Wildlife: Overview | Zoology Optional Notes for UPSC PDF Download

Indian Flora: A Mosaic of Diversity

• Indian flora encompasses a vast array of native plant species, valued for their economic, religious, and cultural significance.
• The profusion of flora contributes to the exquisite natural beauty of India.
• India's floral diversity spans alpine to temperate regions, tropical forests to temperate woods, cone-bearing trees to evergreens, and scrubs to deciduous forests.
• Forests in India range from tropical rainforests to coniferous forests.
• Sal-dominated moist deciduous, teak-dominated dry deciduous, and babul-dominated thorn forests are some of the other forest types in India.
• India hosts over 45,000 plant species, classified into various categories such as annuals, biennials, perennials, bulb plants, shrubs, herbs, medicinal plants, vines, creepers, and climbers.
• Indian trees are categorized as gardening trees, timber trees, medicinal trees, evergreen trees, deciduous trees, flowering trees, flowerless trees, coastal trees, and sacred trees.
• The banyan tree is India's national tree, while the mango, grown on the mango tree, holds the title of India's official national fruit.
• Indian flowers are not only visually stunning but also fragrant, with the lotus reigning as India's national flower.
• India's varied flora is distributed across different ecological zones, including the Eastern Himalayas, Western Himalayas, Indus plain, Ganga plain, Assam, Malabar, Deccan, and Andamans.

Indian Fauna: A Treasure Trove of Wildlife

• India's wildlife boasts an impressive diversity, with approximately 410 mammal species, nearly 1301 bird species, and 30,000 insect species.
• The nation is home to a wide range of animals, amphibians, reptiles, and fishes, as indicated by census estimates.
• Mammals found in India include lions, elephants, rhinoceros, wild bison, deer, monkeys, and wild goats.
• The Royal Bengal tiger is India's national animal.
• Reptiles in India encompass numerous lizard species, snakes, and crocodiles.
• India's national bird is the peacock, and the country hosts a variety of birds like geese, ducks, mynas, pigeons, cranes, pheasants, parakeets, and hornbills.

Himalayan Mountain System - Unique Wildlife

• The Himalayas, a mountain range in Asia, demarcate the Tibetan Plateau from the Indian subcontinent.
• They extend across China, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
• Himalayan flora and fauna exhibit distinct features.
• The region can be divided into three zones:
  • Himalayan foothills with natural monsoon evergreen forests, giant bamboo, and more.
  • Western Himalayas with natural monsoon evergreen forests, rhododendrons, and alpine pastures.
  • Eastern Himalayas with oaks, magnolias, coniferous forests, and abundant epiphytes.
• Each zone has its unique characteristics based on humidity and altitude.

Peninsular Region - A Tale of Two Zones

• The peninsular region encompasses two distinct zones:
  • Peninsular India with tropical moist deciduous, tropical dry deciduous, and scrub vegetation.
  • The Indian desert with dry tropical, dry mixed deciduous, thorn forests, scrub forests, and dry Savanna forests.
• Trees like sal and teak dominate, and desert plants have special adaptations to endure drought.

Tropical Rainforest Region - Biodiversity Haven

• Found in the Western Ghats and northeast India, these rainforests are lush and diverse.
• Flora includes sholas, evergreen vegetation, ebony trees, and various species of plants.
• Fauna features macaques, gibbons, elephants, tigers, deer, and diverse reptiles.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands - Unique Biodiversity

• These islands are home to tropical rainforests with giant Dipterocarpus, Terminalia, and Lagerstroemia trees.
• Coastal mangroves are prevalent.
• Unique endemic species like the Narcondam hornbill and Nicobar treeshrew inhabit these islands.

Mangrove Swamps of Sunderbans - A Unique Ecosystem

• The Sunderbans in the Ganges delta is a mangrove ecosystem.
• Vegetation includes mangrove trees, shrubs, and grasses, adapted for survival in saline conditions.
• The region is the last bastion of the Bengal Tiger, alongside other mammals and marine fauna.

Conservation Efforts: Protecting India's Natural Heritage

• The Indian government has established 18 biosphere reserves to safeguard flora and fauna.
• Ten of these reserves are part of the global network of biosphere reserves.
• Initiatives like Project Tiger, Project Rhinos, and Project Great Indian Bustard aim to protect wildlife.
• The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and numerous national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and zoological gardens further conservation efforts.
• Recognizing the value of ecosystems for our survival is crucial to halting environmental degradation.

• India's remarkable biodiversity is a testament to its diverse terrain.
• India ranks among the countries with the highest biodiversity globally.
• Conservation efforts are essential to protect this rich natural heritage from the threats posed by human interference.
• Respecting and preserving nature's balance is crucial for the survival of these ecologically sensitive areas.