The Indian subcontinent boasts a diversity of wildlife from the peaks of the Himalayas to the deserts of Rajasthan, lush forests, coastal deltas and coral seas. Through their culture, her people have developed a special reverence for nature, demonstrated by the role of animals in Indian art and Hindu and Buddhist religions. This book explores the nature of India and the dramatic impact on the environment by the Moguls and the British Raj, who did not always share this respect. Today industrial pollution and a rapidly-growing population place new demands on the environment, which the book examines by focusing on the problems faced by specific places. It also assesses conservation projects and the fate of certain animal species and habitats.