Flora and Fauna in India
Narak! My Lord, you are the creator of music If you look around, you will be able to find
in the world of Lepchas that there are some animals and plants which
Oh Narak! My Lord, let me dedicate are unique in your area. In fact, India is one
myself to you of the world’s richest countries in terms of
Let me gather your music from the its vast array of biological diversity, and has
springs, the rivers, the mountains, the forests, nearly 8 per cent of the total number of
the insects and the animals species in the world (estimated to be 1.6
Let me gather your music from the sweet million). This is possibly twice or thrice the
breeze and offer it to you number yet to be discovered. You have
already studied in detail about the extent
Source: Lepcha folk song from northern part of
and variety of forest and wildlife resources
West Bengal in India. Yo u m a y h a v e realised the
importance of these resources in our daily
life. These diverse flora and fauna are so
We share this planet with millions of other well integrated in our daily life that we take
living beings, starting from micro-organisms these for granted. But, lately, they are under
and bacteria, lichens to banyan trees, great stress mainy due to insensitivity to
elephants and blue whales. This entire our environment.
habitat that we live in has immense
biodiversity. We humans along with all living
organisms form a complex web of ecological Over 81,000 species of fauna and 47,000
system in which we are only a part and very species of flora are found in this country
much dependent on this system for our own so far? Of the estimated 47,000 plant
existence. For example, the plants, animals species, about 15,000 flowering species
and micro-organisms re-create the quality of are endemic (indigenous) to India.
the air we breathe, the water we drink and
the soil that produces our food without which
we cannot survive. Forests play a key role in Find out stories prevalent in your region
the ecological system as these are also the which are about the harmonious relationship
primary producers on which all other living between human beings and nature.
beings depend.
Some estimates suggest that at least 10
per cent of India’s recorded wild flora and
Biodiversity or Biological Diversity is 20 per cent of its mammals are on the
immensely rich in wildlife and cultivated threatened list. Many of these would now be
species, diverse in form and function but categorised as ‘critical’, that is on the verge
closely integrated in a system through of extinction like the cheetah, pink-headed
multiple network of interdependencies. duck, mountain quail, forest spotted owlet,
and plants like madhuca insignis (a wild
2015-16
, variety of mahua) and h u b b a r d i a Let us now understand the different
heptaneuron,(a species of grass). In fact, no categories of existing plants and animal
one can say how many species may have species. Based on the International Union
already been lost. Today, we only talk of the for Conservation of Nature and Natural
larger and more visible animals and plants Resources (IUCN), we can classify as
that have become extinct but what about follows –
smaller animals like insects and plants?
Normal Species: Species whose population
levels are considered to be normal for
their survival, such as cattle, sal, pine,
Do you know that among the larger rodents, etc.
animals in India, 79 species of mammals, Endangered Species: These are species
44 of birds, 15 of reptiles, and 3 of which are in danger of extinction. The
amphibians are threatened? Nearly 1,500 survival of such species is difficult if the
plant species are considered endangered. negative factors that have led to a decline in
Flowering plants and vertebrate animals their population continue to operate. The
have recently become extinct at a rate examples of such species are black buck,
estimated to be 50 to 100 times the crocodile, Indian wild ass, Indian rhino, lion
average expected natural rate. tailed macaque, sangai (brow anter deer in
Manipur), etc.
Vulnerable Species: These are species
Vanishing Forests
whose population has declined to levels from
The dimensions of deforestation in India are where it is likely to move into the endangered
staggering. The forest and tree cover in the category in the near future if the negative
country is estimated at 78.92 million hectare, factors continue to operate. The examples of
which is 24.01 per cent of the total such species are blue sheep, Asiatic elephant,
geographical area (dense forest 12.24 per
Gangetic dolphin, etc.
cent; open forest 8.99 per cent; and
mangrove 0.14 per cent). According to the R a r e S p e c i e s : Species with small
State of Forest Report (2013), the dense forest population may move into the endangered
cover has increased by 10,098 sq km since or vulnerable category if the negative factors
1997. However, this apparent increase in the affecting them continue to operate. The
forest cover is due to plantation by different examples of such species are the Himalayan
agencies. brown bear, wild Asiatic buffalo, desert fox
and hornbill, etc.
Endemic Species: These are species which
are only found in some particular areas
usually isolated by natural or geographical
barriers. Examples of such species are the
Andaman teal, Nicobar pigeon, Andaman
wild pig, mithun in Arunchal Pradesh.
Extinct Species: These are species which
are not found after searches of known or
likely areas where they may occur. A species
may be extinct from a local area, region,
country, continent or the entire earth.
Examples of such species are the Asiatic
Fig. 2.1 cheetah, pink head duck.
