Biosphere reserves of India

India is home to 18 biosphere reserves, which are designated by UNESCO under its Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. These reserves are representative of a variety of ecosystems, from the Himalayas to the Thar Desert, and they play an important role in conserving biodiversity and promoting sustainable development.

Here is a list of the biosphere reserves in India:

Part of World network

Twelve of the eighteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list.
#	Name	States/ UT	Year
1	Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve	Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka	2000
2	Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve	Tamil Nadu	2001
3	Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve	West Bengal	2001
4	Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve	Uttarakhand	2004
5	Nokrek Biosphere Reserve	Meghalaya	2009
6	Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve	Madhya Pradesh	2009
7	Simlipal Biosphere Reserve	Odisha	2009
8	Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve	Andaman & Nicobar Islands	2013
9	Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve	Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh	2012
10	Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve	Kerala and Tamil Nadu	2016
11	Khangchendzonga National Park	Sikkim	2018
12	Panna Biosphere Reserve	Madhya Pradesh	2020

List of biosphere reserves in India

Biosphere reserves of India
Sr No.	Year	Name	Location	State	Type	Key fauna	Area (km2)
1	1980	Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve	Part of Waynad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Mudumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley	Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala	Western Ghats	Nilgiri tahr, tiger, lion-tailed macaque	5520
2	1988	Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve	Parts of Chamoli District, Pithoragarh District & Bageshwar District	Uttarakhand	Western Himalayas	Snow leopard, Himalayan black bear	5860
3	1988	Nokrek	In West Garo Hills	Meghalaya	Eastern hills	Red panda	820.00
4	1989	Gulf of Mannar	Indian part of Gulf of Mannar extending from Rameswaram island in the north to Kanyakumari in the south of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka	Tamil Nadu	Coasts	Dugong	10500
5	1989	Sundarbans	Part of delta of Ganges and Brahmaputra river system	West Bengal	Gangetic Delta	Royal Bengal tiger	9630
6	1989	Manas	Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup and Darrang Districts	Assam	Eastern Hills	Asiatic elephant, tiger, Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur, pygmy hog	2837
7	1989	Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve	Southernmost of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Islands	Saltwater crocodile	885
8	1994	Simlipal	Part of Mayurbhanj district	Odisha	Deccan Peninsula	Gaur, royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant	4374
9	1998	Dihang-Dibang	Part of Siang and Dibang Valley	Arunachal Pradesh	Eastern Himalaya	Mishmi takin, musk deer	5112
10	1997	Dibru-Saikhowa	Part of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts	Assam	Eastern Hills	White-winged wood duck, water buffalo, black-breasted parrotbill, tiger, capped langur	765
11	1999	Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve	Parts of Betul District, Hoshangabad District and Chhindwara District	Madhya Pradesh	Semi-Arid	Giant squirrel, flying squirrel	4981.72
12	2000	Khangchendzonga National Park	Parts of Kangchenjunga	Sikkim	East Himalayas	Snow leopard, red panda	2620
13	2001	Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve	Neyyar, Peppara and Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary and their adjoining areas	Kerala, Tamil Nadu	Western Ghats	Nilgiri tahr, Asian elephant	3500.08
14	2005	Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve	Part of Annupur, Dindori and Bilaspur districts	Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh	Maikal Hills	Four-horned antelope, Indian wild dog, sarus crane, white-rumped vulture, sacred grove bush frog	3835
15	2008	Great Rann of Kutch	Part of Kutch, Morbi, Surendranagar and Patan districts; the largest biosphere reserve in India.	Gujarat	Desert	Indian wild ass	12454
16	2009	Cold Desert	Pin Valley National Park and surroundings; Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary	Himachal Pradesh	Western Himalayas	Snow leopard	7770
17	2010	Seshachalam Hills	Seshachalam Hill Ranges covering parts of Chittoor and Kadapa districts	Andhra Pradesh	Eastern Hills	Slender loris	4755.997
18	2022	Panna	Part of Panna and Chhattarpur districts in Madhya Pradesh	Madhya Pradesh	Moist deciduous forest	Bengal tiger, Chinkara, Nilgai, Sambhar sambar deer, and Sloth bear	2998.98

