Name

State

Location

National Park/Sanctuaries

Flora, Fauna & Rivers

Other Details

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka

Part of Waynad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Mudumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley

National Parks –

Aralam,

Mudumalai,

Mukurthi,

Nagarhole,

Bandipur and

Silent Valley NP

Sanctuary –

Wayanad WS,

Sathyamangalam WS.

Tiger Reserve –

Nagarahole TR,

Bandipur TR,

Mudumalai TR

Flora –

Forest Type – Moist Evergreen, Semi-Evergreen, Thorn, Savannah Woodland, Sholas and Grassland

Endemic Flora – orchids species – Vanda, Liparis, Bulbophyllum, Spiranthes , Thrixspermum

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri langur, Lion – tailed macaque, Tiger

Rivers –

Bhavani, Moyar, Kabini (tribuatries of Cauvery), Chaliyar, Punampuzha, etc.

Established year 1986

Type – Western Ghats

UNSECO World Heritage Site UNESCO Man & Biosphere

Programme

Nanda Devi National Park & Biosphere Reserve

Uttarakhand

Parts of Chamoli District, Pithoragarh District & Bageshwar District

National Parks –

Nanda Devi NP

Valley of Flowers NP

Sanctuary –

Nanda Devi WS

Flora –

Forest Type – mixed temperate and subalpine

Endemic Flora – Salep Orchid, Silver weed, Fairy candelabra, Fairy Primrose

Fauna –

Endemic fauna – Himalayan tahr, Brown bear, Koklas pheasant,

Snow Leopard, Himalayan Black Bear

Rivers –

Rishi Ganga

Established year

1988

Type – Western Himalayas

UNSECO World Heritage Site

Part of UNESCO MAB Programme

Entire area is located within the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA).

Nokrek

Meghalaya

Part of Garo Hills

National Parks –

Nokrek National Park

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, Red panda, Asian elephant, Hoolocks

Rivers –

Ganol, Dareng and Simsang

Established year

1988

Type – Eastern hills

UNESCO Man and Biosphere

Programme

Gulf of Mannar

Tamil Nadu

Indian part of Gulf of Mannar extending from Rameswaram island in the North to Kanyakumari in the South of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka

National Parks –

Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park

Flora –

Forest Types – Tropical Dry Broad-leafed forest, seaweed communities, sea grass communities, coral reefs, salt marshes and mangrove forests.

Endemic Flora – Morning glory, Jatropha, Halophila grass

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna –  Sea Cow, Sea Anemone, Sea fans, Dugong or sea cow

Established year

1989

Type – Coasts

Part of UNESCO MAB Program

First marine Biosphere Reserve in India

Falls within the Indo-Malayan realm.

Sundarbans

West Bengal

Part of delta of Ganges and Brahmaputra river system

National Parks –

Sundarbans NP

Sanctuary –

Sundarbans West,

Sundarbans South,

Sundarbans East WS,

Sajnakhali WS

Tiger Reserve –

Sunderbans TR

Flora –

Forest Types – Tidal Swamp Forests, Saline Water Type Mixed Forests, Brackish Water Type Mixed Forests, Palm Swamp Type

Endemic Flora – Sundari, Passur, Nypa

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Royal Bengal tiger, Bengal monitor lizard, Salvator lizard

Others – Gangetic dolphin, , estuarine crocodile, river terrapin, olive ridley turtle

Rivers –

Meghna

Established year

1989

Type – Gangetic Delta

UNSECO World Heritage Site

UNESCO Man and Biosphere

Programme

Manas

Assam

Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta,Nalbari, Kamrup and Darrang Districts

National Parks –

Manas National Park

Tiger Reserve,

Elephant Reserve

Flora –

Forest Type – Semi Evergreen forest mixed moist & dry deciduous forests, alluvial grasslands, Eastern seasonal Swamp Forest, Cane and bamboo brakes

Endemic Flora – Catechu tree, Sissoo, White siris

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Golden langur, red panda, Asiatic Elephant, Tiger, Assam roofed turtle, Hispid hare, pygmy hog

Rivers –

Manas-Beki

Established year

1989

Type – Eastern hills

UNSECO World Heritage Site

UNESCO Man and Biosphere

Programme

Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Southernmost islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

