SPR 2020: Biosphere Reserves, Important National Parks & Wildlife

Sanctuaries in News
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Biosphere Reserves under UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme

Biosphere State Important Facts

Reserves

Nilgiri Parts of River:

Tamil Nadu, Bhavani, Moyar, Kabini (tribuatries of Cauvery), Chaliyar,
Kerala, Punampuzha, etc.
Karnataka Flora:
Forest Type: Moist Evergreen, Semi-Evergreen, Thorn,
Savannah Woodland, Sholas, and Grassland
Endemic Flora: Vanda, Liparis, Bulbophyllum, Spiranthes,
Thrixspermum
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri langur, Lion – tailed
macaque
Protected Areas:
1. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary (Also Tiger Reserve),
2. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Bandipur National Park (Also Tiger Reserve),
4. Nagarhole National Park (Also Tiger Reserve),
5. Mukurthi National Park
6. Silent Valley
Other Facts:
It is a World Natural Heritage Site
Tribals:
Cholanaikans- primarily inhabit the southern Kerala State,
especially Silent Valley National Park, and are one of the last
remaining hunter-gatherer tribes of the region.

Nanda Devi Uttarakhand River:

Rishi Ganga
Flora:
Forest Type: Mixed temperate and subalpine
Endemic Flora: Salep Orchid, Silverweed, Fairy candelabra,
Fairy Primrose
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Himalayan tahr, Brown bear, Koklass
pheasant
Protected Areas:
1. Nanda Devi National park
2. Valley of Flowers National Park
Other Facts:
The entire area is located within the Western Himalayas
Endemic Bird Area (EBA).
Declared World Natural Heritage Site
Tribals:
Bhotia tribe
Nokrek Meghalaya River:
(part of Garo Ganol, Dareng and Simsang
Hills) Flora:
Forest Type: Evergreen and semi-evergreen deciduous
forests
Endemic Flora: Grand rasamala, White meranti, Lali,
Chempaka, Wild lemon
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Stump tailed macaque, Pig-tailed macaque,
Giant flying squirrel
Protected Areas:
Nokrek National Park
Tribals:
Garo (Achikmande), Banias or Hajjons

Great Nicobar Andaman & Flora:

Nicobar Forest Type: Tropical and Sub-tropical Moist Broad-leafed
Islands Forest
Endemic Flora: Screw pine, Nipa palm, Ceylon ironwood
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Crab-eating macaque, Nicobar megapode,
Giant robber crab, Nicobar serpent eagle
Tribals:
Shompen and Nicobarese

Gulf of Mannar Tamil Nadu River:

(Indian part Rishi Ganga
of Gulf of Flora:
Mannar) Forest Type: Tropical Dry Broad-leafed forest, seaweed
communities, seagrass communities, coral reefs, salt marshes,
and mangrove forests.
Endemic Flora: Morning glory, Jatropha, Halophila grass
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Sea Cow, Sea Anemone, Sea fans
Protected Areas:
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park
Other Facts:
First marine Biosphere Reserve in India
Falls within the Indo-Malayan realm
Tribals:
Marakeyars, local people mainly engaged in fishing
Sunderbans West Bengal River:
Meghna
Flora:
Forest Type: Tidal Swamp Forests, Saline Water Type Mixed
Forests, Brackish Water Type Mixed Forests, Palm Swamp
Type
Endemic Flora: Sundari, Passur, Nypa
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Bengal tiger, Bengal monitor lizard, Salvator
lizard
Others: Gangetic dolphin, , estuarine crocodile, river terrapin,
olive ridley turtle,
Protected Areas:
1. Sundarban National Park /Sundarban Tiger Reserve
2. Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Lothian Wildlife Sanctuary
4. Haliday Wildlife Sanctuary
Other Facts:
It is a World Natural Heritage Site

Simplipal Odhisa River:

Budhabalanga, Palpala Bhandan, Kharkai River, and Deo
Flora:
Forest Type: Northern Tropical Semi-Evergreen Forests,
Northern Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests, Dry Deciduous Hill
Forests, High-Level Sal Forest, Grassland and Savannah
Endemic Flora: Coix grass
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Red-breasted falconet, Slender-billed
scimitar babbler, Ruddy mongoose
Protected Areas:
1. Similipal Tiger Reserve,
2. Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary
Other Facts:
The biosphere reserve has the largest zone of Sal in all of
India.
Tribals:
ErengaKharias and the Mankirdias, Ho, Gonda and Munda,
etc.