FOREST AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES 15
2015-16
Narak! My Lord, you are the creator of music If you look around, you will be able to find
in the world of Lepchas that there are some animals and plants which
Oh Narak! My Lord, let me dedicate are unique in your area. In fact, India is one
myself to you of the world’s richest countries in terms of
Let me gather your music from the its vast array of biological diversity, and has
springs, the rivers, the mountains, the forests, nearly 8 per cent of the total number of
the insects and the animals species in the world (estimated to be 1.6
Let me gather your music from the sweet million). This is possibly twice or thrice the
breeze and offer it to you number yet to be discovered. You have
already studied in detail about the extent
Source: Lepcha folk song from northern part of
and variety of forest and wildlife resources
West Bengal in India. Yo u m a y h a v e realised the
importance of these resources in our daily
life. These diverse flora and fauna are so
We share this planet with millions of other well integrated in our daily life that we take
living beings, starting from micro-organisms these for granted. But, lately, they are under
and bacteria, lichens to banyan trees, great stress mainy due to insensitivity to
elephants and blue whales. This entire our environment.
habitat that we live in has immense
biodiversity. We humans along with all living
organisms form a complex web of ecological Over 81,000 species of fauna and 47,000
system in which we are only a part and very species of flora are found in this country
much dependent on this system for our own so far? Of the estimated 47,000 plant
existence. For example, the plants, animals species, about 15,000 flowering species
and micro-organisms re-create the quality of are endemic (indigenous) to India.
the air we breathe, the water we drink and
the soil that produces our food without which
we cannot survive. Forests play a key role in Find out stories prevalent in your region
the ecological system as these are also the which are about the harmonious relationship
primary producers on which all other living between human beings and nature.
beings depend.
Some estimates suggest that at least 10
per cent of India’s recorded wild flora and
Biodiversity or Biological Diversity is 20 per cent of its mammals are on the
immensely rich in wildlife and cultivated threatened list. Many of these would now be
species, diverse in form and function but categorised as ‘critical’, that is on the verge
closely integrated in a system through of extinction like the cheetah, pink-headed
multiple network of interdependencies. duck, mountain quail, forest spotted owlet,
and plants like madhuca insignis (a wild
2015-16
, variety of mahua) and h u b b a r d i a Let us now understand the different
heptaneuron,(a species of grass). In fact, no categories of existing plants and animal
one can say how many species may have species. Based on the International Union
already been lost. Today, we only talk of the for Conservation of Nature and Natural
larger and more visible animals and plants Resources (IUCN), we can classify as
that have become extinct but what about follows –
smaller animals like insects and plants?
Normal Species: Species whose population
levels are considered to be normal for
their survival, such as cattle, sal, pine,
Do you know that among the larger rodents, etc.
animals in India, 79 species of mammals, Endangered Species: These are species
44 of birds, 15 of reptiles, and 3 of which are in danger of extinction. The
amphibians are threatened? Nearly 1,500 survival of such species is difficult if the
plant species are considered endangered. negative factors that have led to a decline in
Flowering plants and vertebrate animals their population continue to operate. The
have recently become extinct at a rate examples of such species are black buck,
estimated to be 50 to 100 times the crocodile, Indian wild ass, Indian rhino, lion
average expected natural rate. tailed macaque, sangai (brow anter deer in
Manipur), etc.
Vulnerable Species: These are species
Vanishing Forests
whose population has declined to levels from
The dimensions of deforestation in India are where it is likely to move into the endangered
staggering. The forest and tree cover in the category in the near future if the negative
country is estimated at 78.92 million hectare, factors continue to operate. The examples of
which is 24.01 per cent of the total such species are blue sheep, Asiatic elephant,
geographical area (dense forest 12.24 per
Gangetic dolphin, etc.
cent; open forest 8.99 per cent; and
mangrove 0.14 per cent). According to the R a r e S p e c i e s : Species with small
State of Forest Report (2013), the dense forest population may move into the endangered
cover has increased by 10,098 sq km since or vulnerable category if the negative factors
1997. However, this apparent increase in the affecting them continue to operate. The
forest cover is due to plantation by different examples of such species are the Himalayan
agencies. brown bear, wild Asiatic buffalo, desert fox
and hornbill, etc.
Endemic Species: These are species which
are only found in some particular areas
usually isolated by natural or geographical
barriers. Examples of such species are the
Andaman teal, Nicobar pigeon, Andaman
wild pig, mithun in Arunchal Pradesh.
Extinct Species: These are species which
are not found after searches of known or
likely areas where they may occur. A species
may be extinct from a local area, region,
country, continent or the entire earth.
Examples of such species are the Asiatic
Fig. 2.1 cheetah, pink head duck.
FOREST AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES 15
2015-16