National Parks –

Campbell Bay NP, Galathea Bay NP

Sanctuary –

Galathea Bay WLS

Flora –

Forest Type – Tropical and Sub-tropical Moist Broad-leafed Forest

Endemic Flora – Screw pine, Nipa palm, Ceylon iron wood

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Saltwater crocodile, Nicobar scrubfowl, edible-nest swiftlet , Nicobar long-tailed macaque, giant leatherback sea turtle, Malayan box turtle, Nicobar tree shrew, reticulated python, giant robber crab

Established year

1989

Type – Islands

UNESCO Man and Biosphere

Programme

Indira Point – southernmost

point of Republic of India

Simlipal

Odisha

Part of Mayurbhanj district

National Parks –

Simplipal NP

Sanctuary –

Simlipal WLS,

Kuldiha,

Hadgarh WLS

Tiger Reserve –

Part of Mayurbhanj

Elephant Reserve

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 mongooseGaur, royal Bengal tiger, elephant

Rivers –

Budhabalanga, Palpala Bhandan, Kharkai River and Deo

Established year

1994

Type – Deccan Peninsula

UNESCO Man and Biosphere

Programme

The biosphere reserve has the largest zone of Sal in all of India.

Dibru-Saikhowa

Assam

Part of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts

National Parks –

Dibru-Saikhowa National Park

Flora –

Forest Type – semi wet evergreen forests, tropical moist deciduous forest, bamboo, swamp forests, cane brakes and grasslands.

Endemic Flora – Rauvolfia (Sarpagandhi), Benteak, Livistona (orchid)

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Golden langur, Bengal tiger, hoolock gibbons, leopards, clouded leopard, jungle cat, sloth bear, dhole, small Indian civet, Malayan giant squirrel, Chinese pangolin, Gangetic dolphin, Lesser Adjutant Stork, spotted-billed Pelican, White bellied Heron, Pallas’s Fish Eagle

Rivers –

Dibru, Brahmaputra

Established year

1997

Type – Eastern Hills

Dihang-Dibang

Arunachal Pradesh

Part of Siang and Dibang Valley

National Parks –

Mouling National Park

Sanctuary –

Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary

Flora –

Forest Type – sub-tropical broad-leaved, sub-tropical pine, temperate broad-leaved, temperate conifer, sub-alpine woody shrub, alpine meadow, bamboo brakes & grassland.

Endemic Flora – Tree fern, Begonia, Lady’s slipper orchid

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Mishmi Takin, Musk Deer, red goral, red panda, Asiatic black bear, Green pit viper

Rivers –

Dehang, Debang & their tributaries

Established year

1998

Type – Eastern Himalaya

Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve

Madhya Pradesh

Parts of Betul District, Hoshangabad District and Chhindwara District

National Parks –

Satpura National Park

Sanctuary –

Bori Sanctuary,

Pachmarhi Sanctuary

Tiger Reserve –

Satpura Tiger Reserve

Flora –

Forest Type – moist deciduous, dry deciduous, central Indian sub-tropical hill forest.

Endemic Flora – Sal tree, Selaginella fern, Palimorpha bamboo

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Barasinga, Red jungle fowl, Giant squirrel, flying squirrel, Chinkara, nilgai, wild dogs, the Indian wolf, Bison.

Rivers –

Denwa

Established year

1999

Type – Semi-Arid

UNESCO Man and Biosphere

Programme

Recognized as “Genetic Express Highway” linking two biological hot spots of the country viz. Eastern Himalayas & Western Ghats.

Khangchend-zonga

Sikkim

Parts of Kangchenjunga

National Parks –

Khangchendzonga NP

Flora –

Forest Type – Sub-tropical broad leaved hill forest, Himalayan wet temperate forest, and temperate broad leaved forest, mixed coniferous forest, sub-alpine a forests and dry alpine forest.

