About 50-55 million years ago, the chunk of the Gondwana supercontinent that was to become the Indian subcontinent crashed into Asia, causing the formation of the Himalayas and uniting eastern and western Pakistan. Some animals and plants found in the Indian subcontinent, such as the Indian gharial, are descendants of those that travelled with it and evolved in isolation during their epic journey. Once contact with Asia was made, Eurasian species colonised the newly arrived landmass and vice versa. Monkeys, wild pigs, hares and elephants reached India and, in return, the Indian subcontinent gave the world many of its bovine (cattle and antelope) ancestors.

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