Q.99 Which of the following animals in India are included under “critically endangered”
threat category as per the Red Data List of IUCN?
(A) Namdapha Flying Squirrel
(B) Indian Rhinoceros
(C) Nicobar Shrew
(D) Clouded Leopard

The Namdapha Flying Squirrel and Nicobar Shrew are classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List among the given options.​

Option Analysis

Namdapha Flying Squirrel (A)
This nocturnal species, found in Arunachal Pradesh’s Namdapha Tiger Reserve, faces severe threats from habitat loss, poaching, and limited sightings since 1981, leading to its critically endangered status.​

Indian Rhinoceros (B)
The greater one-horned rhinoceros, primarily in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, has seen population recovery to over 4,000 due to conservation, placing it as vulnerable rather than critically endangered.​

Nicobar Shrew (C)
Endemic to Great Nicobar Island, this shrew (Crocidura nicobarica) has an extent of occurrence of just 96 km² with ongoing habitat decline from logging and tsunamis, confirming its critically endangered category.​

Clouded Leopard (D)
India’s clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) inhabits dense forests but is listed as vulnerable due to hunting and habitat fragmentation, not reaching critically endangered thresholds.​

India hosts several critically endangered animals under the IUCN Red List’s highest threat category, signaling urgent conservation needs for species like the Namdapha Flying Squirrel and Nicobar Shrew.​

Key Threats

• Habitat destruction from logging, agriculture, and natural disasters affects both species.​

• Poaching and elusive behaviors limit population data, especially for the rare Namdapha Flying Squirrel unseen reliably since 1981.​

• Restricted ranges—Namdapha Tiger Reserve for the squirrel and 96 km² on Great Nicobar for the shrew—amplify extinction risks.​

Conservation Efforts

Protected under India’s Wildlife Protection Act Schedule I or II, these animals benefit from national parks like Campbell Bay and Galathea.​
Global initiatives, such as Re:wild’s Search for Lost Species, target rediscovery and protection.​

Comparison Table