Endemic Flora – Anemone, Uvaria, Sikkim Rhododendron, Sikkim Mahonia

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Red Panda, Snow Leopard, Himalayan Black Beer & herbivores species of Musk deer, Great Tibetan Sheep, Blue Sheep, Boral and Barking Deer, Monal Pheasants, Tragopan Pheasants & Blood Pheasants (the State Bird)

Rivers –

Teesta

Established year

2000

Type – East Himalayas

UNSECO World Heritage Site

(Only mixed site in India)

India’s first Mixed Heritage Site

UNESCO Man and Biosphere

Programme

Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve

Kerala, Tamil Nadu

Neyyar, Peppara and Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary and their adjoining areas

Sanctuary –

Neyyar WLS,

Peppara WLS,

Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary

Tiger Reserve –

Kalakad Mundanthurai TR

Flora –

Forest Type – thorn, moist deciduous and semi-evergreens

Endemic Flora – Rudraksha tree, Black plums, Gaub tree, Wild Dhaman

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Lion-tailed macaque, Slender loris, Great pied hornbill, Asian elephant, tiger and Nilgiri Tahr

Rivers –

Tambraparani

Established year

2001

Type – Western Ghats

UNESCO Man and Biosphere

Programme

Home to the Kanikaran one of

the oldest surviving ancient

tribes in the world.

Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve

Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh

Part of Annupur, Dindori and Bilaspur districts

Sanctuary –

Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary

Flora –

Forest Type – Tropical deciduous vegetation. Further classified into Northern Tropical Moist Deciduous and Southern Dry Mixed Deciduous forests

Endemic Flora – Several thallophyte, bryophyte, pteridophyte, gymnosperm, and angiosperm species found.

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Four-horned antelope, Indian wild dog, Sarus crane, White-rumped vulture, Philautus sanctisilvaticus (Sacred grove bush frog), Tigers, panthers, Chitals, blackbuck, giant squirrels etc

Rivers –

Narmada, Johilla and Sone, Ama Nallah

Established year

2005

Type – Maikala Hills

UNESCO Man and Biosphere

Programme

Great Rann of Kutch

Gujarat

Part of Kutch, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Patan Districts

In Kutch Area

Sanctuary –

Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary,

Kutch,

Desert Wildlife Sanctuary,

Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary,

Kutch Bustard Sanctuary

Flora –

Two major ecosystems – Great Rann of Kachchh (GRK) and Little Rann of Kachchh (LRK)

Forest Type – mixed scrub, thorn, savannah in GRK. Mangroves in the eastern border of Banni grassland in GRK.

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Indian wild ass, Greater and Lesser Flamingos

Rivers –

Luni, Rupen, West Banas drains into the area

Established year

2008

Type – Desert

Banni grasslands – (Rann of Kutch) the largest natural grassland in the Indian subcontinent, inhabited by Maldhari pastoralists.

Cold Desert

Himachal Pradesh

Pin Valley National Park and surroundings; Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sancturary

National Parks –

Pin Valley NP

Sanctuary –

Chandratal WLS,

Sarchu WLS,

Kibber WLS

Flora –

Forest Type – Herbs, shrub species

Endemic Flora – Anemone, Uvaria, Sikkim Rhododendron, Sikkim Mahonia

Fauna –

Endemic Fauna – Snow Leopard, Tibetan gazzle, red fox, weasel, marmot, griffon, lammergeyer, golden eagle, snow cock, brown and black bear, ibex etc.

Rivers –

Pin, Chandrabhaga, Spiti

Established year

2009

Type – Western Himalayas

Lie in the rain shadow of the Himalayas.

Seshachalam Hills

Andhra Pradesh

Seshachalam Hill Ranges covering parts of Chittoor and Kadapa districts

National Parks –

Srivenkateshwara NP

Sanctuary –

Sri Venkateswara WLS

Flora –

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, Slender Loris, Indian Giant Squirrel, Mouse deer, Golden Gecko, Yellow throated Bulbul

Established year

2010

Type – Eastern Ghats

Large reserves of Red Sandal wood

Panna

Madhya Pradesh

Part of Panna District and Chhatarpur District

National Parks –

Panna NP

Tiger Reserve

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, leopard, chital, chinkara, Nilgai, tree shrew, long snouted crocodile, mugger, sambhar and sloth bear

Rivers –

Ken

Established year –

2011

Type – Catchment Area of the Ken River

Links the eastern and western wildlife populations of the Vindhyan ranges.