India

For thousands of years, since the development of the Hindu religion, respect for the life of animals has been an important part of the beliefs of the Indians. Cows, in particular, are considered sacred and are not to be harmed. In fact, they can even roam the streets of cities, which is often the cause of traffic jams. India's diverse climatic zones are home to some 65,000 species of animals, including elephants, pythons, river dolphins, and rhinoceroses, and 12,000 species of flowering plants. It is the only country in the world where both lions and tigers can be found. It is also an excellent place for birdwatching. India contains three of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots, and is one of the world's most biodiverse regions. It is also one of the 17 most megadiverse countries in the world. There are 12 biosphere reserves and 75 Ramsar sites in the country. The Indian Elephant, the Indian Rhinoceros, the Bengal Tiger, the Asiatic Lion, the Indian Leopard, the Snow Leopard, and the Clouded Leopard are some of the famous large animals found in India. The bear species include the Sloth Bear, the Sun Bear, the Himalayan Black Bear and the Himalayan Brown Bear. The country is home to such bird species as the Indian Peacock, the Great Indian Hornbill, the Great Indian Bustard, the Ruddy Shelduck, the Himalayan Monal, the Himalayan Quail, the Painted Stork, the Greater and Lesser Flamingo and the Eurasian Spoonbill. The diverse and rich wildlife of India has had a profound influence on the culture of the region, and the idea of the wildlife of India was introduced to the West and made famous in the late 1800's by Rudyard Kipling, most notably through The Jungle Book.