๐ Topic 03 of 6 ยท Chapter 05 ยท Natural Vegetation & Wildlife
Biosphere Reserves of India
Nilgiri, Nanda Devi, Sundarbans, UNESCO MAB Programme โ complete notes for UPSC & PSC exams.
๐ฟ Biosphere Reserves โ Overview
India has 18 Biosphere Reserves. Of these, 12 are recognized by UNESCO under the Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme.
| Biosphere Reserve | State | UNESCO Recognition | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nilgiri | TN, Kerala, Karnataka | 2000 (first in India) | Includes Mudumalai, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Wayanad |
| Nanda Devi | Uttarakhand | 2004 | Nanda Devi peak (7,816m); Valley of Flowers |
| Sundarbans | West Bengal | 2001 | Royal Bengal Tiger; mangrove forests |
| Gulf of Mannar | Tamil Nadu | 2001 | Marine biosphere; coral reefs; dugong |
| Great Nicobar | Andaman & Nicobar | 2013 | Leatherback turtle; Nicobar megapode |
| Pachmarhi | Madhya Pradesh | 2009 | Satpura range; Bison, leopard |
| Simlipal | Odisha | 2009 | Tiger; elephant; sal forests |
| Khangchendzonga | Sikkim | 2018 | Kanchenjunga peak (3rd highest); snow leopard, red panda |
โญ Biosphere Reserve Structure:
โข Core Zone = strictly protected = no human activity
โข Buffer Zone = limited research and education activities
โข Transition Zone = human settlements allowed = sustainable development
โข Core Zone = strictly protected = no human activity
โข Buffer Zone = limited research and education activities
โข Transition Zone = human settlements allowed = sustainable development