Biosphere reserves of India

National biosphere reserves of India

Wildlife of India

Biodiversity

* Fauna
* Flora

Lists

* Amphibians
* Ants
* Birds
* Butterflies
* Endangered animals
* Fish
* Mammals
* Molluscs
* Moths
* Odonates
* Reptiles
* Spiders
* Tiger beetles

Protected areas

* Biosphere reserves
* Communal forests
* Conservation areas
* Conservation and community reserves
* Elephant reserves
* National parks
* Private protected areas
* Ramsar Sites
* Reserved and protected forests
* Tiger reserves
* Wildlife sanctuaries

Conservation

Projects

* Cheetah
* Dolphin
* Elephant
* Tiger

Acts of Parliament

* Indian Forest Act 1927
* Wildlife Protection Act 1972
* Wildlife Protection Act 2002

Organisations

National

* Ministry of Environment and Forests
* National Biodiversity Authority
* Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding
* Council of Forestry Research
* Indian Forest Service / Survey
* Institute of Forest Management
* Wildlife Institute
* Tiger Conservation Authority
* Zoo Authority

International

* Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
* International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
* South Asian Zoo Association (SAZARC)
* World Animal Protection
* World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA)
* World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

Related topics

* Environmental issues
* Fossil parks
* Forestry
* Natural history
* Tourism

Lists

* Botanical gardens
* Ecoregions
* Zoological gardens

Wildlife population

* Elephant
* Tiger
* Wildlife

* v
* t
* e

There are 18 biosphere reserves in India. [1] They protect larger areas of natural habitat than a typical national park or animal sanctuary, and often include one or more national parks or reserves, 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. In total there are 18 biosphere reserves in India.

## World network

[edit]

Twelve 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]

# | Name | States/ UT | Year

|
|
|

1  | Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve | Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka | 2000
2  | Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve | Tamil Nadu | 2001
3  | Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve | West Bengal | 2001
4  | Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve | Uttarakhand | 2004
5  | Nokrek Biosphere Reserve | Meghalaya | 2009
6  | Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve | Madhya Pradesh | 2009
7  | Simlipal Biosphere Reserve | Odisha | 2009
8  | Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 2013
9  | Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve | Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh | 2012[2]
10  | Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve | Kerala and Tamil Nadu | 2016[4]
11  | Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim | 2018[5]
12  | Panna Biosphere Reserve | Madhya Pradesh | 2020[6]

## List of biosphere reserves in India

[edit]

Biosphere reserves of India[7] | Year | Name | Location | State | Type | Key fauna | Area (km2)

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | 1986  | Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve | Part of Waynad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Mudumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley | Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala | Western Ghats | Nilgiri tahr, tiger, lion-tailed macaque | 5520
2  | 1988 | Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve | Parts of Chamoli District, Pithoragarh District & Bageshwar District | Uttarakhand | Western Himalayas | Snow leopard, Himalayan black bear | 5860
3  | 1988 | Nokrek | In West Garo Hills | Meghalaya | Eastern hills | Red panda | 820.00
4  | 1989 | Gulf of Mannar | Indian part of Gulf of Mannar extending from Rameswaram island in the north to Kanyakumari in the south of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka | Tamil Nadu | Coasts | Dugong | 10500
5  | 1989 | Sundarbans | Part of delta of Ganges and Brahmaputra river system | West Bengal | Gangetic Delta | Royal Bengal tiger | 9630
6  | 1989 | Manas | Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup and Darrang Districts | Assam | Eastern Hills | Asiatic elephant, tiger, Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur, pygmy hog | 2837
7  | 1989 | Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve | Southernmost of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Islands | Saltwater crocodile | 885
8  | 1994 | Simlipal | Part of Mayurbhanj district | Odisha | Deccan Peninsula | Gaur, royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant | 4374
9  | 1998 | Dihang-Dibang | Part of Siang and Dibang Valley | Arunachal Pradesh | Eastern Himalaya | Mishmi takin, musk deer | 5112
10  | 1997 | Dibru-Saikhowa | Part of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts | Assam | Eastern Hills | White-winged wood duck, water buffalo, black-breasted parrotbill, tiger, capped langur | 765
11  | 1999 | Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve | Parts of Betul District, Hoshangabad District and Chhindwara District | Madhya Pradesh | Semi-Arid | Giant squirrel, flying squirrel | 4981.72
12  | 2000 | Khangchendzonga National Park | Parts of Kangchenjunga | Sikkim | East Himalayas | Snow leopard, red panda | 2620
13  | 2001 | Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve | Neyyar, Peppara and Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary, Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and their adjoining areas | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | Western Ghats | Nilgiri tahr, Asian elephant | 3500.08
14  | 2005 | Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve | Part of Annupur, Dindori and Bilaspur districts | Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh | Maikal Hills | Four-horned antelope, Indian wild dog, sarus crane, white-rumped vulture, sacred grove bush frog | 3835
15  | 2008 | Great Rann of Kutch | Part of Kutch, Morbi, Surendranagar and Patan districts; the largest biosphere reserve in India. | Gujarat | Desert | Indian wild ass | 12454
16  | 2009 | Cold Desert | Pin Valley National Park and surroundings; Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary | Himachal Pradesh | Western Himalayas | Snow leopard | 7770
17  | 2010 | Seshachalam Hills biosphere | Seshachalam Hill Ranges covering parts of Chittoor and Kadapa districts | Andhra Pradesh | Eastern Hills | Slender loris | 4755.997[8]
18  | 2011[9] | Panna | Part of Panna and Chhattarpur districts in Madhya Pradesh | Madhya Pradesh | Moist deciduous forest  | Bengal tiger, Chinkara, Nilgai, Sambhar sambar deer, and Sloth bear | 2998.98[10]

