Master10
Indian States & Union Territories Module

State Animals, Birds, Trees & Official Emblems

The official state symbols, emblems, and natural mascots adopted across India's 28 States and 8 Union Territories embody the ecological richness, cultural traditions, and political identity of each federal constituent. Established through gazette notifications by respective state and territorial governments, these statutory emblems encompass designated state animals, state birds, state trees, state flowers, and official government seals. In several jurisdictions, additional state classifications have been instituted, including state butterflies, state aquatic animals, and state heritage mascots to bolster targeted wildlife conservation efforts. Official state emblems draw upon historic architectural heritage and classical iconography, such as the Lion Capital of Ashoka, the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam of Telangana, the Srivilliputhur Andal Temple Gopuram of Tamil Nadu, and the Rajmudra of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra. By aligning federal conservation mandates with regional pride, these official emblems serve as benchmarks for biodiversity mapping and competitive examinations across UPSC, State PSC, SSC, and Railway recruitments.

Key Concepts & Examination Highlights

  • The official State Animal of Andhra Pradesh is the Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), while its State Bird is the Rose-ringed Parakeet and State Tree is the Neem (Azadirachta indica).
  • The official State Animal of Arunachal Pradesh is the Mithun (Bos frontalis), its State Bird is the Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis), and its State Tree is the Hollong.
  • The official State Animal of Assam is the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), while its State Bird is the White-winged Wood Duck (Asarcornis scutulata).
  • The official State Animal of Bihar is the Gaur (Bos gaurus), its State Bird is the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), and its State Tree is the Peepal (Ficus religiosa).
  • The official State Animal of Chhattisgarh is the Wild Water Buffalo (Bubalus arnee), while its State Bird is the Bastar Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa peninsularis).
  • The official State Animal of Goa is the Gaur (Bos gaurus), its State Bird is the Flame-throated Bulbul (Pycnonotus gularis), and its State Tree is Matti (Terminalia elliptica).
  • The official State Animal of Gujarat is the Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica), restricted in the wild to Gir National Park, while its State Bird is the Greater Flamingo.
  • The official State Animal of Haryana is the Blackbuck, while its State Bird is the Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus) and State Flower is the Lotus.
  • The official State Animal of Himachal Pradesh is the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia), while its State Bird is the Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus).
  • The official State Animal of Jharkhand is the Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus), its State Bird is the Asian Koel, and its State Flower is Palash (Butea monosperma).
  • The official State Animal of Karnataka is the Indian Elephant, its State Bird is the Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis), and its State Tree is Sandalwood (Santalum album).
  • The official State Animal of Kerala is the Indian Elephant, its State Bird is the Great Hornbill, and its State Flower is Kanikkonna / Golden Shower (Cassia fistula).
  • The official State Animal of Madhya Pradesh is the Hard-ground Barasingha / Swamp Deer (Rucervus duvaucelii branderi), and its State Bird is the Asian Paradise Flycatcher (Dudhraj).
  • The official State Animal of Maharashtra is the Indian Giant Squirrel / Shekru (Ratufa indica), and its State Bird is the Yellow-footed Green Pigeon / Hariyal (Treron phoenicopterus).
  • The official State Animal of Manipur is the Sangai / Brow-antlered Deer (Rucervus eldii eldii), endemic to Keibul Lamjao National Park on Loktak Lake.
  • The official State Animal of Meghalaya is the Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), while its State Flower is the Lady's Slipper Orchid (Paphiopedilum insigne).
  • The official State Animal of Mizoram is the Himalayan Serow (Capricornis sumatraensis thar), and its State Bird is Mrs. Hume's Pheasant / Vavu (Syrmaticus humiae).
  • The official State Animal of Nagaland is the Mithun (Bos frontalis), while its State Bird is Blyth's Tragopan (Tragopan blythii).
  • The official State Animal of Odisha is the Sambar (Rusa unicolor), its State Bird is the Indian Roller, and its State Flower is Ashoka (Saraca asoca).
  • The official State Animal of Punjab is the Blackbuck, while its State Bird is the Northern Goshawk / Baaj (Accipiter gentilis) and State Tree is Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo).
  • Rajasthan has designated two official State Animals: the Chinkara / Indian Gazelle (wild category) and the Dromedary Camel (domestic/heritage category).
  • The official State Bird of Rajasthan is the Great Indian Bustard / Godawan (Ardeotis nigriceps), and its State Tree is Khejri (Prosopis cineraria).
  • The official State Animal of Sikkim is the Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens), while its State Bird is the Blood Pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus).
  • The official State Animal of Tamil Nadu is the endangered Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius), its State Bird is the Emerald Dove, and its State Flower is Gloriosa Lily (Gloriosa superba).
