Tiger Reserve and the Lohit Valley. Its dependence on relatively undisturbed, free-flowing rivers makes the White-bellied Heron especially vulnerable to changes in river habitats.