## Key fauna

[edit]

Name  | Key fauna

|

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve | Lion Tailed Macaque (EN), Nilgiri Tahr (EN), Malabar Giant Squirrel (LC), Nilgiri Langur (VU)
Nanda Devi | Snow Leopard (VU), Musk Deer (EN), Bharal Or Blue Sheep (LC)
Nokrek | Red Panda (EN), Hoolock Gibbons (EN), Red Giant Flying Squirrel (LC)
Great Nicobar | Dugong (VU), Saltwater Crocodile (LC)
Gulf of Mannar | Dugong (VU), Olive Ridley turtles (VU)
Manas  | Assam Roofed Turtle (EN), Hispid Hare (EN), Golden Langur (EN), Pygmy Hog (EN), Wild Water Buffalo (EN), Bengal florican (CR)
Sunderbans | Royal Bengal Tiger (EN)
Simlipal | Royal Bengal Tigers, Wild Elephants (EN), Gaurs (VU – Indian Bison), Chausingha (VU)
Dibru-Saikhowa | Bengal Tiger, Clouded Leopard (VU), Gangetic Dolphin (EN)
Dehang-Dibang | Takin (VU), Red Panda (EN)
Pachmarhi | Tiger, Gaur, Indian Giant Flying Squirrels (LC)
Khangchendzonga | Red Panda (EN), Snow Leopard (VU), Musk Deer (EN), Great Tibetan Sheep (Argali – NT)
Agasthyamalai | Nilgiri Tahr (EN)
Achanakamar - Amarkantak | Four Horned Antelope (Chausingha (VU)), Indian Wild Dog (VU)
Great Rann of Kutch (Kachchh)  | Great Indian Bustard (CR), Indian Wild Ass (NT)
Cold Desert | Snow Leopard (VU), Himalayan Ibex (also referred to as Siberian Ibex – LC)
Seshachalam Hills | Red Sanders (NT), Golden Gecko (LC – Endemic To Tirumala Hills)
Panna | Tiger (EN), Chital (LC), Chinkara (LC), Sambar (VU)

## Potential sites

[edit]

The following is a list of potential sites for Biosphere Reserves as selected by Ministry of Forests and Environment:[11]

* Abujmarh, Chhattisgarh
* Andaman and Nicobar, North Islands
* Chintapalli, Visakhapatnam Andhra Pradesh
* Kanha, Madhya Pradesh
* Kovalam, Kerala
* Lakshadweep Islands, Lakshadweep
* Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat
* Phawngpui (Blue Mountain), Mizoram
* Namdapha, Arunachal Pradesh
* Singhbhum, Jharkhand
* Tawang and West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh
* Thar Desert, Rajasthan
* Tadoba National Park and Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Maharashtra

## See also

[edit]

* Bodhi Tree
* List of Banyan trees in India
* List of national parks of India
* Sacred groves of India
* Sacred trees
* Wildlife sanctuaries of India

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Biosphere Reserves in India" (PDF). Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
2. ^ a b "20 new Biosphere Reserves added to UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme". UNESCO. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
3. ^ "Man and the Biosphere Programme". UNESCO. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
4. ^ "20 sites added to UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves". UNESCO. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
5. ^ Mohan, Vishwa (8 August 2018). "Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve gets entry into the UNESCO's global list". The Economic Times (India). Retrieved 5 February 2020.
6. ^ "Panna Biosphere Reserve, India". UNESCO. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
7. ^ Biosphere Reserves Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India.
8. ^ "Biosphere Reserves in India (as on Dec, 2014)". December 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
9. ^ "The Environmental Planning & Coordination Organisation". epco.mp.gov.in. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
10. ^ "Panna Tiger Reserve gets UNESCO's 'Biosphere Reserve' Status". Outlook India. 7 November 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
11. ^ "Status of Biosphere reserves in India" (PDF). ENVIRO NEWS, Ministry of Environment and Forests. January–March 2008. p. 9\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Biosphere reserves of India.

