“Biodiversity is love.

biodiversity is
life”

RICH BIODIVERSITY
OF INDIA
 What is
biodiversity?
Biodiversity refers to the
variety of plant and animal
life in the world or in a
particular habitat, a high
level of which is usually
considered to be important
and desirable.

Presentation title 2
 India’s biodiversity

• India’s biodiversity is a tapestry of ecosystems, hosting a variety of species

• India is the world’s 8th most biodiverse region with a 0.46bioD score on diverse index
• Officially 3 out of 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world are present in India: the
Himalayas, the western ghats and the Indo-Burma region
• India boasts incredible biodiversity due to its varied ecosystems. From the Himalayas
to coasts, the country harbors diverse flora and fauna
• India is one of the 17 mega diversities in the world and is home to 7.6% of all
mammal, 12.6% of bird, 6.2% of reptile, and 6.0% of flowering plant species.
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 Plant variety in India

• Where rainfall is high(above 200cm). Tropical deciduous forests grow in areas of mild rainfall(70
-200cm). ThornThe zoological survey of India is responsible for surveying faunal resources of india
• In India, there are about 15,000 species of flowering plants which account for about 6% of the world’s total
number of flowering plants
• Our country has 23.39% of geographical area under forest and tree cover
• The nation encompasses a wide range of biomes: desert, high mountains, forests, plains, grasslands,
swamplands, islands etc.
• The flora of India largely reflects the country’s distribution of rainfall.
• Evergreen forests grow in area forests and scrubs are found in regions receiving rainfall below
70cm. Montane forests are found in mountainous regions. Lastly, mangrove forests are found in
areas of coasts influenced by tides 4
Medecinal herbs found in india

Many medicinal herbs are

found in India like:-

• SarpaGandha

• Neem

• Tulsi

• Jamun

• babool
 Animal life found in India

• India is home to several well-known large mammals, including the Asian elephant, Bengal
tiger, Asiatic lion, Indian leopard and Indian rhinoceros.
• Some of these animals are engrained in Indian culture, often being associated with deities.
• Some other well-known large Indian mammals are ungulates such as the water buffalo,
nilgai, gaur and several species of deer and antelope.
• Some members of the dog family such as the Indian wolf, Bengal fox, golden jackal and
the dhole or wild dogs are also widely distributed.
• It is also home to the striped hyena.
• Many smaller animals such as macaques, langurs and mongoose species are especially
well known due to their ability to live close to or inside urban areas.
 Steps taken by Indian government for
conserving its biodiversity

• The government of India has initiated many wildlife conservation projects like Project Snow Leopard,
Project Tiger, Indian Rhino Vision 2020, Project Hangul, Crocodile Conservation Initiative, etc.
• India has a network of 1014 Protected Areas including 106 National Parks, 5573 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 115
Conservation Reserves and 220 Community Reserves for protecting nation’s rich natural heritage
• The Wildlife (Protection) Act, of 1972 by Indian government provides a legal framework for the protection
of various species of wild animals and plants, management of their habitats, regulation, and control of trade
in wild animals, plants, and products made from them.
• India has been a participant in the Bonn Convention since 1983. Some of the important migratory species in
India include the Amur Falcons, Bar-headed Geese, Black-necked cranes, Marine turtles, etc.

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 Bastar – a case study

Presentation title 8
 Where is bastar?

• Bastar is situated in the southern part of Chhattisgarh and borders Orissa Andhra Pradesh and
Maharashtra.
• The river Indrawati flows from east to west across Bastar.
• The central part of Bastar is a plateau. To the north of this plateau is the Chhattisgarh plain and to its south
is the Godavari plain.
• Its area is 6596.90 square kilometers.
• The population of Bastar district was 14,13,199 in 2011, covering the present district of Kondagaon.
There were 6,98,487 men and 7,14,712 women.
• Bastar district is also rich in the natural resources and simple living style of tribal community .
• Bastar district is full of dense forests, high hills, waterfalls, caves and wild animals.
• The people of Bastar district are rich in rare artwork, liberal culture and in nature.
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 History Of Bastar

 Bastar district is full of dense forests, high hills, waterfalls, caves and wild beasts. Bastar Mahal, Bastar
Dussehra, Dalpat Sagar, Chitrakot waterfall, Tirathgarh waterfalls, Kutumasar and Kailash caves are the main
centers of tourism.
 Historically, the region is Dandakaranya in the epic Ramayana and is a part of the Kosala kingdom in
Mahabharata.
 The initial capital of Bastar rule was settled in the city of Bastar and then transferred to Jagdalpur .
 The last rule in Bastar was done by Maharaja Praveer Chandra Bhanj Dev (1936-1948).
 Maharaja Praveer Chandra Bhang was very popular among all the communities of Bastar, mainly among
tribals.
 Danteshwari, which is still the goddess of the Bastar region, has been named after the famous Danteshwari
temple in Dantewada.
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 Start Of Life In Bastar

• Bastar is well known for its tribal population, which comprises around 63% of the total.[9] The major tribes of
the Bastar region are the Gond, Abhuj Maria, bhatra.
• The Maria are known for their unique Ghotul system. Gonds are also the largest tribal group of central India
in terms of population.
• The tribes of Bastar region are known for their unique and distinctive tribal culture and heritage. Each tribal
group in Bastar has their own distinct culture and enjoys their own unique traditional living styles.
• A large number of Bastar tribals still live in deep forests and avoid mingling with outsiders in order to protect
their own unique culture. The tribes of Bastar are also known for their colorful festivals and arts and crafts.

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 Fauna Of Bastar Region

• Hyena, jackals and Indian fox are found in the forest and also near human habitations. Wild dogs are rare. The
Working Plan of Central Bastar Forest Division (1988) informs of abundance of nilgai, chinkara, chowsingha,
samber, chital, barking deer and gaur in the area in the past.
• The richness of environmental attributes e.g. rainfall, soil, terrain and vegetational diversity are a strong
pointer to high potential habitat quality. However, the eastern segment, being more flat in terrain, is largely
cultivated.
• The western segments and the peripheral forest all around still have a good structure. Likewise the riverine
islands have considerable potential habitat value for all wildlife, particularly birds and aquatic animals.
• The whole area, however, is subject to regular hunting by local people. The construction area is further
disturbed by roads, movement and varied constructional activities

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 Flora Of Bastar Region

• The various types of trees found in Bastar forests are Teak,Sal,Sirsa, Bijasal, Kusum,Palas,Mahua,
Imli ,Tendu, Harra , Kanha,Salai,Achar,Dhowara, Bhulra, Rohni, Amla,Khair, Samar etc. The Major types of
forest in Bastar division are Sal forests,Teak Forests,Mixed forests and Bamboo forests.
• The forests of Bastar district, which comprises more than 70% of the total land area, constitute a variable
storehouse of industrial raw material for forest based industries.
• The forests are located on comparatively easy terrain and it is one of the rare forest areas in the country
where Sal, Teak, and miscellaneous forests naturally occur over extensive areas. Forests of the Bastar are the
only area in India where hard wood and bamboo occur together in large quantities.

Presentation title 13
Thank you