Wildlife

• India is home to a diverse range of animals, birds, and fish, with approximately 90,000 animal species, 2,000 species of birds, and 2,546 species of fish.
• Elephants are found in hot wet forests like those in Assam, Karnataka, and Kerala.
• One-horned rhinoceroses live in swampy lands of Assam and West Bengal.
• The Rann of Kachchh is home to wild ass, while camels are found in the Thar Desert.
• Other animals found in India include Indian bison, nilgai, chousingha, gazelles, and various species of deer.
• India is the only country with both tigers and lions, with lions in Gir forest, Gujarat, and tigers in places like Madhya Pradesh and the Sundarbans.
• The Himalayas host animals adapted to extreme cold, including yak, Tibetan antelope, and snow leopards.
• Ladakh has animals like the shaggy-horned wild ox, Tibetan wild ass, and red panda.
• Rivers, lakes, and coastal areas are home to turtles, crocodiles, and gharials.
• Forests and wetlands are inhabited by birds like peacocks, pheasants, and cranes.

Conservation Efforts

• Overexploitation by humans has endangered many plant and animal species, with about 1,300 plant species and some animal species facing extinction.
• Causes of threats include hunting, pollution, introduction of alien species, and deforestation.
• The government has taken steps to protect flora and fauna, including setting up biosphere reserves, providing assistance to botanical gardens, and introducing projects like Project Tiger and Project Rhino.
• India has 89 national parks, 490 wildlife sanctuaries, and zoological gardens to protect its natural heritage.
• Biosphere reserves in India include the Sunderbans, Nanda Devi, Gulf of Mannar, and Nilgiris, among others.

List of fourteen bio-reserves in India are:

1. Sunderbans (West Bengal)
2. Simlipal (Odisha)
3. Gulf of Mannar (Tamil Nadu)
4. Dihang-Dibang (Arunachal Pradesh)
5. The Nilgiris in South India (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala)
6. Dibru-Saikhowa (Assam)
7. Nanda Devi (Uttarakhand)
8. Agasthyamalai (Kerala and Tamil Nadu)
9. Nokrek (Meghalaya)
10. Kanchenjunga (Sikkim)
11. Great Nicobar (Bay of Bengal)
12. Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh)
13. Manas (Assam)
14. Achanakmar-Amarkantak (Chhattisgarh)

Related Links

• Wild Life in India
• Wildlife Sanctuaries of India
• Wildlife Tourism in India
• Depletion of Forest and Wildlife in India

NCERT Notes Class 9 Geography: Chapter 5: These NCERT notes for Class 9 Geography, Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and Wildlife, are really helpful. These notes talk about the different kinds of plants and animals we have in India. They explain how the weather and land affect where plants grow and where animals live. These notes are great for understanding more about nature and why it is important to protect it.

They’re easy to understand and provide all the key information students need to know. With these notes, students can study effectively and feel confident when answering exam questions. They’re a great resource for students aiming to do well in their Geography exams.