Chapter 5

Biodiversity – the panacea to adversities

CBD Biodiversity Vision 2050: “By 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and widely
used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits
essential for all people.”

Introduction
1. The term biodiversity derived from “biological diversity” refers to the variety of
life on Earth at all its levels, from genes to ecosystems. This includes diversity within
species, between species and of ecosystems. Biodiversity includes all ecosystems—
managed (plantations, farms, croplands, aquaculture sites, urban parks) and unmanaged
(forest, nature preserves, or national parks) and represents the wealth of biological
resources available to humankind. The biodiversity of any given region is not evenly
distributed. It varies globally and within regions. The various factors that influence
biodiversity of a region include temperature, altitude, precipitation, soils and pressures
from human activities.

2. Biodiversity underpins many of the basic goods and services necessary for human
society to exist and secure economic and social development. Its importance can be
assessed by the fact that the UN has designated 2011–2020 as the United Nations Decade
on Biodiversity1 emphasizing “Living in harmony with nature”. Ecosystems are the
fundamental source of human existence as they provide fresh air, clean water, food,
resources and medicine. The diversity of life on earth is essential for healthy functioning
of ecosystems and it is biodiversity that boosts ecosystem productivity. In biodiversity,
each organism, no matter how small or how big, has a role to play. Insects and bats, for
example, play an essential role in pollinating plants and a great portion of the food we
eat depends on animal pollinators. In a nutshell, the multifold values of biodiversity
include – environmental values, social value, ecosystem services value, economic value,
aesthetic value, productive use value and consumption value2.

3. Biodiversity is what allows ecosystems to work and flourish. Over millions of

years, many different species of plants and animals have come together to live in the same
habitats. Over time, they balance each other and hold the ecosystem together. As species

1
https://www.cbd.int/2011-2020/
2
Implementation of India's Biodiversity Action Plan. New Delhi: MoEFCC; 2019

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

82
are lost, so are the ecosystem functions they perform. This may lead to ‘tipping points’
being reached, beyond which the structure and processes of an ecosystem abruptly, and
possibly irreversibly, break down. In the last 50 years, the human population has
doubled; the global economy has almost quadrupled and global trade has increased by
approximately ten times. This period is also now being recognized as one of irreversible
reduction of biodiversity due to displacement or extinction of species. The 2020 Global
Living Planet Index3 shows an average 68% fall in monitored populations of mammals,
birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish between 1970 and 2016.

4. The three greatest proximate threats to biodiversity are habitat loss,

overharvesting, and introduction of exotic or invasive species. The first two of these are
a direct result of human population growth and resource use. The third results from
increased mobility and trade. Invasive species can threaten other species through
competition for resources, predation or disease. A fourth cause of extinction is climate
change, which is becoming significant. Global climate change is also a consequence of
human population needs for energy and the use of fossil fuels to meet those needs.

5. Deforestation and loss of biodiversity are also linked to several zoonotic diseases
which can be transmitted from animals to people, an example being the current CoVID-
19 pandemic. It has now been recognized that reduced biodiversity favours particular
hosts, vectors and/or pathogens. Ecosystem integrity can help regulate diseases by
supporting a diversity of species so that it is more difficult for one pathogen to spill over,
amplify or dominate. Addressing zoonotic disease emergence requires addressing its
root cause–primarily, the impact of human activities. As the global population
approaches 10 billion, it is time to reimagine our relationship with nature and put nature
at the heart of decision-making. Even though the biodiversity of many habitats has
become threatened, there are many things that can be done to reduce this danger.

6. Living in harmony with nature has been an integral part of Indian culture. This
has been abundantly reflected in a variety of traditional practices, religious beliefs,
rituals, folklore, arts and crafts, and in the daily lives of the Indian people from time
immemorial. Endorsing this tradition, Article 48 of the Constitution of India mandates
that “the State shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard
the forests and the wildlife of the country”, while Article 51 A (g) makes it a “duty of
every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes,
rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.”

3
The Living Planet Report 2020, “Bending the curve of Biodiversity Loss”, World Wildlife Fund &
Institute of Zoology (Zoological Society of London)

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

83
 7. India has framed several national acts and policies to conserve the biodiversity.
The Environment (Protection) Act (EP Act) enacted in 1986 paved the way for legal
interventions for protection of ecosystems including coastal, riverine and wetlands
ecosystems. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, (WP Act), the Forest (Conservation) Act,
1980 (FC Act), the Biodiversity Act and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest
Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (referred to as Forest Rights Act, 2006
hereafter) further strengthen the legal base for conservation and sustainable utilization
of biological diversity.

8. Biodiversity encompasses all variety and variability of living organisms. It

includes biodiversity within species, between species and diversity of ecosystems. The
biodiversity profile of a country at any point of time is a reflection of the presence of this
kind of diversity, the consequences of the way it has been utilized and how it has been
conserved through legal or other measures. The different aspects of India’s biodiversity
are discussed in the following sections of this chapter.

Diversity of regions: Biogeographic zones in India

9. Biogeographic zones are large distinctive units of similar ecology, biome

representation, community, and species (e.g., the Himalaya, the Western Ghats). India
has 10 identified biogeographic zones4.

4
Rodgers, W., Panwar, H., & Mathur, V. B. (2002). Wildlife Protected Area Network in India: A Review
(Executive summary). Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

84
 S. Biogeographic Biotic provinces Area
No. zones (sq.km)
1. Trans-Himalaya Ladakh mountains, Tibetan plateau 1,74,225
2. Himalaya Northwest, West, Central and East Himalayas 2,10,386
3. Desert Thar, Kutch 2,13,672
4. Semi-arid Punjab plains, Gujarat Rajputana 5,45,686
5. Western Ghats Malabar plains, Western Ghats 1,31,490
6. Deccan Peninsula
Central highlands, Chhota-Nagpur, Eastern 13,77,363
highlands, Central Plateau, Deccan South
7. Gangetic plains Upper and Lower Gangetic plains 3,55,025
8. Coast West and East coast, Lakshadweep 82,182
9. North-East Brahmaputra valley, Northeast hills 1,70,937
10. Islands Andaman and Nicobar 12,972
Marine Influenced Area 10,440
Source: Ibid

Biodiversity Hotspots in India5

10. The concept of biodiversity hotspots was coined by Norman Myers in 1988. He
defined “hotspots” as high concentrations of endemic species with high habitat loss. A
biodiversity hotspot is identified based on two criteria6:
i) It must have at least 1500 vascular plants as endemics
ii) It must have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation.

