Biosphere reserves of India

The Indian government has established 18 biosphere reserves in India,[1] (categories roughly corresponding to IUCN Category V Protected areas), which protect larger areas of natural habitat (than a National Park or Animal Sanctuary), and often include one or more National Parks or preserves, along with buffer zones that are open to some economic uses. Protection is granted not only to the flora and fauna of the protected region, but also to the human communities who inhabit these regions, and their ways of life. Animals are protected and saved here.

World network

Eleven of the eighteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list.[1][2][3][4]

NameStatesYear
Nilgiri Biosphere ReserveTamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka2000
Gulf of Mannar Biosphere ReserveTamil Nadu2001
Sundarbans Biosphere ReserveWest Bengal2001
Nanda Devi Biosphere ReserveUttarakhand2004
Nokrek Biosphere ReserveMeghalaya2009
Pachmarhi Biosphere ReserveMadhya Pradesh2009
Simlipal Biosphere ReserveOdisha2009
Great Nicobar Biosphere ReserveGreat Nicobar2013
Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere ReserveChhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh2012[2]
Agasthyamalai Biosphere ReserveKerala and Tamil Nadu2016[5]
Khangchendzonga National ParkSikkim2018

List

In 2009, India designated Cold Desert of Himachal Pradesh as a biosphere reserve. On 20 September 2010, the Ministry of Environment and Forests designated Seshachalam Hills as the 17th biosphere reserve. Panna (Madhya Pradesh) was scheduled to become the 18th on 25 August 2011.[1]

Biosphere reserves of India
YearNameLocationStateTypeKey faunaArea (km2)
1 1986Nilgiri Biosphere ReservePart of Waynad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Mudumalai, Nilambur, Silent ValleyTamil Nadu, Kerala and KarnatakaWestern GhatsNilgiri tahr, lion-tailed macaque5520
2 1988Nanda Devi National Park & Biosphere Reserve Parts of Chamoli District, Pithoragarh District & Bageshwar DistrictUttarakhandWestern HimalayasSnow Leopard, Himalayan Black Bear5860
3 1989Gulf of MannarIndian part of Gulf of Mannar extending from Rameswaram island in the North to Kanyakumari in the South of Tamil Nadu and Sri LankaTamil NaduCoastsDugong10500
4 1988NokrekIn west Garo HillsMeghalayaEast HimalayasRed panda47.48 km
5 1989SundarbansPart of delta of Ganges and Brahmaputra river systemWest BengalGangetic DeltaRoyal Bengal tiger9630
6 1989ManasPart of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup and Darrang DistrictsAssamEast HimalayasAsiatic Elephant, Tiger, Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, Golden Langur, pygmy hog2837
7 1994SimlipalPart of Mayurbhanj districtOdishaDeccan PeninsulaGaur, royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant4374
8 1998Dihang-DibangPart of Siang and Dibang ValleyArunachal PradeshEastern HimalayaMishmi Takin, Musk Deer5112
9 1999Pachmarhi Biosphere ReserveParts of Betul District, Hoshangabad District and Chhindwara DistrictMadhya PradeshSemi-AridGiant squirrel, flying squirrel4981.72
10 2005Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere ReservePart of Annupur, Dindori and Bilaspur districtsMadhya Pradesh, ChhattisgarhMaikala HillsFour-horned antelope, Indian wild dog, Sarus crane, White-rumped vulture, Philautus (Sacred grove bush frog)3835
11 2008Great Rann of KutchPart of Kutch, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Patan Districts. It is the largest Biosphere Reserve in India.GujaratDesertIndian wild ass12454
12 2009Cold DesertPin Valley National Park and surroundings;Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife SanctuaryHimachal PradeshWestern HimalayasSnow leopard7770
13 2000KhangchendzongaParts of KangchenjungaSikkimEast HimalayasSnow leopard, red panda2620
14 2001Agasthyamalai Biosphere ReserveNeyyar, Peppara and Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary and their adjoining areasKerala, Tamil NaduWestern GhatsNilgiri tahr, elephants3500.08
15 1989Great NicobarSouthern most islands of Andaman and Nicobar IslandsAndaman and Nicobar IslandsIslandsSaltwater crocodile885
16 1997Dibru-SaikhowaPart of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districtsAssamEast Himalayaswhite-winged wood duck, water buffalo, black-breasted parrotbill, tiger, capped langur765
17 2010Seshachalam HillsSeshachalam Hill Ranges covering parts of Chittoor and Kadapa districtsAndhra PradeshEastern GhatsSlender Loris4755
18 2011PannaPart of Panna District and Chhatarpur DistrictMadhya PradeshCatchment Area of the Ken RiverTiger, chital, chinkara, sambhar and sloth bear2998.98

Potential sites

Following is the list of potential sites for Biosphere Reserves as selected by Ministry of Forests and Environment:[6] The

References

  1. 1 2 3
  2. 1 2 UNESCO "20 new Biosphere Reserves added to UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme", 11 July 2012
  3. ↑ UNESCO, Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list
  4. ↑ "20 new Biosphere Reserves added"
  5. ↑ "20 new Biosphere Reserves added", 19 March 2016
  6. ↑ "Status of Bioshpere reserves in India" (PDF). ENVIRO NEWS, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Vol. 14. January–March 2008. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
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