Khangchendzonga Sikkim River:

Teesta
Flora:
Forest Type: Sub-tropical broad leaved hill forest, Himalayan
wet temperate forest, and temperate broad-leaved forest,
mixed coniferous forest, sub-alpine forests and dry alpine
forest
Endemic Flora: Anemone, Uvaria, Sikkim Rhododendron,
Sikkim Mahonia
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Tibetan sheep, Musk deer, Monal pheasant,
Snow Patridge
Protected Areas:
Kanchenjunga National Park
Other Facts:
India’s first Mixed Heritage Site
Panchmarhi Madhya River:
Pradesh Denwa
Flora:
Forest Type: Moist deciduous, dry deciduous, central Indian
subtropical hill forest.
Endemic Flora: Sal tree, Selaginella fern, Palimorpha bamboo
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Barasinga, Wild buffalo, Red jungle fowl
Protected Areas:
1. Bori Sanctuary,
2. Pachmarhi Sanctuary
3. Satpura National Park(These altogether has also been notified
as Satpura Tiger Reserve)
Other Facts:
Pachmarhi BR area is often recognized as the “Genetic
Express Highway” linking two biological hot spots of the
country viz. Eastern Himalayas and the Western Ghats, also as
the confluence of northern and southern types of vegetation.
Tribals:
Gond, Korkustribes introduced the cultivation of potatoes and
made use of honeycombs to produce honey in significant
quantities for commercial use. Most primitive Bhariya Tribe are
found here.

Agasthyamalai Kerala, Tamil River:

Nadu Tambraparani
Flora:
Forest Type: Thorn, moist deciduous and semi-evergreen
Endemic Flora: Rudraksha tree, Black plums, Gaub tree, Wild
dhaman
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Lion-tailed macaque, Slender loris, Great
pied hornbill
Protected Areas:
1. Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary
2. Peppara Wildlife sanctuary
3. Shendumey wildlife Sanctuary
4. Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.
Other Facts:
World Natural Heritage Site
Part of “Hottest biodiversity hotspots”
Tribals:
Kani tribes from both Tamil Nadu and Kerala

Achanakamar- Chhattisgarh River:

Amarkantak Narmada, Johilla and Sone, Ama Nallah
Flora:
Forest Type: Tropical deciduous vegetation. Further classified
into Northern Tropical Moist Deciduous and Southern Dry
Mixed Deciduous forests
Endemic Flora: Several thallophytes, bryophyte, pteridophyte,
gymnosperm, and angiosperm species found.
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Tigers, panthers, Chitals, blackbuck, giant
squirrels, etc

Other Biosphere Reserves

Dibru-Saikhowa Assam River:
Dibru, Bramhaputra
Flora:
Forest Type: Semi wet evergreen forests, tropical moist
deciduous forest, bamboo, swamp forests, canebrakes, and
grasslands.
Endemic Flora: Rauvolfia (Sarpagandhi), Benteak, Livistona
(orchid)
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: White-winged wood duck, Hollock-gibbon,
Wild buffalo
Protected Areas:
Dibru-Saikhowa National Park (was declared wildlife sanctuary
in 1986)
Other Facts:
Not a part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere
Reserves (WNBR)

Dehang-Dibang Arunachal River:

Pradesh Dehang, Debang, and their tributaries
Flora:
Forest Type: Sub-tropical broad-leaved, sub-tropical pine,
temperate broad-leaved, temperate conifer, sub-alpine woody
shrub, alpine meadow (monton), bamboo brakes, and
grassland.
Endemic Flora: Tree fern, Begonia, Lady’s slipper orchid
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Red panda, Himalayan black bear, Green pit
viper, Takin
Protected Areas:
1. Mouling National Park
2. Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary
Other Facts:
Not a part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere
Reserves (WNBR)

Kachchh Gujarat River:

Luni, Rupen, West Banas drains into the area
Flora:
Forest Type: Great Rann of Kachchh (GRK) and Little Rann
of Kachchh (LRK) has mixed scrub, thorn, savannah in GRK.
Endemic Flora: Mangroves in the eastern border of Banni
grassland, inside the GRK a place locally known as Shrawan
Kavadia
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Indian wild ass, Greater and Lesser
Flamingos
Protected Areas:
1. Kachchh Desert Sanctuary
2. Wild Ass Sanctuary (for the conservation of wild ass)
Other Facts:
Not a part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere
Reserves (WNBR)
Cold Desert Himachal River:
Pradesh Pin, Chandrabhaga, Spiti
Flora:
Forest Type: Cold, harsh climate with low mean annual
rainfall-creating desert-like conditions
Endemic Flora: Herbs, shrub species
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Tibetan guzzle, red fox, weasel, marmot,
griffon, lammergeyer, golden eagle, snow cock, snow leopard,
brown and black bear,ibex, etc
Protected Areas:
1. Pin Valley National Park
2. Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Chandratal Wildlife Sanctuary
4. Sarchu Wildlife Sanctuary
Other Facts:
Not a part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere
Reserves (WNBR)