11. The first point indicates that the region is irreplaceable and the second point
indicates that it is threatened. Around the world, 36 areas qualify to be hotspots. These
areas constitute just 2.4% of Earth’s land surface, but more than half of the world’s plant
species and nearly 43% of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species are endemic to
these areas — i.e., species found no place else. Among the 36 global biodiversity hotspots
of the world, 4 are found within India. These hotspots are discussed in the following
paragraphs.

The Western Ghats as part of the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka Global Hotspot
12. The Western Ghats, stretching about 1,600 km from the north of Mumbai to the
southern tip of India, hosts a large proportion of the country's plant and animal species;
many of which are endemic to India. The Western Ghats are considered as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site. There are 39 protected areas including national parks, reserve

5 Source: ENVIS Resource Partner on Biodiversity, BSI, MoEFCC

6 Biodiversity Hotspots - Conservation International

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

85
 forests, and wildlife sanctuaries present in the region. It also constitutes approximately
27% of the total Indian flora.

Table 1: Key Statistics of the Western Ghats

Hotspot Original Extent (km²) 1,89,611
Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km²) 43,611
Endemic Plant Species 3,049
Endemic Threatened Birds 10
Endemic Threatened Mammals 14
Endemic Threatened Amphibians 87
Extinct Species† 20
Human Population Density (people/km²) 261
Area Protected (km²) 26,130
Area Protected (km²) in Categories I-IV* 21,259
†Recorded extinctions since the year 1500. *Categories I-IV afford higher levels of protection.
Source: ibid
Table 2: Species Diversity and Endemism
Taxonomic Group Species Endemic Species Endemism (%)
Plants 5,916 3,049 51.5
Mammals 140 18 12.9
Birds 458 35 7.6
Reptiles 267 174 65.2
Amphibians 178 130 73.0
Freshwater Fishes 191 139 72.8
Source: ibid

The Nicobar Islands as part of the Sundaland Hotspot

13. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are situated south of the Burmese peninsula,
in the Bay of Bengal. Nicobar Islands are a part of the Sundaland global biodiversity
hotspot. Due to high precipitation and their tropical location, the predominant vegetation
type in these islands is evergreen forest. There are 11 major forest types in these islands.
The islands, comprising only 0.25% of India’s geographical area, are home to more than
10% of the country’s fauna species.

Table 3: Key Statistics of the Sundaland Hotspot

Hotspot Original Extent (km²) 15,01,063
Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km²) 1,00,571
Endemic Plant Species 15,000
EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

86
 Endemic Threatened Birds 43
Endemic Threatened Mammals 60
Endemic Threatened Amphibians 59
Extinct Species† 4
Human Population Density (people/km²) 153
Area Protected (km²) 1,79,723
Area Protected (km²) in Categories I-IV* 77,408
†Recorded extinctions since the year 1500. *Categories I-IV afford higher levels of protection.
Source: ibid

Table 4: Species Diversity and Endemism

Taxonomic Group Species Endemic Species Endemism (%)
Plants 25,000 15,000 60.0
Mammals 380 172 45.3
Birds 769 142 18.5
Reptiles 452 243 53.8
Amphibians 244 196 80.3
Freshwater Fishes 950 350 36.8
Source: ibid

North-eastern region as part of Indo-Burma Hotspot

14. The Northeast region of India comprising of the states of Arunachal Pradesh,
Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim. The north
eastern region has been in focus for its high biodiversity and this region has been a
priority for leading conservation agencies of the world. The region is ecologically
represented by the Eastern Himalayan biome and is rich in a number of endemic flora
and fauna. The Indo-Burma Hotspot has extraordinarily high plant species richness.

Table 5: Key Statistics of the North-Eastern Region

Hotspot Original Extent (km²) 23,73,057
Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km²) 1,18,653
Endemic Plant Species 7,000
Endemic Threatened Birds 18
Endemic Threatened Mammals 25
Endemic Threatened Amphibians 35
Extinct Species† 1
Human Population Density (people/km²) 134
Area Protected (km²) 2,35,758

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

87
 Area Protected (km²) in Categories I-IV* 1,32,283
†Recorded extinctions since the year 1500. *Categories I-IV afford higher levels of protection.
Source: ibid

Table 6: Species Diversity and Endemism

Taxonomic Group Species Endemic Species Endemism (%)
Plants 13,500 7,000 51.9
Mammals 433 73 16.9
Birds 1,266 64 5.1
Reptiles 522 204 39.1
Amphibians 286 154 53.8
Freshwater Fishes 1,262 553 43.8
Source: ibid

Eastern Himalaya comprising North-eastern Himalayas of India, Bhutan and

Nepal
15. The Himalaya Hotspot is home to the world's highest mountains, including Mt.
Everest. The mountains rise abruptly, resulting in a diversity of ecosystems that range
from alluvial grasslands and subtropical broadleaf forests to alpine meadows above the
tree line. Of the estimated 10,000 species of plants in the Himalaya Hotspot, about 3,160
are endemic, as are 71 genera. The largest family of flowering plants in the hotspot is the
Orchidaceae, with 750 species7. Nearly 980 birds have been recorded in the hotspot, but
only 15 are endemic. About 300 mammal species have been recorded in the Himalaya,
including a dozen that are endemic to the hotspot—the Endangered golden langur
(Trachypithecus geei) and Critically Endangered pygmy hog (Sus salvanius) among
them. The hotspot is home to important populations of numerous large birds and
mammals, including vultures, tigers, elephants, rhinos and wild water buffalo.

Table 7: Key Statistics of the Eastern Himalayas

Hotspot Original Extent (km²) 7,41,706
Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km²) 1,85,427
Endemic Plant Species 3,160
Endemic Threatened Birds 8
Endemic Threatened Mammals 4
Endemic Threatened Amphibians 4
Extinct Species† 0
Human Population Density (people/km²) 123

7CEPF Himalaya. (n.d.). Retrieved from Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF).

