Endemic Species – Characteristics, Types and Examples

Species that are exclusive to one area and not found anywhere else in the world are known as endemic species. As an illustration, Polar bears are unique to polar regions and are not found anywhere else in the globe. When they were in captivity, people introduced them, which is why they have occasionally been seen outside of their native habitat. Some marsupials are unique to Australia and the islands that surround it. One such animal that was native to Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea is the Tasmanian Tiger. It is, however, extinct now.

Endemic species are highly threatened and are in great danger of extinction due to natural or man-made causes. Climate change, Poaching, habitat change, and invasive species are some of the major reasons for the extinction of such species. A few examples of Endemic species are Polar Bears, Lemur, and Panda.

What is an Endemic Species?

Endemic species can be defined as “the ecological state of a species where a species is unique to a defined geographical location”. They are also most of the time indicator species of an ecosystem’s health. This makes them critical species that are vulnerable to extinction with slight changes in their ecosystem’s health.  Some examples are the kangaroos of Australia, the Tasmanian tiger of Australia, the Tasmanian Wolf, the Asiatic lion of India, etc.

What is Species?

A group of related organisms that are capable of interbreeding and producing viable/ fertile offspring is called a species. In a taxonomic hierarchy, the individuals present in this group share the maximum number of common characteristics among themselves.

To know more about species, please refer to the article How Many Species Are There On Earth And How Many In India?

Characteristics of Endemic Species

Few of the characteristics of Endemic Species have been listed below:

1. These species can survive only in a particular habitat or region and are restricted to that area itself.
2. These are small in number and are at a high risk of extinction.
3. Since endemic species are found in geographically isolated areas, they have a very low rate of genetic exchange.
4. Endemic species show unique evolution as their neighbouring environment has very limited factors.

Endemism and its Types

Endemism is a phenomenon in which a particular species thrives in a very restricted habitat only. These species are called endemic species. Endemism can be categorised based on geographical location or genetics. The different types are given below:

Type of Endemism	Definition	Examples
Global Endemism	Species found exclusively in a specific geographic region and nowhere else.	Kakapo parrot (New Zealand), Lemurs (Madagascar)
Regional or Continental Endemism	Species restricted to a particular continent or large geographic region.	Kangaroo (Australia), Manatee (Amazon Basin)
Island Endemism	Species unique to a specific island or group of islands.	Galápagos Giant Tortoise, Komodo Dragon (Indonesia)
Habitat Endemism	Species limited to specific types of habitats within a larger region.	Orchids in cloud forests
Altitudinal Endemism	Species restricted to specific altitudinal ranges on mountains.	Pika (alpine regions), Snow Leopard (Himalayas)
Microendemism	Extremely localized endemism, species found in a small, specific area.	Endemic cave species, species on a small island
Paleoendemism	Species once widespread but now restricted due to historical or geological changes.	Remnants of past ecosystems
Neoendemism	Species that have recently evolved and are currently restricted to a specific area.	Recently evolved species with restricted distribution
Temporal Endemism	Species present in a specific region during a particular time period.	Species linked to climatic changes over time
Aquatic Endemism	Species exclusive to specific water bodies like lakes, rivers, or ponds.	Baikal Seal (Lake Baikal), Cichlid fish in African rift lakes

Examples of Endemic Species (India)

There are many species found in India that are considered endemic, especially in the Himalayan region and the Western Ghats. Flora consists of all the plant species and Fauna consists of all the animal species in the world. Some of these are discussed below:

