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Wildlife of India and Gujarat

By: જૈનમ મહેતા

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Our Wildlife

India may be divided into the following five ecological sub-regions for

studying its flora and fauna :

1. The Himalayan mountain system.

2. Peninsular Indian sub region.

3. Tropical evergreen forests region or Indo-Malayan sub region.​

4. Andaman and Nicobar Islands​

5. Mangrove Swamps of Sunderbans.

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1. The Himalayan mountain system

(a) Himalaya foothills. These extend from the eastern frontiers of Kashmir to Assam.
(b) Western Himalayas. In includes higher altitudes in Himalayas from Kashmir
including Ladakh to Kumaon.
(c) Eastern Himalayas. It includes regions of Sikkim and extends in the east up to
NEFA.
1. Himalaya foothills. These have characteristic bhabar and Tarai formations and the
Siwalik ranges in the South.
2. 2. Western Himalayas (High altitude region)
3. Eastern Himalayas. - Red panda

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2. Peninsular – Indian sub – region

This area is also known as Western Ghats Region which consists of the tropical
evergreen forests area on the western part of the India.

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3. Indo-Malayan Region

This area is also known as North-Eastern Evergreen Forest Region and also
includes the region of Indo-Malayan forests.

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4. Andman and Nicobar Isalands

•These are home of tropical rain forests. There are mangroves also on coastal
areas.
• Many Species (about 35) of mammals, a number of reptiles and marine animals
occur in this area.
• Among marine mammals there are dugong , false killer whale, dolphin. Among
birds-(about 250 species and sub species) are rare Narcondum hornbills,
Nicobar pigeon.
•There are salt –water crocodile, a number of marine turtles, coconut crab,
lizards (the largest being water monitor)

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5. Mangrove swamps of Sunderbans

• Sunderbans are delta of the Ganges where both the Brahmaputra and Ganges
join and drain into the Bay of Bengal.
• The lower tidal zones have pioneer trees like Sonneratia and Avicennia.
• In the higher regions of mangrove, there are spotted deer, pigs, monitor
lizards, monkeys etc.
• The most interesting animal is the man-eater Sundarbans tiger.

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 Endangered Species of India
Taxa Example
Mammals Lion-tailed
macaque, Nilgiri thar, India
n giant squirrel
Birds Narcondam hornbill,
Grey junglefowl, Great
Indian bustard, Forest
owlet, Jerdon's courser
Reptile Assam keelback, Darjeeling
kukri snake, Andaman
cobra, Nilgiri forest lizard
Amphibia Malabar toad, Nagaland
toad
Butterflies Nilgiri tiger,
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 Endangered Species of Gujarat
Taxa Example
Mammals Indian Wild Ass,
Indian Gazelle, Black buck,
Asiatic Lion, Dugong,
Indian Leopard
Birds Great Indian bustard, Forest
owlet, Red-headed Vulture,
Adjutant-Stork, Great Indian
Bustard, Lesser Florican
Reptile Leatherback Sea
Turtle, Green Sea Turtle
Amphibia Ramanella frog, Ichthyophis
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Biosphere Reserves
•Biosphere Reserve Programme was launched by UNESCO in 1971 under its
“Man and the Biosphere Programme” (MAB).
The following are the objectives of the Biosphere Reserve Programme(BRP) :
(1)Conserve representative samples of ecosystems.
(2) Provide long-term in situ conservation of genetic diversity.
(3) Promote and facilitate basic and applied research and monitoring.
(4) Provide opportunities for education and training.
(5) Promote appropriate sustainable managements of the living resource.
(6) Disseminate the experience so as to promote sustainable development
elsewhere, and
(7) Promote international co-operation.
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Biosphere Reserves

• In brief, we may say that special feature of a Biosphere Reserve is

that it Combines four major groups of objectives,

(i) conservation,

(ii) research ,

(iii) education , and

(iv) local involvement.