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

88
 Area Protected (km²) 1,12,578
Area Protected (km²) in Categories I-IV* 77,739
†Recorded extinctions since the year 1500. *Categories I-IV afford higher levels of protection.
Source: ibid

Table 8: Species Diversity and Endemism

Taxonomic Group Species Endemic Species Endemism (%)
Plants 10,000 3,160 31.6
Mammals 300 12 4.0
Birds 977 15 1.5
Reptiles 176 48 27.3
Amphibians 105 42 40.0
Freshwater Fishes 269 33 12.3
Source: ibid

India – A Mega Diverse Region

16. A handful of countries, which serve as home to the majority of the world’s species,
are considered extremely bio diverse. The World Conservation Monitoring Centre
recognized 17 mega diverse countries in July 2000. The 17 mega diverse countries of the
world are Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo Ecuador,
Indonesia, India, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Peru Philippines,
South Africa, United States, Venezuela. Together, these 17 countries harbour more than
70% of the earth's species. India is one of them. The principle criterion for mega diversity
is endemism, first at the species level and then at higher taxonomic levels such as genus
and family. To qualify as a mega diverse country, a country must have at least 5000 of the
world’s plants as endemics and have marine ecosystems within its borders. India
qualifies both the criteria.

17. Situated at the tri-junction of Afro-tropical, Indo-Malayan and Paleo-Arctic realm,

India has a wide array of ecozones, namely, the deserts, the high mountains, the
highlands, the tropical and temperate forests, the swamplands, the plains, the grasslands,
and the islands. India represents great geological, geomorphological, climatic, biotic and
cultural diversity. The vast diversity of climatic features and habitats has led to a wide
variety of flora and fauna.

18. India has tremendous species and ecosystem diversity. Over 1,02,161 species of
fauna and 49,441 species of flora have been documented in the 10 biogeographic zones of

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

89
 the country. The total forest cover area in India is 7,12,249 sq. km, which is 21.67% of total
geographic area of the country. Considering floral diversity, out of the 49,441 known
plant species in India, 11,554 are endemic (Table 9).

Table 9: India’s Floral Species Diversity and Endemism - 2019

Number of No. of Endemic No. of Threatened
Major Groups
Species Species Species
Flowering Plants
Gymnosperms 82 12 12
Angiosperms 18,666 4,303 416
Non-flowering Plants
Bryophytes 2,780 629 7
Pteridophytes 1,302 66 2
Others
Virus & Bacteria 1,223
Algae 7,411 1,924
Fungi 15,396 c. 4100 1
Lichens 2,581 c. 520
Total 49,441
Source: Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.

19. In the case of fauna, 28,537 species are endemic to the country and account for 28%
of the total 1,02,161 species identified so far in India. Table 10 shows the known faunal
species, their endemism and threat status.
Table 10: India’s Faunal Species Diversity and Endemism - 2019
Number No. of Endemic No. of Threatened
Major Groups
of Species Species Species
Protozoans 3,545 640
Invertebrates 91,800 26,782 135
Chordates 6,816 1,115 540
Of which
Fishes 3,439 482 228
Amphibia 427 287 75
Reptilia 641 220 54
Birds 1,343 81 89
Mammals 429 45 94
Total 1,02,161 28,537 675

20. Along with many other countries, India has its own fair share of issues due to
Invasive Alien Species. Invasive alien species are species whose introduction and/or
spread outside their natural past or present distribution threatens biological diversity.

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

90
Some example of the commonly found faunal alien species in India are the African apple
snail (Achatina fulica), Papaya Mealy Bug (Paracoccus marginatus), Cotton Mealy Bug
(Phenacoccus solenopsis) and Amazon sailfin catfish (Pterygoplichthys pardalis), while
commonly found floral alien species in India are Prospis juliflora, Vilayti Kikar,
Parthenium hysterophorus, Lantana camara and Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes).

Table 11: Invasive Alien Species of India

Category Number of Invasive Alien Species
Terrestrial Plants 54
Aquatic Ecosystem 56
Agriculture Ecosystem 44
Island Ecosystem 14
Total 168
Source: National Biodiversity Authority

Taxonomic diversity of India

21. The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) are
the two apex organisations of India that have been actively engaged in taxonomic study
of all major groups of Indian plants and animals, respectively. Every year, these two
organisations collate information on the discoveries during the previous year using the
research published by scientists on various aspects of taxonomy including species new to
science and new records. Statements on the taxonomic diversity of the States of India, as
presented in this publication, have been prepared using the information made available
by the BSI, ZSI, National Biodiversity Authority and the State Biodiversity Boards. Table
12 below gives the phylum-wise details of the taxonomic diversity of India.

Table 12: Number of Fauna and Flora Species in India - 2019

Number of Species in
Category Taxonomic group
India
Protista 3,545
Phylum Protozoa 3,545
Animalia 98,616
Phylum Mesozoa 10
FAUNA

Phylum Porifera 550

INVERTEBRATA

Phylum Cnidaria 1,453

Phylum Ctenophora 19
Phylum Platyhelminthes 1,789
Phylum Rotifera 467
Phylum Gastrotricha 163
Phylum Kinorhyncha 10

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

91
 Number of Species in
Category Taxonomic group
India
Phylum Nematoda 2,984
Phylum Acanthocephala 306
Phylum Sipuncula 41
Phylum Mollusca 5,227
Phylum Echiura 47
Phylum Annelida 1,035
Phylum Onychophora 1
Phylum Arthropoda 76,461
Phylum Phoronida 3
Phylum Bryozoa (Ectoprocta) 337
Phylum Entoprocta 10
Phylum Brachiopoda 8
Phylum Chaetognatha 44
Phylum Tardigrada 31
Phylum Nemertea 6
Phylum Echinodermata 784
Phylum Hemichordata 14
Phylum Protochordata
Phylum Chordata 6,816
Of Which
Class Pisces: Fresh water Fishes
VERTEBRATA

3,439
Class Pisces: Marine and Estuarine Fishes
Class Amphibia 427
Class Reptilia 641
Class Aves 1,343
Class Mammalia 429
TOTAL FAUNAL SPECIES 1,02,161
Virus/Bacteria 1,223
Algae 7,411
Fungi 15,396
FLORA

Lichens 2,581
Bryophytes 2,780
Pteridophytes 1,302
Gymnosperms 82
Angiosperms 18,666
TOTAL FLORAL SPECIES 49,441
GRAND TOTAL (FLORA + FAUNA) 1,51,602

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

92
22. Statement on the taxonomic diversity of the States is given in Annexure 5.1. A
more detailed discussion on the crop diversity and the floral diversity in the forests of
India can also be seen in the chapters on croplands and forests in this publication.

India’s pride –Tiger and Elephant

23. Large animals need large areas. When these areas are protected, thousands of
other plants and animals also benefit from this protection. Failing to protect them can
lead not only to the extinction of these species, but the loss of many other plant and
animal species that make up the ecological community of their habitat. This loss of species
and genetic level biodiversity also impacts ecosystem functions and makes ecosystems
less resilient to environmental shocks and change (including climate change). This also
threatens the supply of future ecosystem services. These considerations are reflected in
India’s long standing and successful track record of protecting its tigers and elephants.

