🦋 Chapter 02 · Topic 02 · Biodiversity Hotspots

Biodiversity Hotspots — India’s 4 Hotspots

Norman Myers criteria, India’s four biodiversity hotspots, endemic species, and their conservation significance for UPSC & PSC exams.

What is a Biodiversity Hotspot?

The concept of a Biodiversity Hotspot was introduced by British ecologist Norman Myers in 1988. A hotspot is a biogeographic region that is both a significant reservoir of biodiversity and is threatened with destruction.

To qualify as a hotspot, a region must meet two strict criteria:

Must contain at least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species (≥ 0.5% of world’s total)
Must have lost at least 70% of its original habitat (i.e., only 30% or less remains)

⚡ Key Numbers: There are 36 biodiversity hotspots globally (as per Conservation International’s latest count). They cover only ~2.5% of Earth’s land surface but contain more than 50% of the world’s endemic plant species and ~43% of endemic bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species.

🌿 India’s Position: India has 4 biodiversity hotspots — the highest number among South Asian nations. This reflects India’s extraordinary biological wealth concentrated in specific threatened regions.

India’s 4 Biodiversity Hotspots

1. Western Ghats & Sri Lanka

Location: Western coast of India (Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Maharashtra) + Sri Lanka
Area: ~189,611 km² (original extent); only ~6.8% primary vegetation remains
Key endemic flora: Cullenia exarillata, Myristica swamps, Dipterocarpus indicus
Key endemic fauna: Lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri tahr, Malabar giant squirrel, Nilgiri langur, Purple frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis)
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Western Ghats declared WHS in 2012
Receives heavy monsoon rainfall; one of world’s 8 “hottest hotspots”

2. Himalayas (Eastern Himalayas)

Location: Extends across Nepal, Bhutan, NE India, and parts of southern Tibet and Yunnan (China)
Key endemic flora: Rhododendrons (over 30 endemic species), orchids, medicinal plants
Key endemic fauna: Snow leopard, red panda, Himalayan brown bear, takin, golden langur
Contains the world’s highest altitude ecosystems — alpine meadows, glaciers, high-altitude wetlands
Threatened by climate change, hydropower projects, and overgrazing

3. Indo-Burma (Indochina)

Location: Covers Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and parts of NE India (Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland)
Known for: Exceptional freshwater biodiversity — one of the world’s richest freshwater fish regions (Mekong River basin)
Key endemic fauna: Irrawaddy dolphin, saola (Asian unicorn), Indochinese tiger, giant Mekong catfish
NE India’s contribution: High endemism in plants, birds, and herpetofauna
Threatened by deforestation, dam construction, and wildlife trade

4. Sundaland

Location: Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Bali + India’s Nicobar Islands
Key endemic flora: Rafflesia (world’s largest flower), Dipterocarp forests
Key endemic fauna: Orangutan, Sumatran tiger, Sumatran rhino, proboscis monkey
India’s Nicobar Islands are part of this hotspot — home to Nicobar megapode, Nicobar pigeon
Severely threatened by palm oil plantations and logging

Hotspots at a Glance — Comparison Table

Hotspot	Indian States/UTs	Key Endemic Species	Primary Threat
Western Ghats & Sri Lanka	Kerala, Karnataka, TN, Goa, Maharashtra	Lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri tahr, Purple frog	Deforestation, plantations
Himalayas (Eastern)	Sikkim, Arunachal, Uttarakhand, HP	Snow leopard, Red panda, Golden langur	Climate change, hydropower
Indo-Burma	Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam	Hoolock gibbon, Sangai deer	Deforestation, wildlife trade
Sundaland	Nicobar Islands (A&N UT)	Nicobar megapode, Nicobar pigeon	Tsunamis, development

Why Hotspots Matter

Conservation priority: Limited resources must be directed where biodiversity loss is most acute
Maximum species per unit area: Hotspots offer the best return on conservation investment
Endemism concentration: Species found nowhere else on Earth — once lost, gone forever
Ecosystem services: Hotspots provide water, climate regulation, and livelihoods to millions
Indicator of global health: Hotspot degradation signals broader planetary biodiversity crisis

⚡ Note on Andaman Islands: The Andaman Islands are NOT part of any biodiversity hotspot. Only the Nicobar Islands fall within the Sundaland hotspot. This is a common exam trap.

India’s Contribution to Global Biodiversity

4 of 36 global hotspots = ~11% of all hotspots within Indian territory
India hosts 3 of the world’s 34 “hottest hotspots” (Western Ghats is among the top 8)
India’s hotspots together cover about 5% of India’s land area but contain disproportionately high biodiversity
Sacred groves, community reserves, and traditional conservation practices supplement formal hotspot protection

Revision Checklist

✅ Hotspot concept: Norman Myers, 1988
✅ Two criteria: ≥1500 endemic vascular plants AND ≥70% habitat lost
✅ 36 hotspots globally (Conservation International)
✅ India has 4 hotspots: Western Ghats & Sri Lanka, Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Sundaland
✅ Western Ghats: Lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri tahr, Purple frog; UNESCO WHS 2012
✅ Himalayas: Snow leopard, Red panda, Golden langur
✅ Indo-Burma: Freshwater biodiversity, Hoolock gibbon, Sangai deer
✅ Sundaland: Nicobar Islands (NOT Andaman); Nicobar megapode
✅ Hotspots cover ~2.5% land but hold 50%+ endemic plant species
✅ Andaman Islands ≠ hotspot; only Nicobar Islands = Sundaland hotspot

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