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Biosphere Reserves

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 S. No. Name Location (State)
Part of Wayanad, Nagarhole,
Bandipur and Madumalai, Nilambur,
1 Nilgiri
Silent Valley and Siruvani hills (Tamil
Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka).
Part of Chamoli, Pithoragarh, and
2 Nanda Devi
Bageshwar districts (Uttarakhand).
3 Nokrek Part of Garo hills (Meghalaya).
Southern most islands of Andaman
4 Great Nicobar
And Nicobar (A&N Islands).
Indian part of Gulf of Mannar
5 Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka (Tamil
Nadu).
Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon,
6 Manas Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamprup and
Darang districts (Assam)
Part of delta of Ganges and
7 Sunderbans Brahamaputra river system
(West Bengal).
8 Simlipal Part of Mayurbhanj district (Orissa).
Part of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia
9 Dibru-Saikhowa
Districts (Assam)
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 S. No. Name Location (State)

Part of Siang and Dibang Valley in Arunachal

10 Dehang-Dibang
Pradesh.

Parts of Betul, Hoshangabad and Chindwara

11 Pachmarhi
districts of Madhya Pradesh.

12 Khangchendzonga Parts of Khangchendzonga hills and Sikkim.

Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife
13 Agasthyamalai Sanctuaries and their adjoining areas in
Kerala.
Covers parts of Anupur and Dindori districts
14 Achanakamar - Amarkantak of M.P. and parts of Bilaspur districts of
Chhattishgarh State.

Part of Kachchh, Rajkot, Surendra Nagar and

15 Kachchh
Patan Civil Districts of Gujarat State

Pin Valley National Park and surroundings;

16 Cold Desert Chandratal and Sarchu&Kibber Wildlife
Sancturary in Himachal Pradesh
Seshachalam Hill Ranges covering parts of
17 Seshachalam Hills Chittoor and Kadapa districts of Andhra
Pradesh
Part of Panna and Chhattarpur districts in
18 Panna
Madhya Pradesh
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Ramsar Sites

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Wetlands of Gujarat

No. Wetland District

1. Amipur Wetland Porbandar
2. Bajana-Tundi Wetland Surendranagar
3. Bardasagar Porbandar
4. Bhaskarpura Surendranagar
5. Charkala-salt works DD
6. Chharidhandh Kutch
7. Gosabara-mokasagar Porbandar
8. Hanj Bet (Flamingo City) Kutch
9 Kaj Gir S.
10. Khijadiya
11 Kuchhadi-Javar PBR
12 Kumbharwada Bhavnagar
13 Nal Sarovar
14. Kanewal Anand
15. Nanda bet Kutch
16 Narda Kheda
17 Pariej
18 Wadhwana Aadarsh Online Education
Protected Areas of the Country

•At Present there are total 101 National Parks and 553 Wildlife Sanctuaries in
India.
•Today there are 50 Tiger Reserves spread across 17 States of India.
•Number of Lions have increased to 674 in 2020.
•Today there are total 32 Elephant reserves.
•There are around 27312 Elphants in India today.

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Ecotourism Sites of Gujarat

Batsewar ETS Jamwada Gir

Botanical Garden Waghai, Dang
Devghatt ETS Divtan, Surat
Dhanpari Eco Campsite Jambughoda, Panchamahal
Gira Falls Waghai, Dang
Kaj-nanavada wetland site Kodinar Amreli
Kevdi Eco Camp site Mandvi, Surat
Kilad Waghai, Dang
Madhupur Turtle Hatching Site PBR
Mahal Ecotourism Site Mahal, Dang
Padamdungro ETS Unai, Surat
Pirotan Island Jamnagar
Poloforest SK
Sagai ETS Aadarsh Online Education Dediapada, Narmada
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Wildlife of Gujarat
Protected Areas of Gujarat:

-National Parks
-Wildlife sanctuaries
-Biosphere Reserves
-Conservation Reserves

-** Zoos, Nature Education Centers

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GoG Bodies for Environment and wildlife Protection

• Gujarat Ecological Education and research foundation (GEER) – 1982 – Gandhinagar

• Gujarat ecology commission – 1992 – Gandhinagar
• Gujarat Environmental Management Institute (GEMI) 1999 – Gandhinagar
• Gujarat forestry research foundation – 2008 –Gandhinagar
• GSFDC – 1976 – Vadodara

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What is a Conservation Reserve ?

• Conservation reserves typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and

migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and
reserved and protected forests of India.
• Such areas are designated as conservation areas if they are uninhabited and
completely owned by the Government of India.
• This protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection)
Amendment Act of 2002 − the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
These categories were added because of reduced protection in and around
existing or proposed protected areas due to private ownership of land, and land
use.
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Conservation Reserve in India and Gujarat at a Glance

• India’s First Conservation Reserve: Asan Wetland – UK

• India’s Largest Conservation Reserve – Garpanchkot, WB

• India’s Smallest Conservation Reserve – Tiruppadaimarathur, TN

• Total 86 Conservation Reserves In India (Jammu – 30 Gujarat - 1 )

•Total 163 Community Reserves in India (Nagaland – 93, Karnataka, Kerala - 1)

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What is a Community Reserve ?