  • The official State Animal of Telangana is the Spotted Deer / Jinka (Axis axis), its State Bird is the Indian Roller / Palapitta, and its State Flower is Tangedu (Senna auriculata).
  • The official State Animal of Tripura is Phayre's Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus phayrei), and its State Bird is the Green Imperial Pigeon (Ducula aenea).
  • The official State Animal of Uttar Pradesh is the Swamp Deer / Barasingha, while its State Bird is the Sarus Crane (Antigone antigone), the world's tallest flying bird.
  • The official State Animal of Uttarakhand is the Alpine Musk Deer (Moschus chrysogaster), its State Bird is the Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus), and its State Flower is Brahma Kamal.
  • The official State Animal of West Bengal is the Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), and its State Bird is the White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis).
  • The Union Territory of Ladakh designated the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) as its State Animal and the Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) as its State Bird in 2021.
  • The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir designated the Hangul / Kashmir Stag (Cervus hanglu hanglu) as its State Animal and the Kalij Pheasant as its State Bird.
  • The official State Animal of the National Capital Territory of Delhi is the Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), and its State Bird is the House Sparrow.
  • The official State Animal of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the marine mammal Dugong / Sea Cow (Dugong dugon), and its State Bird is the Andaman Wood Pigeon.
  • The official State Animal of the Union Territory of Chandigarh is the Indian Grey Mongoose, and its State Bird is the Indian Grey Hornbill.
  • The official State Animal of Puducherry is the Indian Palm Squirrel (Funambulus palmarum), and its State Bird is the Asian Koel.
  • The official State Animal (State Fish) of Lakshadweep is the Butterflyfish (Chaetodon falcula), and its State Bird is the Brown Noddy / Sooty Tern.
  • Maharashtra became the first Indian state to designate an official State Butterfly in 2015, selecting the Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor).
  • Uttarakhand designated the Common Peacock (Papilio bianor) as its official State Butterfly in 2016.
  • Karnataka designated the Southern Birdwing (Troides minos), India's second largest butterfly species, as its official State Butterfly in 2017.
  • Tamil Nadu declared the Tamil Yeoman (Cirrochroa thais) as its official State Butterfly in 2019.
  • The official State Fish of Uttar Pradesh is the Chitala / Clown Knifefish (Chitala chitala).
  • The official State Fish of West Bengal is the Ilish / Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha), while Tripura designated Pabda (Ompok bimaculatus).
  • The Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora) is recognized as the official State Fish of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The official Emblem of Andhra Pradesh features the sacred Dhanyakataka Purna Ghatam surrounded by decorative motifs and the Ashoka Lion Capital.
  • The official Emblem of Telangana features the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam arch and the Charminar monument enclosed within a green and gold circular border.
  • The official Emblem of Tamil Nadu displays the western Gopuram tower of the Srivilliputhur Andal Temple flanked by the Indian national tricolour flag.
  • The official Emblem of Karnataka features the Gandaberunda, a mythical two-headed bird of supreme strength, flanked by two red-maned Sharabhas.
  • The official Emblem of Kerala depicts two standing elephants guarding the Ashoka Lion Capital and the sacred Shankha (conch shell).
  • The official Emblem of Maharashtra displays the 17th-century Sanskrit Rajmudra royal seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj encircled by sixteen oil lamps.
  • The official Emblem of Bihar depicts the sacred Bodhi Tree adorned with prayer beads, flanked by two Swastikas and Urdu inscriptions.
Curriculum & Reference Sources: State Government Official Gazettes, ENVIS Centre on Wildlife and Protected Areas, Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Databases, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

Sample Solved Questions & Concept Explanations

8 Verified Concept Questions
Q1.EASY

The Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is the designated official State Animal of which trio of Indian states?

Q2.EASY

Which critically endangered deer species, endemic to Keibul Lamjao National Park on Loktak Lake, is the State Animal of Manipur?

Q3.MEDIUM

The Hard-ground Barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii branderi), successfully conserved in Kanha Tiger Reserve, is the official State Animal of which state?

Q4.MEDIUM

The Indian Giant Squirrel (Ratufa indica), locally known as 'Shekru', is the official State Animal of which Indian state?

Q5.EASY

The Greater One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is the official State Animal of which state?

Q6.EASY

The Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica), surviving in the wild only in Gir forest, is the State Animal of which state?

Q7.MEDIUM

The Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) is the designated State Animal of Himachal Pradesh and which Union Territory?

Q8.MEDIUM

The Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus) is officially recognized as the State Animal of which group of three states?