Endemic Species

Species are said to be endemic when they are exclusive to a single location and cannot be found anywhere else on the planet. Kangaroos, for instance, are a native species that can only be found in Australia; they are not found anywhere else in the globe. The instances in which they have been found outside of their normal habitat are the result of humans releasing them when the animal was in human care.

In addition to these, there are a few species of marsupials that can only be found in Australia and the islands immediately to its north and south. One example of such a rare animal is the Tasmanian Tiger, which used to only exist in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. But that species no longer exists today.

As was said earlier, endemic species are those that are not found anywhere else in the world save the area in which they were originally discovered. On the other hand, due to the fact that endemic species are exclusive to a certain geographical region, they are more susceptible to going extinct. As a direct consequence of this, further measures could be necessary in order to preserve them.

Examples of Endemic species

It is possible for a species to become endemic to a certain region through a number of different mechanisms. Because of the changes that have taken place in its natural habitat, a population that was once widespread may have become extinct in one or more of its habitats. The shifts may have been caused by an increase in the number of predators, human activity, a change in climate, or some combination of these three variables.

All of the other organisms of a species that were once widely dispersed over the earth begin to perish one by one until the species is eventually confined to just one place.

For instance, endemic species such as those found on small islands, such as the tortoises of the Galapagos and the lemurs of Madagascar, can be found on those islands. The remoteness that small islands give can also be found on larger islands, albeit on a far grander scale.

Large geographical masses such as Antarctica, Hawaii, and Australia each have their own unique animal and plant life since they are isolated from the rest of the world. Kangaroos and polar bears are two examples of animals that are native to a certain region and cannot be found anywhere else.

When it comes to plants, the loss of their natural habitat can sometimes be the cause of a species becoming extinct. Because it is nearly totally confined to California at this point, the coastal redwood forest on the western coast of the United States has evolved into an endemic species. Despite the fact that redwood forests once extended throughout a significant portion of the United States, they have since been decimated by logging practices and are now confined to a small conservation area.

Endemic Species of India

The following is a list of the species that are unique to India and can only be found there:

Asiatic Lion, Gir Forest

The Asiatic Lion, commonly known as the Indian Lion, is endemic to only the Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat and the areas immediately around it. These animals are considered to be on the verge of extinction. These are two of India’s five big cats; the others are the Indian Leopard and the Bengal Tiger. India is home to a total of five large cats.

Kashmir Stag, Kashmir Valley

The Dachigam National Park in the Kashmir Valley and the Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh are home to the Hangul, another name for the Kashmir Stag. Both of these areas are located in Himachal Pradesh.

Lion-Tailed Macaque, Western Ghats

Only the Western Ghats of Southern India is known to be home to this one-of-a-kind primate species, making it the world’s rarest, most endangered primate.

Purple Frog, Western Ghats

The only place on Earth where you can find the purple frog, also called the Pignose frog, is in the rainforests of India’s western ghats. It burrows underground for most of its existence.

Sangai Deer, Loktak Lake

In addition to its other name, the Brow Antlered Deer, this species can only be found in Manipur’s Keibul Lamjao National Park. This park is a marshy wetland and it is situated in the southern portions of Loktak lake.

Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Hills

It is an endangered species of wild sheep that can only be found in the unique Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats.

Factors Affecting Endemic Species

The draining and filling of inland wetlands have resulted in the loss of habitat and in its fragmentation.

Pollution is another significant factor that contributes to the decline of the species.

The Himalayas and the Western Ghats are home to about sixty percent of India’s unique flora and fauna, which are known as endemic species. The regions of North-East India, the North-west Himalayas, the Western Ghats, and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands are the primary hotspots for the distribution of endemic species. When conducting their research, biologists that are interested in endemism take into account not just species but also the most specific classification of living things. In addition to this, they investigate the higher-level taxonomic categories of family, genus, and order. These hierarchical arrangements are nested so that, in most cases, an order of animals and plants contains a number of families, and each family includes numerous genera, also known as genus. This means that a genus is the lowest level of the hierarchical structure. Taxonomic levels are different levels of categorization or classification that have been established. The species is the definitive taxonomic classification, and each species has carefully modified or adapted itself to the environment in which it lives. Because of this, the species can only be found in very specific geographic regions and environmental circumstances. Typically, larger areas or regions are home to endemic species that belong to a certain genus. There are typically two routes that might lead to an animal or plant becoming endemic. Some thrive in a specific location, evolving in response to the natural conditions there while maintaining their existence within the confines of those conditions. This form of endemism is referred to as autochthonous, which means it is indigenous to the region in which it is found. 

Conclusion

Endemism refers to the fact that a species can only be found in a certain geographic location or in a confined area. The endemic species are significant because their natural habitat is confined to a particular region for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to the effects of climate change and the expansion of metropolitan areas, among many others. The region that is home to an endemic species is protected from human development in some way.