Here are the iconic key faunas of major biosphere reserves in India:

Name	Key fauna
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve	Lion Tailed Macaque , Nilgiri Tahr, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Nilgiri Langur
Nanda Devi	Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Bharal Or Blue Sheep
Nokrek	Red Panda, Hoolock Gibbons, Red Giant Flying Squirrel
Great Nicobar	Dugong, Saltwater Crocodile
Gulf of Mannar	Dugong, Olive Ridley turtles
Manas	Assam Roofed Turtle, Hispid Hare, Golden Langur, Pygmy Hog , Wild Water Buffalo, Bengal florican
Sunderbans	Royal Bengal Tiger
Simlipal	Royal Bengal Tigers, Wild Elephants, Gaurs ( Indian Bison), Chausingha
Dibru-Saikhowa	Bengal Tiger, Clouded Leopard, Gangetic Dolphin
Dehang-Dibang	Takin, Red Panda
Pachmarhi	Tiger, Gaur, Indian Giant Flying Squirrels
Khangchendzonga	Red Panda, Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Great Tibetan Sheep
Agasthyamalai	Nilgiri Tahr
Achanakamar – Amarkantak	Four Horned Antelope, Indian Wild Dog
Great Rann of Kutch (Kachchh)	Great Indian Bustard, Indian Wild Ass
Cold Desert	Snow Leopard, Himalayan Ibex
Seshachalam Hills	Red Sanders, Golden Gecko
Panna	Tiger, Chital, Chinkara, Sambar

Biosphere reserves are important for a number of reasons. They:

• Protect biodiversity
• Promote sustainable development
• Provide research and education opportunities

Biosphere reserves also play an important role in raising awareness of the importance of conservation. By visiting a biosphere reserve, people can learn about the different ecosystems that exist in India and the importance of protecting them.

In addition to the biosphere reserves, India also has a number of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and other protected areas. These areas play an important role in conserving biodiversity and ensuring the survival of endangered species.

India is committed to conserving its natural heritage and has made significant progress in recent years. The country’s network of protected areas is one of the largest in the world, and it is home to a wide variety of plants and animals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about biosphere reserves:

What are biosphere reserves?

Biosphere reserves are designated by UNESCO as part of its Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. They are areas of land and water that are internationally recognized for their unique biodiversity and cultural values. Biosphere reserves are managed to promote sustainable development, which means balancing the conservation of biodiversity with the needs of human communities.

How many biosphere reserves are there in India?

There are 18 biosphere reserves in India. They represent a variety of ecosystems, from the Himalayas to the Thar Desert.

What are the goals of biosphere reserves?

The goals of biosphere reserves are to:

• Conserve biodiversity
• Promote sustainable development
• Provide research and education opportunities
• Raise awareness of conservation issues

What are some of the key faunas found in India’s biosphere reserves?

India’s biosphere reserves are home to a wide variety of plants and animals, including many threatened and endangered species. Some of the key faunas found in India’s biosphere reserves include:

• Tigers
• Elephants
• Rhinos
• Lions
• Snow leopards
• Red pandas
• Pangolins
• Sea turtles
• Dolphins

What are some of the challenges facing biosphere reserves?

Biosphere reserves face a number of challenges, including:

• Habitat loss
• Poaching
• Climate change
• Human-wildlife conflict

What can be done to protect biosphere reserves?

There are a number of things that can be done to protect biosphere reserves, including:

• Raising awareness of the importance of biosphere reserves
• Supporting conservation efforts
• Promoting sustainable development
• Advocating for policies that protect biosphere reserves

What are the benefits of biosphere reserves?

Biosphere reserves provide a number of benefits, including:

• Protecting biodiversity
• Promoting sustainable development
• Providing research and education opportunities
• Raising awareness of conservation issues

How can I get involved in biosphere reserve conservation?

There are a number of ways that you can get involved in biosphere reserve conservation, including:

• Volunteering your time at a biosphere reserve
• Supporting conservation organizations
• Educating others about the importance of biosphere reserves
• Advocating for policies that protect biosphere reserves

Biosphere reserves are important for the conservation of biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable development. By working together, we can ensure that these vital areas are protected for futuras generations.