India has consistently ranked among the wealthiest nations for its incredible biodiversity, as seen in the country’s population statistics. But do you know what precisely a biodiversity hotspot means?
A hotspot must contain more than 0.5 per cent of all plant species in the world, or at least 1500 species of vascular plants, and the portion of its original habitat that has been lost should be greater than or equal to 70%.
The Western Ghats
The Western Ghats are hills found along peninsular India’s western border and get a lot of rain as they are close to the coast. Hence, this area contains most of the deciduous trees and rainforests.
Around 62% of the reptiles and 77% of the amphibians are unique to this area and cannot be found anywhere else in the globe. Initially covering 190,000 square kilometers, the vegetation in this area now only covers 43,000 square kilometers.
The Himalayas
Bhutan, Northeast India, and Southern, Central, and Eastern Nepal are included in this Himalayas region. Some of the highest peaks in the world, including Mount Everest and K2, are located in these Mountains, which are the tallest in the world.
In addition, the Himalayas serve as the source of some of the world’s largest rivers. More than 100 mountains higher than 7200 meters can be found in the Himalayas.
Indo-Burma Region
The Indo-Burma region covers a surface area of 2 million square kilometers. North-Eastern India (to the south of the Brahmaputra River), Myanmar, the southern Yunnan province of China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand are just a few of the nations that make up this region.
Unfortunately, although the biodiversity in this area is vibrant, it has been worsening over the past few decades.
Sundaland
Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, and Malaysia are part of this biodiversity hotspot located in Southeast Asia.
In addition, India is represented by the Nicobar Islands, and the United Nations designated these islands as a global biosphere reserve in 2013.