• Community reserves typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration

corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved
and protected forests of India.
• Such areas are designated as conservation areas if part of the lands are privately
owned.
• This protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection)
Amendment Act of 2002 − the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

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Our Wildlife

•India’s First Wildlife Sanctuary – Periyar, Kerala

•India’s Largest Wildlife Sanctuary – Kutch Desert WL Sanctuary
•India’s Smallest WLS – Goose Island, Rowe Island
•State with highest WLS – Maharashtra – 48
•UT with highest WLS – A&N 96
•India’s First Marine Protected Area – Point Calimere, TN
•India’s Largest Marine Protected Area – Sajnakhali, WB
•India’s Smallest marine protected area – Kadalundi Vallikkunnu Com R, Kerala
•World’s First National Park – Yellow stone National Park, USA – 1872
•India’s First National Park – Jim Corbett National Park - 1936
•World’s Largest National Park – Greenland’s National Park
•India’s Largest National Park – Hemis National Park, Ladakh
•India’s Smallest National Park – Fossil National Park (MP)

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Our Wildlife

•Bio Diversity Heritage Site: 18

•Natural World Heritage Site : 7

Sl. Name of WH Site State Year of

No. Location Notification
1 Great Himalayan National Park Himachal Pradesh 2014
Conservation Area
2 Western Ghats Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka,Tamil Nadu 2012
and Kerala
3 Nanda Devi and Uttarakhand 1988
Valley of Flowers National Parks
4 Sundarbans National Park West Bengal 1987
5 Kaziranga National Park Assam 1985
6 Keoladeo National Park Rajasthan 1985
7 Manas Wildlife Sanctuary Assam 1985

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Our Wildlife

Mixed World Heritage Sites in India

Sl.No. Name of WH Site State Location

1 Khangchendzonga National Park Sikkim

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 ભ ૂગોળ
Forest Soil and Forest Classification

By: જૈનમ મહેતા

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Forest Classification

1. Tropical Forest - Wet Evergreen Forest

- Semi-evergreen forest
- Moist Deciduous Forest
- Littoral and swampy forest
- Thorn forest
- Dry evergreen forest
2. Montane sub tropical forest - Subtropical broad leaved forest
- Subtropical Pine Forest
- Subtropical dry evergreen forest
3. Montane temperate forest - Montane wet temperate forest
- Himalayan moist forest
- Himalayan dry forest
4. Sub-alpine forest - Sub alpine forest
5. Alpine Scrub - Moist alpine
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- Dry alpine
Agro Climatic Zones

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Soils

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Soils

• O Horizon
•Layers dominated by organic material.
•Some O layers consist of undecomposed or partially decomposed litter.
• A Horizon or Surface soil
•It is the part of top soil.
•In this layer, organic matter is mixed with mineral matter.
•It is the layer of mineral soil with the most organic matter accumulation and soil life.
•E horizon
•“E” stands for eluviated layer.
•It is the horizon that has been significantly leached of clay, iron, and aluminum oxides,
which leaves a concentration of resistant minerals, such as quartz, in the sand and silt
sizes. These are present only in older, well-developed soils, and generally occur between
the A and B horizons.Aadarsh Online Education
Soils

•B Horizon or Subsoil
•It is subsurface layer reflecting chemical or physical alteration of parent material.
•This layer accumulates all the leached minerals from A and E horizon.
•Thus iron, clay, aluminum and organic compounds accumulate in this horizon.
• C Horizon or Parent rock
•Weathered parent material accumulates in this layer, i.e. the parent material in
sedimentary deposits. It is a layer of large unbroken rocks.
•R Horizon or Bedrock
•This layer denotes the layer of partially weathered bedrock at the base of the soil
profile.
•Unlike the above layers, R horizons largely comprise continuous masses of hard rock.

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Soils

Strongly Acidic Soil – pH<4

Moderately Acidic Soil – pH 4 – 6
Slightly Acidic Soil – pH
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