24. Sitting at the crown of the food-chain, the tiger is the apex predator in the Indian
jungle. The tiger is vitally important in culling its prey-base in a sustainable manner. If it
didn’t, the prey-base would breed exponentially with no natural control and the forest
would not be able to provide the prey base with sufficient fodder.

25. A lesser known fact is that tiger habitats help to store more carbon on an average
as compared to the other forests in the region, and therefore help to stem the tide of global
warming and climate change. In fact, according to WWF, there is significant evidence to
prove that eliminating a large carnivore population has a severe anthropogenic impact
on nature.

26. Elephants, on the other hand, are known for their nomadic behaviour, and the
daily and seasonal migrations they make through their home ranges are immensely
important to the environment. They are landscape architects, creating clearings in the
forest, preventing overgrowth of certain plant species and allowing space for the
regeneration of others, which in turn provide sustenance to other herbivorous animals.

27. These are some of the reasons why the Elephant and Tiger are regarded as the
“National Heritage” Animals of India. Both the Elephant and Tiger are accorded highest
protection under Schedule I species of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and listed as
endangered species by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Around
50-60% of the estimated world Asian elephant’s population is in India, which is also home
to 60% of the global tiger population, reflective of the conservation initiatives.

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

93
 28. According to most recent all India elephant estimation (2017), the elephant
population in the country is estimated to be 29,964 and captive elephant population
(2018) is 2,675 (as reported by States). The overall tiger population in India was estimated
at 2,967 (Standard Error range 2,603 to 3,346).

29. The status of tiger reserves and their population in India (for the year 2018-19) is
given in Statement 5.1, while that for the elephant reserves of India (as on 16.08.2018) is
given in Statement 5.2. The estimated tiger numbers in States and Landscapes of India
are given in Statement 5.3 and the region wise population estimation of elephants in
India, 2017 is given in Statement 5.4.

30. India’s national tiger assessment is the largest biodiversity survey being carried
out anywhere in the world. To aid conservation of these two species, Project Elephant
(initiated in 1991-92) and Project Tiger (initiated in 1973) are being carried out in India,
some highlights of which are given in the following paragraphs.

Project Tiger8
31. Project Tiger aims to harness the functional role of the tiger and its charisma to
garner resources and public support for conserving representative ecosystems. It was
initiated in 1973 with nine tiger reserves (around 18,278 km2), and has now expanded to
cover 50 tiger reserves (72,749 km2) covering about 2.21% of India’s geographical area.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in collaboration with the State Forest
Departments, Conservation NGO’s and coordinated by the Wildlife Institute of India
(WII), conducts a National assessment for the “Status of Tigers, Co-predators, Prey and
their Habitat” every four years since 2006.

32. Primary data collection for occupancy, habitat assessment, human impacts and
prey assessment are done by the frontline staff of the forest departments of the 20 tiger
states. Since the field methodology being used for the status assessment has essentially
been the same since 2006, the competency of the wildlife managers in conducting these
exercises has increased significantly over the years. Now camera traps are regularly used
by the management staff of all tiger reserves each year to estimate the minimum number
of tigers. Some wildlife managers have been trained and have acquired skills for
designing, implementing and analyzing capture-mark-recapture and distance sampling
based studies.

8
Jhala, Y.V., Qureshi, Q. and Nayak, A.K. (eds) 2020. Status of tigers, copredators and prey in India, 2018. National
Tiger Conservation Authority, Government of India, New Delhi, and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

94
33. The fourth status assessment of tigers conducted in the year 2018 was the most
comprehensive to date, in terms of both resource and data amassed. Camera traps were
placed in 26,838 locations across 141 different sites in 20 States known to host Tigers and
surveyed an effective area of 1,21,337 square kilometres. These camera traps captured
3,48,58,623 photographs of wildlife - 76,651 of which were tigers, 51,777 were leopards,
and the remaining were those of other native fauna. From these photographs, individual
tigers were identified using stripe-pattern-recognition software. The latest “tiger census”
has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest camera-trap wildlife
survey in the world.

34. The magnitude of anthropogenic disturbances within Tiger Reserves and tiger
occupied areas are assessed using a Relative Abundance Index (RAI) obtained through
camera trap images of livestock, free ranging domestic dogs, wild animals with traps,
poachers with arms or poached carcasses.

Highlights of the latest Tiger Assessment - 2018

• The overall tiger population in India was estimated at 2,967 (SE range 2,603 to
3,346). Out of this, 83% were actually camera trapped individual tigers and 87%
were accounted for by camera trap-based capture-mark-recapture and remaining
13% were estimated through appropriate models (Statement 5.3).
• Tigers were observed to be increasing at a rate of 6% per annum in India when
consistently sampled areas were compared from 2006 to 2018.
• Overall tiger occupancy, based on the forest cover survey report by Forest Survey
of India (2017), was found to be stable at 88,985 km2 (in year 2017) at the country
scale since 2014, when the tiger occupancy was 88,558 km2.
• The largest contiguous tiger population in the world of about 724 tigers was found
in the Western Ghats while the second largest population of about 604 tigers was
found across Uttarakhand and western Uttar Pradesh.
• The density of tiger was found to be significantly and strongly related with prey
abundance indices. It increases as chital, sambar and gaur encounter rates as well
as their dung density increased.
• Security, in the form of protected areas, has harbored higher tiger densities.

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

95
 Figure 2: Tiger Population Map in Tiger Reserves - 2018

Project Elephant
35. Project Elephant was launched by the Government of India in the year 1991-92
with the following objectives:
• Protection of Elephants: control of poaching, patrolling, weapons, equipment,
intelligence gathering, etc.
• Improvement of habitats and corridors: eco restoration, land acquisition,
resettlement & rehabilitation, soil and water conservation;
• Human-Elephant Conflicts: crop protection measures, elephant proof trenches,
solar power fencing, translocation of elephants, early warning systems, awareness
and training programme for securing elephant corridors in the country for the safe
passage of elephants; and

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

96
 • Captive Elephant Welfare: Elephant Rescue & Rehabilitation Centers, Elephant
welfare committees, veterinary services, public education.
36. Under the Project, critical elephant habitats have been notified as “Elephant
Reserves” for better management of wild elephants. There are 30 notified and 1 proposed
Elephant Reserve in the country (Khasi Hills Elephant Reserve in Meghalaya). Further,
several guidelines have been issued under the Project including those for ‘management
of Human Elephant Conflict’, ‘care and management of captive elephants’, Protocol on
Transboundary Elephant Conservation between India and Bangladesh, Standard
Operating Procedure (SOP) for Dealing with Captive and Wild Elephant Deaths Due to
Anthrax/Suspected Cases of Anthrax.