Manas Assam River:

Manas-Beki
Flora:
Forest Type: The monsoon forests of Manas lie in the
Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests ecoregion.
Endemic Flora: Catechu tree, Sissoo, White siris
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Pygmy hog, Golden lungur , Assam roofed
turtle
Protected Areas:
1. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
2. Manas National Park
3. Manas Tiger Reserve
Other Facts:
It is a World Natural Heritage Site

Seshachalam Hills Andhra Flora:

Pradesh Forest Type: Both dry and Moist deciduous Type
Endemic Flora: Red Sanders and Slender Loris
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Jungle cat, Great Mouse Deer, golden
Gekos
Protected Areas:
1. Sri Venkateswara National Park
2. Sri Venkateshwara wildlife Sanctuary
Other Facts:
Not a part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere
Reserves (WNBR)
Tirupati Balaji temple is located here.
Panna Madhya River:
Pradesh Ken
Flora:
Forest Type: Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Dry Teak
Forest, Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Mixed Forest, Dry
Deciduous Scrub Forest, Boswellia Forest, Dry Bamboo
Brakes, Anogeissus pendula Forest.
Endemic Flora: Panna represents the northern boundary of
the natural distribution of teak and the eastern limits of teak-
kardhai mixed forests.
Fauna:
Endemic Fauna: Tiger, chinkara, , tree shrew, long-snouted
crocodile, mugger Links the eastern and western wildlife
populations of the Vindhyan ranges.
Protected Areas:
1. Panna National Park/Panna Tiger Reserve
2. Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Ken-Gharial Wildlife sanctuary (dedicated to breeding
programs and proper housing of Gharials)
Other Facts:
Not a part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere
Reserves (WNBR)
BR/NP/WS State Important Facts

International Biosphere Reserves

LAKE URMIA Iran Lake Urmia is a hypersaline lake in northwest Iran.
Due to its unique aquatic ecosystem, it has been designated as a
Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and a National Park under the 1971
Ramsar Convention.
Located in northwestern Iran, climate change has reduced its size by
about 80% over the past 30 years.

National Parks

Mukurthi Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu government is constructing fire lines’ or ‘fire breaks’ ahead
National Park of summer and peak fire season.
Part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
Nilgiri Tahr is a Keystone species of the park

Madhav National Madhya Encroachment issues

Park Pradesh Home to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG)s like Saharia

Kanha National Madhya Increase in population of Hard ground swamp deer (Barasingha)
park Pradesh Also, a Tiger Reserve

Kuno National Madhya Possible site for the Cheetah reintroduction project
Park Pradesh Previously a wildlife sanctuary, it was designated as National Park in
2018

Manas National Assam India, Nepal, and Bhutan drafted a memorandum of understanding to
Park create a trans-boundary wildlife conservation ‘peace park’ which will an
extension of the Manas National Park
Also, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, Project tiger reserve,
and a biosphere reserve.

Bandipur Karnataka Ban on vehicular movement on the forest stretch of NH 766

National Forest fires in 2019
Park/Tiger Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
Reserve

Bannerghatta Karnataka Area of Eco-sensitive zone curtailed

National Park part of the national park was designated as Bannerghatta Biological
Park- also has a butterfly park, first in India

Sanjay Gandhi Maharashtra Death of last captive white tiger Bajirao

National Park One of the major national parks existing within a metropolis limit

Desert National Rajasthan NGT asked the Centre to prepare a time-bound action plan within two
Park months for the protection of the Great Indian Bustards.
Home to Great Indian Bustard (Critically Endangered)

Ranthambhore Rajasthan Risk of transfer of canine distemper from the dogs to tigers and
National Park leopards
Also, a Tiger Reserve
Bhitarkanika Odisha Increase saltwater or estuarine crocodile population
National Park Inundated by the rivers Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, Pathsala.
Second-largest mangrove ecosystem in India, the first being
Sundarbans (West Bengal)
It is a Ramsar site.