FLORA
Name	Scientific name	Location	Characteristics
Indian Pitcher plant	Nepenthes khasiana	Khasi hills of Meghalaya, India	It is a tropical, endangered species of the genus Nepenthes native only to India.
Gai chiria (Ori.)	Uvaria lurida	Berbera Forest of Odisha, India	It is species of bisexual flowering plant that are woody in nature.
Hermit’s spittoon	Sapria Himalayan	Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Meghalaya states of India.	It is a parasitic plant that derives its water and nutrient from another plant. It is related to the Rafflesia plant.
Nilgiri Champa	Magnolia nilagirica	Western Ghats of India	It is a large tree with brown bark. It is a flowering plant with very good quality wood.
Blackboard tree	Alstonia scholaris	Indian Subcontinent (Especially West Bengal)	It is an evergreen tree found in tropical climates. It is a toxic plant that is used for the production of various traditional medicines.
Dalchini	Cinnamomum sulphuratum	Kerala and Karnataka, India	The bark is used for spice and medicinal purposes.
Andhra Pradesh Cycas	Cycas beddomei	Andhra Pradesh, India	It belongs to the genus Cycas of gymnosperms and produces cones.
FAUNA
Asiatic lion	Panthera leo persica	Gir National Park of Gujarat, India	Also known as the Persian lion which falls in the IUCN Red List.
Lion-Tailed Macaque	Macaca silenus	Western Ghats of Southern India	It is a member of old world monkey. They have black fur with a gray or silver mane.
Namdapha Flying Squirrel	Biswamoyopterus biswasi	Arunachal Pradesh, India	It is a nocturnal animal. It is a critically endangered species in the IUCN list.
Pygmy Hog	Porcula salvania	Assam, India	It is one of the rare species of wild pig in the world. It is also the smallest species of pig in the world.
Kashmir Stag	Cervus elaphus hanglu	Kashmir, India	It is also known as Hangul. It is a sub-species of red deer.
Sangai Deer	Rucervus eldii eldii	Manipur, India	Also called Eld’s deer and is found only in the marshy floating grasslands.
Nilgiri Tahr	Nilgiritragus hylocrius	Nilgiri Hills, India	It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu and is related to the genus of mountain sheep.

Examples of Endemic Species (World)

There are many species that are endemic to certain specific regions and among them, many are endangered also. Some of them are discussed below:

FLORA
Name	Scientific name	Location	Characteristics
Dragon tree	Dracaena draco	Canary Island, Spain	It is a subtropical evergreen tree that produces flowers.
Sow thistles	Sonchus neriifolius	Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile	It is a flowering tree that is currently endangered and extremely rare.
Green pitcher plant	Sarracenia oreophila	North America	It is a carnivorous plant that has modified leaves in the form of pitchers to trap prey.
FAUNA
Giant Panda	Ailuropoda melanoleuca	China	It belongs to the bear family. It has a characteristic black and white coat.
Bornean orangutan	Pongo pygmaeus	Borneo Island, Southeast Asia	It is one of the three species of great apes native to Asia. They are highly intelligent animals.
Komodo Dragon	Varanus komodoensis	Komodo island, Indonesia	Also called a Komodo monitor lizard. It is the largest species of extant lizard.
Red kangaroo	Osphranter rufus	Australia	It is the largest of all kangaroo species and also among all the marsupials native to Australia.
Tasmanian Devil	Sarcophilus harrisii	Tasmania,  Australia	It is currently the largest carnivorous marsupial.

Factors Affecting Endemic Species

As endemic species are limited to a particular geographical location, their survival can be easily affected by the following reasons;

1. Pollution of the Environment makes the land, air, and water unsuitable for living organisms. When this happens to the ecosystem of endemic species they tend to get affected very easily leading to their extinction.
2. When habitat loss and fragmentation takes place in the ecosystem of the endemic species, they tend to get extinct as they are mostly incapable of migration and adapt to other environmental conditions.

FAQ’s – Endemic Species

1. What are the Factors Affecting Endemic Species?

The factors affecting endemic species are:

1. Introduction of a new invasive species
2. Habitat Destruction
3. Increasing Population

2. What are the Threats to Endemic Species?

Endemic species are very small in number and hence threats like poaching, invasive species, habitat destruction and climate change may lead to their extinction.

3. What makes Endemic Species Unique?

The endemic species are unique because they can be only found within a given habitat and surroundings. For example, Kangaroos are only found naturally in Australia.

4. How are Endemic Species formed?

Endemic species are formed as a result of geographical isolation which leads to reproductive isolation, thus creating a separate species.

5. What are 3 Characteristics of Endemic Species?

The three characteristics of endemic species are:

• They are small in number.
• They are geographically isolated.
• They show a low genetic exchange.

6. Define Endemic Species.

Species that are native to and restricted to a particular geographic area, such species are known as Endemic Speices.