37. These concerted efforts towards achieving the objectives of Project Elephant have
resulted in an increase of wild elephant population from an estimated 15,000 in 1980 to
almost 30,000 in 2017. For the first time in India, an all India synchronized elephant
census was conducted in 2017.

Highlights of the latest Elephant Assessment

• There are 30 notified Elephant Reserves, extending over about 65,507 sq km, and
1 proposed Elephant Reserve in the country (Statement 5.2).
• The all India enumeration of wild population of elephants in the country is carried
out at every five-year interval. The estimated population of wild elephants in the
country has increased to 29,964 as compared to 27,669-27,719 in 2007.
• Asiatic Elephants (Elephas maximus) were once widespread in India and old
literatures indicate that even during the Moghul period, elephants were found all
over India. However, the current distribution of wild elephant in India is now
restricted to four general areas: north-eastern India, central India, north-western
India and southern India.
• In north-eastern India, the elephant range extends from the eastern border of
Nepal in northern West Bengal and passes through parts of upper and western
Assam, eastern Arunachal Pradesh, the foothills of Nagaland, as also some areas
of Garo and Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. Isolated herds have also been observed in
in Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and the Barak valley districts of Assam.
• In central India, highly fragmented elephant populations are found in the States
of Odisha, Jharkhand, and the southern part of West Bengal, with some animals
wandering into Chhattisgarh.
• In north-western India, the species occurs in six fragmented populations at the foot
of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

97
 • There are eight main fragmented populations in southern India: in northern
Karnataka; the crestline of Karnataka—Western Ghats; Bhadra— Malnad;
Brahmagiri—Nilgiris—Eastern Ghats; Nilambur—Silent Valley—Coimbatore;
Anamalais—Parambikulam; Periyar—Srivilliputhur; and Agasthya malai.

Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme

38. In addition to the Project Elephant, elephants in India are also being monitored
under the MIKE Programme, with the following objectives:
i. To measure levels and trends in the illegal hunting of elephants;
ii. To determine changes in these trends over time; and
iii. To determine the factors causing or associated with such changes, and to
try and assess in particular to what extent observed trends are a result of
any decisions taken by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES).

39. Under the MIKE programme, data are being collected on a monthly basis in
specified MIKE patrol forms from eight MIKE sites, viz., Chirang Ripu (Assam), Dhang
Patki (Assam), Eastern Dooars (WB), Deomali (Arunachal Pradesh), Garo Hills
(Meghalaya), Mayurbhanj (Odisha), Mysore (Karnataka), Nilgiri (Tamil Nadu), Shivalik
(Uttarakhand) and Wayanad (Kerala).

Conservation Measures in India

40. There are two broad approaches in conservation that are adopted to protect and
maintain biodiversity – in-situ and ex-situ. In-situ conservation refers to the conservation
of species in their natural habitats, while ex-situ conservation is the preservation of
components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats, e.g., zoos. In-situ
conservation is considered the most appropriate way of conserving biodiversity.
Conserving the areas where populations of species exist naturally is an underlying
condition for the conservation of biodiversity and hence, protected areas form a central
element of any national strategy to conserve biodiversity.

41. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a membership

Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. The IUCN, through
its World Commission on Protected Areas develops knowledge based policy, advice and
guidance on the full suite of issues surrounding protected areas. The enlisting of
protected areas is part of a strategy being used toward the conservation of the world's

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

98
natural environment and biodiversity. The IUCN has developed the protected area
management categories system to define, record, and classify the wide variety of specific
aims and concerns when categorising protected areas and their objectives.

42. In India, the Protected Areas are declared under Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
India has 18 biosphere reserves and 86 conservation reserves. Amongst the protected
areas, India has 101 national parks and 553 sanctuaries covering an area of 1.6 lakh sq.
km.

Wildlife Sanctuary
43. A Wildlife Sanctuary is a natural habitat, owned by the government or private
agency, which safeguards particular species of birds and animals. It restricts any activity
that puts animals/species at any unduly stressful condition. It corresponds to IUCN
Category IV Protected areas. In India, there are 553 wildlife sanctuaries as of December
2019.9

National Parks
44. IUCN has defined ‘National Parks’ as Category II type of protected areas. It is
established by central or state government. These areas are protected from human
exploitation, pollution and stand for conservation of wild nature. There are 101 national
parks in India as of December 2019.

Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves

45. Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves denote those protected areas of
India which typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration corridors
between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected
forests of India. Such areas are designated as conservation areas if they are uninhabited
and completely owned by the Government of India but used for subsistence by
communities and community areas if part of the lands are privately owned. These
protected area categories were first introduced in the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment
Act of 2002. These categories were added because of reduced protection in and around
existing or proposed protected areas due to private ownership of land and land use.

Biosphere Reserves (BR)

46. These are large areas of bio diversity where flora and fauna are protected. These
regions of environmental protection approximately correspond to IUCN Category V of
Protected areas. They may cover multiple national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. These
are established to protect biodiversity of a larger area. There are 18 Biosphere Reserves in

9
ENVIS Centre on Wildlife & Protected Areas, Wildlife Institute of India

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

99
 India established by the government. The concept of biosphere reserves is the key to
achieving a balance between conserving biodiversity, encouraging economic and social
development and preserving cultural values.

Table 13: Status of different categories of Protected Areas in India

Categories of Protected Area Number Area (in Km2)
Terrestrial Protected Area National Parks 101 40564
Wild Life Sanctuaries 553 119757
Community Reserves 163 833
Conservation Reserves 89 4128
Total 906 165282
Marine Protected Areas National Parks 13 2798
Sanctuaries 116 6909
Community/ 4 272
Conservation Reserves
Total 133 9979
Source: 1. Wildlife Institute of India and K Sivakumar, Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Protected Areas in
India: Challenges and Way Forward, K. Venkataraman et al. (eds.),Ecology and Conservation of Tropical Marine
Faunal Communities, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.

State-wise number of Terrestrial and Marine Protected Areas is given at Annexure 5.2.