Gir National Gujarat Asiatic Lion Conservation Project launched in 2019

Park/Wildlife The only surviving free-ranging population of the Asiatic lion exists in
Sanctuary the Gir forest region

Wildlife Sanctuaries

Bhagwan Goa Wildlife activists have demanded that certain areas in wildlife
Mahaveer sanctuaries of the state be notified as ‘tiger reserve’.
Sanctuary
Mollem
National
Park
Cotigao
Wildlife
Sanctuary
Netravali
Wildlife
Sanctuary
Mhadei
Wildlife
Sanctuary

Pakke Tiger Arunachal Arunachal Pradesh Government cleared 692.7 km highway through
Reserve Pradesh the reserve to build the East-West Industrial Corridor.
Bounded by Kameng River in the west and north, and by Pakke River
in the east.
Famous for Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme

Malai Karnataka To be declared as Tiger Reserve. NTCA approval awaited

Mahadeshwara Part of a contiguous tiger habitat located very close to the tri-junction
Wildlife of the states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu
Sanctuary

Phansad Wildlife Maharashtra Indian gaur (Vulnerable) spotted in the sanctuary for the first time in
Sanctuary recorded history

Thane Creek Maharashtra Concerns over ambitious bullet train project between Ahmedabad-
flamingo Mumbai
sanctuary Supports a large congregation of flamingos

Gahiramatha Odisha Odisha forest department put a ban on fishing in Gahiramatha Marine
Marine Sanctuary
Sanctuary Known as the world’s largest Olive Ridley rookery

Vikramshila Bihar Gangetic River Dolphin census conducted

Gangetic Only dolphin sanctuary
Dolphin
Sanctuary
Sathyamangalam Tamil Nadu It is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu.
Tiger Reserve It is a part of the bigger tiger landscape and is also a part of the Nilgiri
Biosphere Reserve.
It is located at the strategic confluence of Western and Eastern Ghats.
The reserve is a part of the watershed of the Rivers Moyar and
Bhawani.
Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, and Periyar Tiger Reserve,
Kerala have secured the highest
MEE( MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS EVALUATION OF TIGER
RESERVES score)
Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu showed the highest
increment in management since the last cycle

Bandhavgarh Madhya For the first time, the Bandhavgarh reserve forest in Madhya Pradesh
reserve forest Pradesh has a colony of elephants and is an unusual occurrence in
Bandhavgarh.
Bandhavgarh National Park is spread at Vindhya hills in the Umariya
district of Madhya Pradesh.
It was declared a national park in 1968 and then became Tiger
Reserve in 1993

National Madhya Recently declared as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ)

Chambal Pradesh Home to Gharial (critically endangered), Gangetic river dolphin
Sanctuary (Endangered), and red-crowned roofed turtle (critically endangered)

Ratapani Madhya Madhya Pradesh government decided to declare the Ratapani Wildlife
sanctuary Pradesh Sanctuary a tiger reserve. Approval for the same was received by
NTCA back in 2013.
Bhimbetka rock shelters are located within

Nauradehi Madhya It was declared a national park in 1968 and then became Tiger
Sanctuary Pradesh Reserve in 1993. Nauradehi Sanctuary
It is situated in Madhya Pradesh and spreads across two major river
basins, namely the Narmada and Ganges.
It was in news for a successful tiger relocation program. It is also a
potential site for the Cheetah Reintroduction in India from Africa.

Nagarjunasagar Andhra Due to concerted efforts by the Tiger Conservation Foundation (TCF),
Srisailam Tiger Pradesh the number of tigers in the Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve
Reserve (NSTR) in Andhra Pradesh has gone up.
It is spread over 3,800 sq.km. covering Guntur, Prakasam, and
Kurnool districts in Andhra Pradesh and Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar
in Telangana.

Atapaka Andhra The Atapaka bird sanctuary in Kolleru lake has become a safe
bird sanctuary Pradesh breeding ground for two migratory bird species- grey pelicans and
painted storks.
Kolleru, one of the largest freshwater lakes, was accorded a sanctuary
status under the Wildlife Protection Act,1972. It is a Ramsar site and
also identified as an “Important Bird Area” of India.
Amrabad Tiger Telangana It is one of the largest tiger reserves in the country situated in
Reserve Nallamala hill of Telangana.
Earlier, it was part of 'Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger reserve' but
post-bifurcation, the northern part of the reserve is vested with
Telangana and renamed as 'Amrabad Tiger Reserve'.
It is dominated by the Chenchus, a PVTG that has been coexisting
with tigers and wild animals for a long without disturbing the ecological
balance.
In 2017, the endangered species of mouse deer were reintroduced
here.

Bhavani wildlife Kerala The State government is set to declare the 148-sq-km buffer zone of
sanctuary the Silent Valley National Park as Bhavani wildlife sanctuary.
Encompassing parts of the Mannarkkad and Nilambur (South) forest
divisions, the region will become the 25th protected area in the State.