Top 10 Wild Animals of Thar Desert of Rajasthan

India has unmatched and large variety of flora and fauna across the whole country, from the wet grasslands to freeze Iceland and from deep water ocean to hot ocean of sand called Thar. The Great Indian Thar Desert also called as the ocean of sand is home of many species of birds, reptiles and wild animals.

Indian Spiny Tailed Lizard – (Saara hardwickii) – सांडा छिपकली

A small lizard known as Indian spiny tailed lizard found crouching in the sand of Thar desert. The Spiny-tailed lizard is a vulnerable species which exists only in Thar desert in India. Monitor Lizard is one of biggest lizard found in desert area of Rajasthan along with Sind sand gecko, Rajasthan toad-headed lizard.

Saw Scaled Viper – (Echis carinatus) – बांडी

Saw-scaled vipers are one of the most dangerous snake of Thar Desert and the species is responsible for causing the most snakebite cases and deaths in India along with other member of Big Four Family.

There are 25 species of snakes can be found in the Thar desert of Rajasthan including saw scaled viper, large rat snake, Sindh awl-headed snake, glossy-bellied racer, Asian sand snake and Red Sand Boa are the most common snakes of Thar desert.

Great Indian Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga)

The Indian desert eagles is one of the biggest flying predator in India and a vulnerable species of bird found in Thar desert of Rajasthan. Raptors of Bird of Prey are the major attraction of Thar desert National Park for bird watchers.

Thar Desert is home to 6 species of Eagle, 6 species of Falcon, 5 species of harriers and 5 species of vultures along with partridges, spurfowl and painted sandgrouse. Raptors include tawny eagle and steppe eagle and long-legged buzzard.

Great Indian Bustard – (Ardeotis nigriceps) – गोडावण

The great Indian bustard is state bird of Rajasthan and among the heaviest flying birds in the world, The Indian bustard is one of the 5 species of bustard bird found in India. Thar desert region is a haven for birds and bird watchers of India.

BlackBuck/Indian Antelope – (Antilope cervicapra) – काला हिरन

Black buck also known as the Indian antelope is a species of antelope found in India. The antelope is native to India and mostly found in mainly in indigenous plains of Rajasthan, Haryana and other states of India.

Chinkara/Indian Gazelle – (Gazella bennettii) – चिंकारा

Chinkara also known as the Indian gazelle, is a gazelle species native to India, mainly to thar desert, arid plains and hills, deserts, dry scrub and light forests. Thar Desert has the largest population of Chinkara in India estimated at 100,000 with 80,000.

Caracal (Caracal caracal)

Caracal is a medium-sized wild cat native to arid areas of Aravalli Mountain Range in the northwestern state of Rajasthan and Gujarat, Also reported from Madhya Pradesh. Typically a nocturnal wild animal and a highly secretive cat and very difficult to observe in day time.

Jungle cats (Felis chaus) is one of the most beautiful medium sized wild cats in India, Found in a wide range of habitats from Dry Thar Desert in Rajasthan to White Salt Desert of Kutch in Gujarat.

Asiatic Wild Cat (Felis lybica ornata) – Indian Desert Cat

The Indian Desert Cat or the Asiatic wildcat is found all across the Thar Desert of Rajasthan and reported as common wild cat in the districts of Bikaner, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Pali and Nagaur.

Desert Fox – White-footed Fox (vulpes vulpes pusilla)

The desert fox or white-footed fox is a small fox subspecies of red fox which occurs throughout most of northwestern India. Along with Bengal Fox. The desert fox is one most common animal found in Thar desert with lonely wolf and Golden jackals.

Indian Hedgehog (Paraechinus micropus)

The Indian hedgehog is a species of hedgehog native to India and mainly lives in sandy thar desert of Rajasthan but can be found in other environments too. Hedgehogs are protected species under Schedule IV of Wildlife Protection Act (1972).

In addition to the Wild Animals Found in Thar Desert are Grey mongoose, most aggressive ratel or Honey Badger, Blue bull, Striped Hyena, Wolf, Indian Desert jird, Desert scorpion and Indian wild ass.