Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III – Biodiversity
In news: In a recent publication by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), it was reported that Sikkim, the smallest State with less than 1% of India’s landmass, is home to 27% of all flowering plants found in the country.
- Sikkim is a part of the Kanchenjunga biosphere landscape
About Kanchenjunga Biosphere
- Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve which is located in Sikkim is one of the highest ecosystems in the world, reaching elevations of 1, 220 metres above sea-level.
- The biosphere has different altitudinal ecosystems, varying from sub-tropic to Arctic, as well as natural forests in different biomes, that support an immensely rich diversity of forest types and habitats.
- World’s third highest peak, Mt. Khangchendzonga, is situated within the Park.
- Numerous lakes and glaciers, including the 26 km long Zemu Glacier are a part of the Biosphere reserve.
- Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP) was designated a World Heritage Site in 2016 under the ‘mixed’ category (Mixed heritage sites contain elements of both natural and cultural significance).
- The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim, surrounding the world’s third highest peak Mount Khangchendzonga, has been added to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves, making it the 11th biosphere in India to be included in the network.
- Its location – bordering Nepal, Tibet (China) and in close proximity of Bhutan – offers unique opportunities for joint collaboration and conservation of biodiversity with neighbouring countries.
- Increasing unregulated tourism, lack of awareness about the landscape and shortage of staff are some of the key challenges in maintaining the reserve’s sanctity.
Other Biosphere reserves of India
|1||1986||Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve||Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka||Nilgiri tahr, tiger, lion-tailed macaque|
|2||1988||Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve||Uttarakhand||Snow leopard, Himalayan black bear|
|3||1989||Gulf of Mannar||Tamil Nadu||Dugong|
|5||1989||Sundarbans||West Bengal||Royal Bengal tiger|
|6||1989||Manas||Assam||Asiatic elephant, tiger, Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur, pygmy hog|
|7||1994||Simlipal||Odisha||Gaur, royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant|
|8||1998||Dihang-Dibang||Arunachal Pradesh||Mishmi takin, musk deer|
|9||1999||Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve||Madhya Pradesh||Giant squirrel, flying squirrel|
|10||2005||Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve||Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh||Four-horned antelope, Indian wild dog, sarus crane, white-rumped vulture, sacred grove bush frog|
|11||2008||Great Rann of Kutch||Gujarat||Indian wild ass|
|12||2009||Cold Desert||Himachal Pradesh||Snow leopard|
|13||2000||Khangchendzonga National Park||Sikkim||Snow leopard, red panda|
|14||2001||Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve||Kerala, Tamil Nadu||Nilgiri tahr, Asian elephant|
|15||1989||Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve||Andaman and Nicobar Islands||Saltwater crocodile|
|16||1997||Dibru-Saikhowa||Assam||White-winged wood duck, water buffalo, black-breasted parrotbill, tiger, capped langur|
|17||2010||Seshachalam Hills||Andhra Pradesh||Slender loris|
News source: TH