All 5 in 3 days here: ~50%
City
Varanasi
🇮🇳 India
Asia, India 186 spp. recorded
Varanasi, or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. The city also has a syncretic tradition of Islamic artisanship that underpins its religious tourism. Located in the middle-Ganges valley in the southeastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi lies on the left bank of the river. Wikipedia
25.317° N 83.046° E
🦜 Nature
186 Species sighted
6,020 Verified sightings From 2019 to 2026
Mar Best month
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Nilgai
Boselaphus tragocamelus
Mongoose
Herpestes javanicus
LC
Asian Jackal
Canis aureus
LC
Indian Crested Porcupine
Hystrix indica
NT
Indian Flying Fox
Pteropus medius
LC
Northern Plains Gray Langur
Semnopithecus entellus
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Oriental Garden Lizard
Calotes versicolor
NT
Bengal Monitor
Varanus bengalensis
LC
Northern House Gecko
Hemidactylus flaviviridis
LC
Khorat Blind Snake
Indotyphlops braminus
LC
Dhaman
Ptyas mucosa
LC
Bark Gecko
Hemidactylus leschenaultii
LC
Common Dotted Garden Skink
Riopa punctata
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Indus Valley Bullfrog
Hoplobatrachus tigerinus
LC
Chunam Tree Frog
Polypedates maculatus
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
🌙 Most active after dark
Challenges you can complete here
Recent sightings in Varanasi
LIVEiNaturalistWhere to look
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
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Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
Daily sight. prob.vs avg
Northern Palm Squirrel~90%+30%
Jungle Babbler~60%-10%
Mongoose~50%+40%
Asian Jackal~50%+40%
Indian Crested Porcupine~50%+40%
Rock Pigeon~50%-20%
Rose-ringed Parakeet~50%-20%
House Crow~40%-20%
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Dashashwamedh Ghat, Varanasi
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Agriculture Farm Air Strip Varanasi
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Harishchandra Ghat, Varanasi
Sighting Calendar
How many species you'd see in a day
21Jan
19Feb
22Mar
20Apr
20May
16Jun
22Jul
19Aug
19Sep
21Oct
21Nov
18Dec
🏙️ City
Essentials
Green cover
Low
Protected land
—
Protected sea
—
Protected areas
—
Wildlife spots
6
spotsZoos & centres
1
placesClimate
Humid subtropical
Climate
Temp °C Rain mm
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Zoos & rescue centres
0.0 Excellent
Wallace's Line Score
How good is this city for seeing wildlife? 🦜
Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
3.5
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds 463
🐒 Mammals 66
🦎 Reptiles 74
🐸 Amphibians 13
616 Total Species
679 Global average across 380 cities
45 Threatened 3 Endemic
🔭
Sighting
ExcellentHow likely to see animals?
4.5
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
59% 📊
Coverage (90 species at ≥5% of 616 in the inventory)
15% 🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (10 bird, 2 mammal)
37% 🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
8 ⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
16 🏕️
Experience
GoodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
3.0
Climate Mixed Medium
Green cover Low Low
Protected land & sea — Low
Protected areas 0 Low
Wildlife spots 6 Medium
Zoos & centres 1 Medium
What visitors say
Before you go
What animals can you see in Varanasi?
186 species
Varanasi's urban area has 186 recorded vertebrate species. The ones wildlife watchers report most often on a given day are Rock Pigeon (about 80%), Rose-ringed Parakeet (about 70%), Jungle Babbler (about 70%), Rhesus Macaque (about 70%) and Northern Palm Squirrel (about 60%).
When is the best time to see wildlife in Varanasi?
March–May and July–January
In those months the city's 12 most-seen species average about 60% on a given day, against about 50% in February and June.
Can you see a Rhesus Macaque in Varanasi?
Yes
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Rhesus Macaque sighting in Varanasi on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is January and November (about 80%).
Can you see a Jungle Babbler in Varanasi?
Yes
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Jungle Babbler sighting in Varanasi on a given day, based on 283 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is January–February, April and September–October (about 80%).
Can you see a Brown-headed Barbet in Varanasi?
Yes
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Brown-headed Barbet sighting in Varanasi on a given day, based on 177 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is March (about 70%).
Where in Varanasi is wildlife easiest to see?
Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
The spot where most wildlife watchers record their sightings is Banaras Hindu University (BHU) (88 bird species recorded), followed by Sarnath Deer Park and Dashashwamedh Ghat, Varanasi. See them on the map.
Is Varanasi good for wildlife watching?
4.2 out of 5
On the Wallace's Line Score, which rates each city against other cities, Varanasi gets 4.2/5: 179th of 380 cities worldwide and 73rd in Asia. 18 of its species are reported by about 40% or more of wildlife watchers on a given day.
Nearest Cities
Nearest Parks
Nearest Zoos & Centres
Sources: urban area GHSL Urban Centre Database R2024A, European Commission JRC (CC BY 4.0) · protected land WDPA, UNEP-WCMC & IUCN (via GHSL) · climate NASA POWER · wildlife GBIF.org citizen-science data