* Wildlife Institute of India webpage on India's Biosphere Reserves at archive.today (archived 9 May 2004)
* United Nations List of National Parks and Protected Areas: India (1993) at the Library of Congress Web Archives (archived 25 November 2001)
* Ministry of Environment and Forests

* v
* t
* e

India topics

History

| Overviews|

* Timeline
* Years

* Astronomy
* Clothing
* Coinage
* Economics
* LGBT
* Linguistics
* Maritime
* Mathematics
* Metallurgy
* Military
* Paper currency
* Postal
* Science and technology

|

Ancient |

* Stone Age
* Indus Valley Civilisation
* Vedic period
* Mahajanapadas
* Mauryas
* Yavana Kingdom
* Achaemenid conquest of the Indus Valley
* Indo-Parthian Kingdom
* Kushan Empire
* Alchon Huns
* Seleucid–Mauryan war

Middle Kingdoms|

* Middle kingdoms
* Chola

Middle Ages|

* Medieval India
* Hoysala
* Pala
* Kakatiya
* Delhi Sultanate
* Vijayanagara

Early Modern|

* Mughals
* Marathas
* European trade
* Bengal War

Late modern|

* Colonial
* Princely state
* East India Company
* Plassey
* 1857 rebellion
* British Raj
* Railways
* Economy
* Army
* Commander-in-Chief
* Zamindari
* Bengal Renaissance
* Political reforms
* Partition of Bengal
* Independence movement
* 1943 famine
* World War II
* Partition

Republic|

* Integration
* Non-Aligned Movement
* Five-Year Plans
* Sino-Indian War
* Indo-Pakistani wars
* Green Revolution
* White Revolution
* Naxal Insurgency
* Smiling Buddha
* Space programme
* The Emergency
* Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF)

Contemporary|

* History of India (1947–present)
* Economic liberalisation
* Pokhran-II
* COVID-19 pandemic

Geography

| Geology|

* Fossil Parks
* Geology of India
* Indian Plate

|

Heritage|

* National Geological Monuments of India
* Sacred groves of India
* Sacred mountains of India
* Sacred rivers of India
* Stones of India

Environment|

* Biogeographic classification
* Biosphere reserves
* Climate
* Climate change
* Earthquakes
* Ecoregions
* Environmental issues
* Fauna
* Forests
* Flora
* Geology
* National parks
* Protected areas
* Wildlife
* sanctuaries

Landforms|

* Beaches
* Canals
* Coasts
* Desert
* ECZ
* Extreme points
* Glaciers
* Highest point by states
* Islands
* Lakes
* Mountains
* Mountain passes
* Plains
* Indo-Gangetic
* Eastern coastal
* Western coastal
* Rivers
* Valleys
* Volcanoes
* Waterfalls

Regions|

* Central
* East
* North
* Northwest
* Northeast
* South
* Southwest
* Southeast
* West

Subdivisions|

* Autonomous administrative divisions
* Borders
* Towns
* Cities
* Districts
* Municipalities
* States and union territories

See also|

* National monuments of India
* National parks of India
* Nature worship in Indian-origin religions
* World Heritage Sites in India
* Culture of India
* History of India
* Tourism in India

Politics

| Government|

* Agencies
* Energy policy
* Foreign relations
* Parliament
* Lok Sabha
* Rajya Sabha
* President
* Vice President
* Prime Minister
* Union Council of Ministers
* Civil Services
* Cabinet Secretary
* State governments
* State legislative assemblies
* State legislative councils
* Governors, Lieutenant Governors and Administrators
* Chief Ministers
* Chief Secretaries

|

Law|

* Constitution
* Penal Code
* Fundamental rights, principles and duties
* Human rights
* LGBT
* Supreme Court
* Chief Justice
* High Courts
* District Courts

Enforcement|

| Federal|

* Border Security Force (BSF)
* Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
* Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
* Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
* National Security Guard (NSG)
* Railway Protection Force (RPF)
* Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
* Special Protection Group (SPG)

|

Intelligence|

* Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D)
* Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
* Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)
* Enforcement Directorate (ED)
* Intelligence Bureau (IB)
* Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC)
* Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)
* National Investigation Agency (NIA)
* Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW)

Military|

* Army
* Navy
* Air Force

Politics|

* Censorship
* Citizenship
* Elections
* Democracy
* Nationalism
* Political parties
* Reservations
* Scandals
* Scheduled groups
* Secularism
* Women in politics

Economy

| Companies|

* BSE SENSEX
* NIFTY 50

|

Governance|

* Ministry of Finance
* Finance ministers
* Ministry of Commerce and Industry
* Finance Commission
* Economic Advisory Council
* Central Statistical Office
* Securities and Exchange Board of India
* Enforcement Directorate
* External debt
* Foreign trade
* Foreign direct investment
* Foreign exchange reserves
* Remittances
* Taxation
* Subsidies
* Industrial licensing
* Voluntary guidelines
* NITI Aayog
* Make in India
* Atmanirbhar Bharat