Insights into the Red List Species in India

47. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of
Threatened Species is one of the most well-known objective assessment systems for
classifying the status of plants, animals and other organisms threatened with extinction.
It contains explicit criteria and categories to classify the conservation status of individual
species on the basis of their probability of extinction.

48. The IUCN Red List categories and criteria are intended to be an easily and widely
understood system for classifying species at high risk of global extinction. It divides
species into nine categories: Not Evaluated, Data Deficient, Least Concern, Near
Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild and
Extinct. Any species that has been assessed as Critically Endangered, Endangered or
Vulnerable are called ‘threatened species’. The IUCN list also includes ‘Least Concern’
Species, which have a lower risk of extinction, but are still important in terms of global
biodiversity. Some ‘Least Concern’ species are undergoing slow declines and hence, it is
important to monitor these species and to develop appropriate conservation actions to
prevent them from becoming threatened in the future. The inclusion of the different
categories of species helps track the changing status of biodiversity.

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

100
49. The IUCN Red List is a powerful tool to inform and catalyse action for biodiversity
conservation and policy change, critical to protecting the natural resources required for
survival. By providing information about range, population size, habitat and ecology, use
and/or trade, threats and conservation actions, the IUCN Red List helps inform necessary
conservation decisions and guide funding priorities.

50. The IUCN Red List relies on Assessors (trained individuals and species experts) to
assess species based on the currently available data and information. The information is
gathered from a range of sources, including published scientific papers, books, reports,
expert knowledge, indigenous knowledge and citizen science. The Red List Authorities
review the assessments, and then the IUCN Red List Unit checks the assessments before
publishing them on IUCN Red List website.

IUCN Red List Spatial Data

51. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species contains global assessments for over
1,20,000 species. The IUCN provides, in public domain, intercontinental species shape
files with the Geographic Coordinate System as GCS_WGS_1984 and the Unit as Degree
(~100km). The IUCN data repository has spatial datasets on mammals, amphibians, birds,
reptiles, fishes, plants and other groups. More than 80% of the total red list species
(>96,600 species) have spatial data10. The data is freely accessible and includes taxonomic
information, distribution status, IUCN Red List Category, sources and other relevant
details. More information and resources can be found at the IUCN Red List Resources &
Publications page11.

52. The IUCN spatial datasets can be used to evaluate the species richness of the red
list species for any defined region/area. Species Richness represents a measure of variety
of species based simply on a count of the number of species in a particular sample and is
generally expressed as the number of species per unit area.

53. In order to facilitate its use, the IUCN Red List Toolbox for ArcMap12 is also
available alongside the dataset, which intersects the red list species polygon with a grid
or shapefile of polygons, giving the number of species per cell or region polygon. The
toolbox also enables preparation of Species Richness Map, which shows the number of
IUCN red list species found per pixel having area 0.07 degree2, or roughly 865 sq.km.

10
https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/spatial-data-download
11
https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources
12
https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/spatialtoolsanddata

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

101
 54. To understand the distribution of the red listed species in India, an exercise was
undertaken using IUCN spatial datasets on mammals, amphibians and reptiles, using the
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Red List Version 2020-2 downloaded on
August 31, 2020. The number of red listed terrestrial species in India under these
categories, as available in the IUCN spatial datasets is given in the following Table 14.

Table 14: Data availability for India in IUCN Spatial Database as on August 31, 2020
Acronym Number of Species
Category
Mammals Amphibians Reptiles
Critically Endangered CR 9 20 10
Endangered EN 60 36 13
Near Threatened NT 58 13 11
Vulnerable VU 87 23 23
Least Concerned LC 338 119 199
Data Deficient DD 40 87 66
Grand Total 592 298 322

55. The state level red list species counts, as compiled using the IUCN Red List
Toolbox, are given in the Table 15 and Figure 3 shows the species richness across the
country, with the protected areas of India marked on the map.

Table 15: State wise Count of IUCN Red List Species

Species Richness Count
State/UT Mammals Amphibians Reptiles
Andhra Pradesh 126 23 79
Arunachal Pradesh 195 77 60
Assam 179 61 60
Bihar 126 25 43
Chhattisgarh 81 23 40
Delhi 49 10 12
Goa 108 31 61
Gujarat 120 18 62
Haryana 92 11 19
Himachal Pradesh 123 17 19
Jammu & Kashmir 152 16 22
Jharkhand 82 20 46
Karnataka 147 82 102
Kerala 144 103 140
Madhya Pradesh 93 16 44
Maharashtra 132 44 95
Manipur 146 42 54
Meghalaya 142 53 50

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

102
 Species Richness Count
State/UT Mammals Amphibians Reptiles
Mizoram 130 27 49
Nagaland 138 53 52
Odisha 112 24 72
Punjab 87 11 16
Rajasthan 90 10 25
Sikkim 157 27 32
Tamil Nadu 152 80 158
Telangana 83 21 44
Tripura 99 24 39
Uttar Pradesh 121 20 39
Uttarakhand 139 23 26
West Bengal 211 53 93
Andaman & Nicobar 55 14 40
Chandigarh 56 10 9
Dadra & Nagar Haveli 69 19 31
Daman & Diu 94 11 45
Lakshadweep 27 5
Puducherry 104 19 64

Figure 3: Species Richness Map of Red List Species

^ Species includes Mammals, Amphibians, Reptiles; the red polygons indicate the protected areas.

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

103
 Legal Backing for Conservation of Threatened Species in India
56. Law is a reflection of the needs and demands of society. The very existence of
legislation is proof that some consensus has developed concerning the importance of
conserving species and ecosystems. Supporting the identification of threatened species
by the Botanical Survey of India and the Zoological Survey of India, plants and animals,
which are on the verge of extinction or likely to become extinct in the near future, are
notified legally as threatened species under Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act,
2002.

57. Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 provides for the Central
Government, in consultation with the concerned State Government, to notify ‘any species
which is on the verge of extinction or likely to become extinct in the near future as a
threatened species and prohibit or regulate collection thereof for any purpose and take
appropriate steps to rehabilitate and preserve those species’.

58. The notification process under Section 38 is facilitated by the National Biodiversity
Authority (NBA) in consultations with the Botanical Survey of India for plants and the
Zoological Survey of India for animals through the concerned State Biodiversity Boards.
59. These notifications are available in public domain on the website of National
Biodiversity Authority at http://nbaindia.org/content/18/21/1/notifications.html.

