Mangrove Forests
Mangrove forests are found in the deltas of the Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, the Godavarai and the Kaveri. Roots of the mangrove plants are submerged under water. Hollow roots grow out vertically above water so that roots can breathe. Sundari tree is the most common tree in such forests; especially in the Sunderban Delta. Royal Bengal Tiger is the most famous animal of these forests. Additionally, turtles, crocodiles, gharials and snakes are found in these forests.
Types of Vegetation in India
Rainforest
- Rainfall: More than 200 cm
- Area: Western Ghats, North-eastern India, Islands
- Flora: Ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber and cinchona
- Fauna: Elephants, monkey, lemur and deer
Deciduous Forest
- Rainfall: 70 to 100 cm
- Area: Bihar, UP, MP, W. Bengal, Maharashtra, etc.
- Flora: Teak, bamboo, sal, shisham, sandalwood, khair, kusum, arjun, mulberry
- Fauna: Lion, tiger, pig, deer and elephant
Thorny Bushes
- Rainfall: Less than 70 cm
- Area: Rajasthan, Gujarat
- Flora: acacia, palms, euphorbias and cactus
- Fauna: Camel, rats, mice, rabbits, fox, wolf, tiger, lion, wild ass, horse, etc.
Montane Forest
- Area: Himalayas and North-east
- Flora: Pine, deodar, fir, cedar, etc.
- Fauna: Kashmir stag, spotted deer, wild sheep, jack rabbit, Tibetan antelope, yak, snow leopard, squirrels, Shaggy horn wild ibex, bear, rare red panda, sheep and goats
Mangrove Forest
- Area: Delta of Ganga, Mahanadi, Kaveri, Godavari
- Flora: Sundari, Orchid
- Fauna: Royal Bengal Tiger
Wildlife
There are more than 89,000 animal species in India. There are more than 1200 species of birds in India.
Elephants are found in the hot wet forests of Assam, Karnataka and Kerala. One-horned rhinos are found in the swampy and marshy lands of Assam and West Bengal. Wild ass and camels are found in the Rann of Kachchh and Thar Desert. Indian bison, nilgai, chousingha, gazel and many other species of deer and some other animals are found in India. India is the only country in the world which has both tigers and lions.
- There are fourteen biosphere reserves in India. Four out of these, the Sunderbans in the West Bengal, Nanda Devi in Uttaranchal, the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu and the Nilgiris (Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) have been included in the world network of Biosphese reserves.
- The fourteen biosphere reserves are: Sunderbans, Gulf of Mannar, the Nilgiris, Nanda Devi, Nokrek, Great Nicobar, Manas, Simlipal, Dihang-Dibang, Dibru Saikhowa, Agasthyamalai, Kanchenjunga, Pachmari, Achanakmar-Amarkantak.
- Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard and many other ecodevelopmental projects have been introduced.
- 89 National Parks, 49 Wildlife sanctuaries and Zoological gardens are set up to take care of Natural heritage.