India's rich biodiversity has fascinated people down the ages. The pressures of an increasing population have led to widespread encroachment and decimation of forests and water bodies, resulting in the destruction of the habitats of wildlife. Realizing the danger, sanctuaries for protecting the wildlife, along with their natural habitat, were set up in India from the first half of the 20th century itself and today there are more than 450 wildlife sanctuaries and 85 national parks.

Bandipur National Park is located in Karnataka. Declared a National Park under the Wildlife Protection Act in 1974, it is best known for its elephant herds and sandalwood trees.

Mudumalai National Park is in Tamilnadu. Its hilly terrain provides diverse habitats sustaining a great variety of wildlife including Tiger, Leopard, Bear, Elephant, Bison, Blackbuck, etc.

Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh is primarily known for its tiger population. The other animals inhabiting this hilly park include the Nilgai, Chausingha, Chinkara, Wild Boar, Rhesus Macaque and Hanuman Langur.

Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve was established in the verdant stretches of Kerala in1895. There are 35 species of mammals including elephants, Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Barking Deer and Flying Squirrel.  It is also the only habitat of the Niligiri Tahr.

Kaziranga National Park is in Assam and is one of the last refuges of the endangered one horned Indian Rhinoceros. It has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1985.