******

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

104
 Statement 5.1: Population estimates of tigers in tiger reserves for the year 2018-19

Tigers utilizing the Tigers within the

Tiger Reserve Tiger Reserve
States Tiger Reserves
Standard Standard
Number Number
Error Error
Shivalik Hills and
Gangetic Plains
Bihar Valmiki 33 1 32 0.06
Uttar Pradesh Dudhwa 107 16 82 3.4
Uttar Pradesh Pilibhit 65 3 57 0.3
Uttarakhand Corbett 266 6 231 0.3
Uttarakhand Rajaji 52 5 38 1
Central India and
Eastern Ghats
Nagarjunasagar
Andhra Pradesh 43 2 38 0.03
Srisailam
Chhattisgarh Achankamar _ _ 5 _
Chhattisgarh Indravati* 3 _ 3 _
Chhattisgarh Udanti Sitanadi _ _ 1 _
Jharkhand Palamau _ _ 0 _
Madhya Pradesh Bandhavgarh 124 5 104 0.43
Madhya Pradesh Kanha 108 5 88 0.45
Madhya Pradesh Panna 31 3 25 0.5
Madhya Pradesh Pench 87 10 61 4
Madhya Pradesh Satpuda 47 2 40 0.02
Madhya Pradesh Sanjay Dubri 6 _ 5 _
Maharashtra Bor _ _ 6 _
Maharashtra Meighat 49 2 46 0.04
Maharashtra Navegaon Nagzira 6 1 6 0.003
Maharashtra Pench 82 8 53 2.5
Maharashtra Sahyadri* _ _ 3 _
Maharashtra Tadoba 106 6 83 1.15
Odisha Satkosia _ _ 1 _
Odisha Simlipal 12 1 8 0.04
Rajasthan Mukundra _ _ 1 _
Rajasthan Ranthambore 55 1 53 0.17
Rajasthan Sariska _ _ 11 _
Telangana Amrabad 9 2 7 0.25
Telangana Kawal _ _ 1 _
Western Ghats
Karnataka Bandipur 173 12 126 2
Karnataka Bhadra 38 4 30 0.32
Biligiri
Karnataka Rangaswamy 86 8 52 0.25
Temple

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

105
 Tigers utilizing the Tigers within the
Tiger Reserve Tiger Reserve
States Tiger Reserves
Standard Standard
Number Number
Error Error
Anshi Dandeli
Karnataka 11 _ 4 _
(Kali)
Karnataka Nagarhole 164 7 127 0.43
Kerala Parambikulam 33 3 26 0.2
Kerala Periyar 33 6 26 0.46
Tamil Nadu Anamalai 25 3 20 0.23
Tamil Nadu KMTR 8 1 7 0.01
Tamil Nadu Mudumalai 162 10 103 0.38
Tamil Nadu Sathyamangalam 126 6 83 2
NE Hills and
Brahmaputra
Plains
Arunachal
Kamlang* _ _ 4 1
Pradesh
Arunachal
Namdapha* _ _ 11 1
Pradesh
Arunachal
Pakke _ _ 3 _
Pradesh
Assam Kaziranga 135 7 104 10
Assam Manas 31 2 31 2
Assam Nameri _ _ 3 _
Assam Orang 21 3 21 2.8
Mizoram Dampa _ _ 0 _
West Bengal Buxa _ _ 0 _
Sundarban
West Bengal Sundarvan 106 4 88 2
Source: Status of Tigers Copredators & Prey in India 2018, National Tiger Conservation
Authority & Wildlife Institution of India
#: MaxEnt model result; *: scat DNA result
** Same three tigers in Nameri and Paake. In some tiger reserves that abut each other (Bandipur,
Madumalai, and Satyamangalam; Pench – Madhya Pradesh and Pench - Maharashtra) individual
tigers could be double counted. These double counts are accounted for in estimating the tiger
population at the landscape and State scale. In order to minimize double count of tigers the estimate
of “Tigers within Tiger Reserves” is to be used.

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

106
 Statement 5.2: Elephant reserves in India (as on 16.08.2018)
Sl. State Elephant Elephant Reserve with date of TotalArea
No Range notification (Sq. Km)
I West Bengal Eastern India 1. Mayurjharna ER(24.10.02) 414
Jharkhand (South West 2. Singhbhum ER (26.9.01) 4,530
Orissa Bengal- 3. Mayurbhanj ER (29.9.01) 3,214
Orissa Jharkhand- 4. Mahanadi ER (20.7.02) 1,038
Orissa Orissa) 5. Sambalpur ER (27.3.02) 427
Chhattisgarh 6. Badalkhol-Tamorpingla (15.9.2011) 1,048
Sub total 10,671
II Arunachal Pradesh North 7. Kameng ER (19.6.02) 1,892
Assam Brahmaputra 8. Sonitpur ER (6.3.03) 1,420
Sub total 3,312
III Assam South 9. Dihing-Patkai ER (17.4.03) 937
Arunachal Pradesh Brahmaputra 10. South Arunachal ER (29.2.08) 1,958
Sub total 2,895
IV Assam Kaziranga 11. Kaziranga – Karbi Anglong (17.4.03) 3,270
Assam 12. Dhansiri-Lungding ER (19.4.03) 2,740
Nagaland 13. Intanki ER (28.2.05) 202
Nagaland 14. Singphan ER* (16.8.2018) 24
Sub total 6,236
V Assam Eastern 15. Chirang-Ripu ER (7.3.03) 2,600
West Bengal Dooars 16. Eastern Dooars ER (28.8.02) 978
Sub total 3,578
VI Meghalaya E. Himalayas 17. Garo Hills ER (31.10.01) 3,500
Sub total 3,500
VI Karnataka Nilgiri – 18. Mysore ER (25.11.02) 8,056
I Karnataka Eastern Ghat 19. Dandeli ER (26.03.2015) 2,321
Kerala 20. Wayanad ER (2.4.02) 1,200
Tamil Nadu 21. Nilgiri ER (19.9.03) 4,663
Andhra Pradesh 22. Rayala ER (9.12.03) 766
Sub total 17,006
VI Kerala South Nilgiri 23. Nilambur ER (2.4.02) 1,419
II Tamil Nadu 24. Coimbatore ER (19.9.03) 566
Sub total 1,985
IX Tamil Nadu Western Ghat 25. Anamalai ER (19.9.03) 1,457
Kerala 26. Anaimudi ER (2.4.02) 3,728
Sub total 5,185
X Kerala Periyar 27. Periyar (2.4.02) 3,742
Tamil Nadu 28. Srivilliputtur ER(19.9.03) 1,249
Sub total 4,991
XI Uttarakhand North India 29. Shivalik ER (28.10.02) 5,405
Uttar Pradesh 30. Uttar Pradesh ER (9.9.09) 744
Sub total 6,149
TOTAL 65,507

