Five Iconic Indian Animals—And Where To See Them

In addition to its towering mountains, verdant plains, and sprawling deserts, the nation of India is also home to a truly spectacular array of native fauna. From tiny insects to the largest land mammal in Asia, there’s no shortage of creatures to search for during a trip to the country—though it can certainly take considerable effort to track some of them down. For any ambitious ecotourists that dream of spotting an elephant, tiger, or rhinoceros in the pristine rural depths of India, read on to discover some of the country’s best destinations for wildlife tourism.

Great Hornbill

While it’s easy to assume that the curved protrusion atop the great hornbill’s head is used for fighting, there’s actually no discernible reason for its presence—though some academics believe that it’s used to impress a potential mate. For any seasoned birders in search of these striking creatures, the verdant seaside state of Kerala is a particularly attractive destination, with ample opportunity for a sighting along the interior Western Ghats mountain range. Hornbills can be found all throughout the jungles of Kerala, but true avian enthusiasts should make sure to check out Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, a serene preserve that’s also home to frogmouths, owls, and a wealth of other species.

Asian Elephant

Though some ecotourists prefer to get an up-close encounter at an elephant sanctuary, nothing quite compares to observing a herd in the wilderness as they crash their way through the dense forest. The beasts can be found in small pockets of protected land all across India, but for a truly off-the-beaten-path journey, Odisha is a state that’s well worth visiting. Just northwest of the capital city of Bhubaneswar, the Chandaka Elephant Sanctuary is equipped with lookout towers to get a bird’s-eye view of Odisha’s native species, a sizeable list that also includes leopards, hyenas, sloth bears, and more than 150 different varieties of bird.

Indian Rhinoceros

 Extinct in Pakistan and rare in India and Nepal, this Asian rhinoceros currently lives in small fragmented patches of its historic range—and for those hoping to spot one in the wild, it’s best to head to Assam. Though small in size, this eastern Indian state is teeming with the beasts, with more than 80% of the earth’s population residing within its limits. Within the state, Kaziranga National Park is the top contender for rhinoceros sightings—though there’s a lot more to see there than just ungulates. In addition to the thousands of rhinos found within the park, Kaziranga is also a haven for tigers, elephants, and some of India’s largest reptile species as well.

Gharial

A distant relative of the alligator, this South Asian reptile is discernible from its fellow crocodilians thanks to its thin snout and largely-pescatarian diet. While gharial populations plunged to record lows in the late 20th century, the species has been on a slow road to recovery over the past decades, and rivers all throughout India and Nepal are seeing their gradual return. In the northernmost reaches of Madhya Pradesh, the National Chambal Sanctuary is a crucial breeding ground for a wide variety of aquatic South Asian species including the gharial, the Ganges river dolphin, and the red-crowned roof turtle, offering visitors an opportunity to see three iconic and highly-endangered Indian species all in one trip.

Bengal Tiger

After centuries of conflict, humans and tigers in India have reached an uneasy truce, with vast swathes of protected land set aside to house these ferocious carnivores. One preserve in particular—Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park—has been a particularly successful endeavor, with more than 70 tigers found within its borders in 2020. Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh National Park is often considered the nation’s best destination for tiger spotting, but for a more unique experience, head to the southern fringes of West Bengal to find Sundarbans National Park. Equipped with vast swathes of mangrove forest, the tigers around here have become talented swimmers, and can sometimes be seen paddling across the reserve as they search for their next meal.