Great Himalayan to Khangchendzonga: Heritage sites in India which are also biodiversity hotspots

Once upon a time, the Keoladeo National Park was the hunting ground of the kings. Towards the end of the 19th century, it became a duck shooting reserve. Today, it is a favourite spot for migratory birds.

The Kaziranga National Park is home to one-horned rhinoceroses. (Photo credit: Unsplash)

New Delhi: India is a country with abundant flora and fauna. Not only the population and culture but the topography of the country is also extremely diverse, which means one can find several kinds of flora and fauna in the region. There are some biodiversity hotspots in the land which are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites and in this article, we will take a look at them.

Heritage sites that are biodiversity hotspots

Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area

Located in the Himalayan mountain’s western part of Himachal Pradesh, this place has alpine meadows, riverine forests and alpine peaks. It is the source of water for several rivers and is part of the Himalaya biodiversity hotspot with 25 forest types and a rich assemblage of fauna species.

Kaziranga National Park

This famous park is located in Assam and is home to one-horned rhinoceroses, barely found in parts of the world. It is also the residence of many other threatened animals including panthers, tigers, bears and elephants, along with thousands of birds.

Keoladeo National Park

Once upon a time, the Keoladeo National Park was the hunting ground of the kings. Towards the end of the 19th century, it was developed in a natural depression wetland as a duck shooting reserve. Today, it is a favourite spot for migratory birds during the winter as large numbers of aquatic birds from Siberia, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and China visit this place including the rare Siberian crane.

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the foothills of the Himalayas and has tropical forests and alluvial grasslands. It boasts immensely diverse wildlife, including many endangered species like Indian rhinoceros, pygmy hog, Indian elephant and tiger.

Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks

The Valley of Flowers National Park in Uttarakhand is famous for its alpine flowers and for also being home to endangered animals including the snow leopard, brown bear, Asiatic black bear, and blue sheep. The Nanda Devi National Park, also in Uttarakhand, is a spectacular expanse of wilderness and together, they are considered a heritage site.

Sundarbans National Park

Most of the Sundarbans is located in Bangladesh, with India’s share of the vast mangrove forest falling in West Bengal. It covers 10,000 square km of land and water in the Ganges delta and has infact the largest mangrove forest in the world. It is also home to several endangered species including the famous Royal Bengal Tiger and reptiles.

Western Ghats

The Western Ghats are said to be older than the Himalayas and it has a unique biodiversity. While its forest ecosystems influence the monsoon in our country, the place overall is hailed as one of the eight ‘hottest hotspots’ of biological diversity in the world. Its forests house over 325 threatened flora, fauna, birds, fish species, amphibians and reptiles.

Khangchendzonga National Park

This national park has everything, from plains to valleys to snow-capped mountains. It has Mount Khangchendzonga, the third-highest peak in the world and the entire place is crisscrossed by lakes, rivers and ancient forests. It also contains some sacred places which Sikkim’s indigenous people worship.

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