Wildlife of Delhi, India
Delhi's mix of Aravalli scrub, Yamuna floodplain and huge historical parks gives it an unusually rich urban raptor community — black kites, shikras and Egyptian vultures are all commonly seen. Winter concentrates enormous numbers of waterbirds, including bar-headed geese fresh over the Himalayas, at the Yamuna and nearby Sultanpur.
Best timeNovember – February for migratory waterbirds and cooler daytime activity.
- 1The Yamuna floodplain hosts wintering greylag geese and rare river dolphins upstream.
- 2Blue bulls (nilgai) graze on university campuses at dawn.
- 3Ridge Forest still holds jackals within the city limits.
Signature species
Curated for Delhi, India, each tagged with its IUCN Red List status.
- EN
Ganges river dolphin
Platanista gangetica
- LC
Nilgai
Boselaphus tragocamelus
- EN
Egyptian vulture
Neophron percnopterus
- LC
Indian pond heron
Ardeola grayii
- LC
Golden jackal
Canis aureus
IUCN codes — EX extinct · EW extinct in wild · CR critically endangered · EN endangered · VU vulnerable · NT near threatened · LC least concern · DD data deficient
Dos & don'ts
Local etiquette that keeps wildlife wild.
Do
- Bird at Okhla Sanctuary in December for waterfowl.
- Report vulture sightings to BNHS.
- Keep distance — use zoom or binoculars, never bait animals closer.
- Stay on marked trails to avoid trampling nests, burrows and plants.
Don't
- Don't buy diclofenac for cattle — it's killed 99% of India's vultures.
- Don't feed monkeys — the Old Delhi problem started this way.
- Never feed wildlife — human food changes behaviour and shortens lives.
- Don't share exact locations of nests, dens or rare species online.
Spotted here lately
Live from iNaturalist — research-grade observations within 40km, last 30 days.
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