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

107
 Statement 5.3: Estimated number of tiger in States and Landscapes of India
State Tiger Population
2006 2010 2014 2018
Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains Landscape
Bihar 10 (7-13) 8 28(25-31) 31 (26 - 37)
Uttarakhand 178 (161-195) 227 (199-256) 340 (299-381) 442 (393 - 491)
Uttar Pradesh 109 (91-127) 118 (113-124) 117 (103-131) 173 (148 - 198)
Shivalik-Gangetic 297 (259-335) 353(320-388) 485 (427-543) 646 (567 - 726)
Central Indian Landscape and Eastern Ghats
Andhra Pradesh 95 (84-107) 72 (65-79) 68 (58-78) 48 (40 - 56)#
Telangana - - - 26 (23 - 30)#
Chhattisgarh 26 (23-28} 26 (24-27) 46 (39-53)* 19 (18 - 21)
Jharkhand - 10 (6-14) 3* 5
Madhya Pradesh 300 (236-364) 257 (213-301) 308 (264-352)* 526 (441 - 621)
Maharashtra 103 (76-131) 168 (155-183) 190 (163-217)* 312 (270 - 354)
Odisha 45 (37-53) 32 (20-44) 28 (24-32)* 28 (26 - 30)
Rajasthan 32 (30-35) 36 (35-37) 45 (39-51) 69 (62 - 76)
Central India & Eastern 1,033 (885-
601 (486-718) 601 (518-685) 688 (596-780)
Ghats 1,193)
Western Ghats Landscape
Goa - - 5* 3
Karnataka 290 (241-339) 300 (280-320) 406 (360-452) 524 (475 - 573)
Kerala 46 (39-53) 71 (67-75) 136 (119-150) 190 (166 - 215)
Tamil Nadu 76 (56-95) 163 (153-173) 229 (201-253) 264 (227 - 302)
981 (871 -
Western Ghats 402 (336-487) 534 (500-568) 776 (685-861)
1,093)
North East Hills and Brahmaputra Plains Landscape
Arunachal Pradesh 14 (12-18) 28* 29*
Assam 70 (60-80) 143 (113-173) 167 (150-184) 190 (165 - 215)
Mizoram 6 (4-8) 5 3* 0
Nagaland - - - 0
Northern West Bengal 10 (8-12) - 3* 0
North East Hills, and
100 (84-118) 148 (118-178) 201 (174-212) 219 (194 - 244)
Brahmaputra
Sundarban 70 (62-96) 76 (62-96) 88 (86-90)
1,411 1,706 2,226 2,967
TOTAL
(1,165-1,657) (1,507-1,896) (1,945-2,491) (2,603-3,346)
Source: Status of Tigers Copredators & Prey in India 2018, National Tiger Conservation
Authority & Wildlife Institution of India
*: Scat DNA based estimates were also used ; #: For comparison with previous estimates of
Andhra Pradesh, combine population estimate of current Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Note: Numbers in parenthesis are one standard error limits of the mean.

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

108
Statement 5.4: Region wise population estimation of Elephants in India, 2017
Region State Elephant density / km2 Elephant Population
North-East Arunachal Pradesh 0.23 1614
Assam 0.38 5719
Meghalaya 0.16 1754
Tripura 0.1 102*
Nagaland 0.45 446*
West Bengal (North 0.25 488
Region)
Manipur 9
Mizoram 7
10,139
East Central Odisha 1976
Region Jharkhand 0.16 679
Chhattisgarh 247
Bihar 25
Madhya Pradesh 7
West Bengal (South 194
Region)
3128
North West Uttarakhand 0.45 1839
Region Uttar Pradesh 232
Haryana 7
Himachal 7
2085
South Region Karnataka 0.67 6049
Kerala 0.32 5706*
Maharashtra 6
Andhra Pradesh 65
Andaman & Nicobar 0.14 25*
Islands
Tamil Nadu 2761
14612
GRAND TOTAL 29964
Note: # The total census figures for West Bengal is 682 (North Bengal (488) + South Bengal
(194).
* Results are based on indirect (dung) count method as direct counts could not be carried out as
informed by State & UTs like Kerala, Nagaland, Tripura and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

109
 Statement 5.5: Number of Protected Areas in India from 2000 to 2019

(as on December, 2019)

Wild Life Community Conservation
National Parks Total Protected Area
Sanctuaries Reserves Reserves
Year
Area Area Area Area Area
Number Number Number Number Number
(km2) (km2) (km2) (km2) (km2)
2000 89 37,803 485 1,08,863 - - - - 574 1,46,666
2006 96 38,392 503 1,11,229 1 0.31 4 43 604 1,49,665
2007 98 38,429 507 1,11,529 5 21 7 95 617 1,50,074
2008 99 39,442 510 1,13,123 5 21 45 1,260 659 1,53,846
2009 99 39,442 512 1,13,395 5 21 45 1,260 661 1,54,118
2010 102 40,284 516 1,13,843 5 21 47 1,382 670 1,55,530
2011 102 40,284 518 1,13,999 5 21 52 1,801 677 1,56,105
2012 103 40,500 526 1,14,933 5 21 59 2,013 693 1,57,468
2013 102 40,500 532 1,17,124 19 31 64 2,233 717 1,59,887
2014 103 40,500 535 1,18,291 43 58 64 2,233 745 1,61,082
2015 103 40,500 541 1,18,866 44 59 71 2,549 759 1,61,975
2016 103 40,500 543 1,18,918 45 60 72 2,566 763 1,62,044
2017 103 40,500 544 1,18,932 46 73 76 2,588 769 1,62,092
2018 104 40,501 544 1,18,932 46 73 77 2,594 771 1,62,100
2019 101* 40,564 553 1,19,757 163 833 89 4128 906 1,65,282
Source: National Wildlife Database, Wildlife Institute of India
Note: 1. * Three Button Islands National Parks (North Button Island, Middle Button Island & South
Button Island) of Andaman & Nicobar Islands have been merged with Rani Jhansi Marine National
Park.
2. These data are based on availability of data from Forest Department and Gazette Notification notified
by the Ministries.
3. - Community Reserves and Conservation Reserves have been established in India from 2006 onwards.
Hence these values are zero for the year 2000.

EnviStats India 2020: Vol. II – Environment Accounts

110