60-second revision
- India has parts of 4 hotspots: Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats–Sri Lanka, Sundaland (Nicobar).
- Hotspot test: 1,500+ endemic vascular plants and 70%+ of original vegetation lost.
- Biosphere reserve zones: core (no interference), buffer, transition; India's first was the Nilgiri BR (1986).
- Project Tiger began in 1973; Corbett (1936, as Hailey National Park) is India's first national park.
- Gir – Asiatic lion; Kaziranga – one-horned rhino; Keibul Lamjao – sangai; Dachigam – hangul.
- IUCN threat order: NT < VU < EN < CR < EW < EX.
- National animal tiger; national heritage animal elephant; national aquatic animal Ganges river dolphin.
What biodiversity means
Biodiversity is the variety of life at three levels: genetic diversity (variation within a species, like the many varieties of rice), species diversity (the number and abundance of species) and ecosystem diversity (the variety of habitats such as forests, wetlands, deserts and reefs). India is one of the world's megadiverse countries, with a large share of global species on a small share of the world's land.
Biodiversity hotspots
The hotspot idea was proposed by Norman Myers in 1988 and adopted by Conservation International. A region qualifies if it has at least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species and has lost at least 70% of its original native vegetation — that is, it is both irreplaceable and threatened.
| Hotspot | Indian part |
|---|---|
| Himalaya | Himalayan states from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh |
| Indo-Burma | Most of north-eastern India and the Andaman Islands |
| Western Ghats and Sri Lanka | Western Ghats from Gujarat to Kerala |
| Sundaland | Nicobar Islands |
Ways to conserve
| In-situ (in the natural habitat) | Ex-situ (outside the natural habitat) |
|---|---|
| National parks, wildlife sanctuaries | Zoos and safari parks |
| Conservation and community reserves | Botanical gardens and arboreta |
| Biosphere reserves | Seed banks, gene banks, cryopreservation |
| Sacred groves (e.g. in Meghalaya, the Western Ghats) | Captive breeding programmes |
Under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 there are four types of protected areas: national parks (no human activity such as grazing permitted), wildlife sanctuaries (some activities can be allowed), and conservation reserves and community reserves (added by a 2002 amendment, often linking existing protected areas or on community land). Biosphere reserves are a separate concept based on UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme; they have a core zone (strictly protected), a buffer zone (research and limited use) and a transition zone (settlements and sustainable use). India's first biosphere reserve was the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (1986).
Famous parks and their species
| Park / sanctuary | State / UT | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Corbett | Uttarakhand | India's first national park (1936, as Hailey National Park); Project Tiger began here in 1973 |
| Kaziranga | Assam | Great one-horned rhinoceros; UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| Gir | Gujarat | Only wild home of the Asiatic lion |
| Sundarbans | West Bengal | Mangrove tigers; largest mangrove forest |
| Keibul Lamjao | Manipur | Floating park on phumdis of Loktak Lake; sangai deer |
| Dachigam | Jammu and Kashmir | Hangul (Kashmir stag) |
| Hemis | Ladakh | Snow leopard |
| Silent Valley | Kerala | Lion-tailed macaque; evergreen rainforest |
| Eravikulam | Kerala | Nilgiri tahr |
| Keoladeo (Bharatpur) | Rajasthan | Wintering birds; Ramsar site and World Heritage Site |
| Little Rann of Kutch | Gujarat | Indian wild ass |
IUCN Red List and conservation projects
The IUCN Red List (IUCN was founded in 1948 and is based in Gland, Switzerland) places species in categories by extinction risk: Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild and Extinct, plus Data Deficient and Not Evaluated. Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered together are called 'threatened'. Among Indian birds, the Great Indian Bustard is Critically Endangered.
- Project Tiger (1973), now overseen by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, a statutory body created by a 2006 amendment to the Wild Life (Protection) Act.
- Project Elephant (1992) protects elephants, their habitats and corridors.
- National symbols: tiger (national animal), peacock (national bird), elephant (national heritage animal, 2010), Ganges river dolphin (national aquatic animal, 2009).
Important organisations
| Body | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Botanical Survey of India (BSI) | Founded 1890; headquarters Kolkata; surveys plant resources |
| Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) | Founded 1916; headquarters Kolkata; surveys animal resources |
| Wildlife Institute of India (WII) | Dehradun; training and research on wildlife |
| Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) | Mumbai; founded 1883; a leading NGO for nature research |
| Forest Survey of India | Dehradun; publishes the biennial State of Forest Report |
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