Currency|

* Indian rupee
* Sign
* History
* Historical Forex
* Digital rupee
* Coinage
* Paisa
* Reserve Bank of India
* Governor
* Mint
* Inflation

Financial services|

* Banking
* Insurance
* Multi Commodity Exchange
* Bullion
* Black money
* Bombay
* National

History|

* COVID-19 impact
* Economic development
* Liberalisation
* Licence Raj
* Green revolution
* Government initiatives
* Numbering system

People|

* By net worth
* Demography
* Income
* Poverty
* Labour law
* Pensions
* EPFO
* NPS
* PPF

States|

* Andhra Pradesh
* Assam
* Bihar
* Delhi
* Goa
* Gujarat
* Haryana
* Himachal Pradesh
* Jammu and Kashmir
* Jharkhand
* Karnataka
* Kerala
* Ladakh
* Madhya Pradesh
* Maharashtra
* Mizoram
* Odisha
* Punjab
* Rajasthan
* Tamil Nadu
* Telangana
* Uttarakhand
* Uttar Pradesh
* West Bengal

Sectors|

* Agriculture
* Livestock
* Fishing
* Automotive
* Chemical
* Construction
* Defence
* Education
* Energy
* Electricity
* Nuclear
* Oil and gas
* Solar
* Wind
* Electronics and semiconductor
* Entertainment
* Forestry
* Gambling
* Healthcare
* Hospitals
* Information technology
* Media
* Cinema
* FM Radio
* Television
* Printing
* Mining
* Coal
* Iron and Steel
* Pharmaceuticals
* Pulp and paper
* Retail
* Science and technology
* Biotechnology
* Space
* Telecommunications
* Textiles
* Tourism
* Transport
* Aviation
* Civil
* Ports
* Rail
* Roads
* Electricity
* Water
* Power

Regulator|

* IRDAI
* RBI
* SEBI
* IBBI
* PFRDA

Other|

* NCLT
* NCLAT
* BIFR
* IBBI
* IBC
* SARFESI Act
* Income Tax Act
* Companies Act
* Banking Act
* Insurance Act
* FEMA
* Mumbai Consensus

* Society and culture

| Society|

* Caste system
* Corruption
* Crime
* Demographics
* Indians
* Education
* Universities in India
* Medical colleges in India
* Law colleges in India
* Engineering colleges in India
* Ethnic relations
* Health
* Languages
* Life expectancy
* Literacy
* Poverty
* Prisons
* Religion
* Socio-economic issues
* Standard of living
* Water supply and sanitation
* Women
* Sexuality
* Youth

|

Culture|

* Arts and entertainment
* Architecture
* Blogging
* Cinema
* Comics
* Webcomics
* Cuisine
* wine
* Dance
* Dress
* Folklore
* Festivals
* Literature
* Media
* television
* Martial arts
* Music
* Painting
* Physical culture
* Public holidays
* Sculpture
* tallest
* Sport
* Traditional

* v
* t
* e

Geography of India

Geology|

* Fossil Parks
* Geology
* Indian plate
* Geological Monuments
* Stones

Culture|

* History
* National monuments
* Sacred Groves
* Sacred Mountains
* Sacred Rivers
* Tourism
* World Heritage Sites

Landforms|

* Beaches
* Borders
* Coasts
* Canals
* Desert
* ECZ
* Extreme points
* Glaciers
* Highest point by states
* Islands
* Lakes
* Mountains
* Mountain passes
* Rivers
* Valleys
* Volcanoes
* Waterfalls

Regions|

* North India
* Northwest
* Northeast India
* East India
* South India
* West India
* Central India

Geographical regions|

* Deccan Plateau
* Eastern Coastal Plains
* Circars
* Coromandel
* Utkal
* Himalayas
* Eastern
* Himachal
* Himadri
* Sivalik
* Indo-Gangetic Plain
* Thar Desert
* Western Coastal Plains
* Canara
* Konkan
* Kathiawar
* Kutch
* Malabar

Subdivisions|

* States and territories
* Autonomous areas
* Divisions
* Districts
* Cities
* Towns
* Municipalities

Ecology|

* Biogeographic classification
* Climate
* Ecoregions
* Environmental Issues
* Fauna
* Flora
* Forests
* Protected Areas
* Biosphere reserves
* Communal forests
* Conservation areas
* Conservation and community reserves
* Elephant reserves
* National parks
* Ramsar Sites
* Reserved and protected forests
* Tiger reserves
* Wildlife sanctuaries
* Wildlife

Authority control databases: National |

* United States
* Israel

|

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template