Environmental Science

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE : BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION 145

Table 4.4: Wild Animal Diversity in India

S.No. Class World India % (Age) Endemism

1. Mammals 4,231 372 8


2. Birds 8; 400 1,175 4


3. Reptiles 5,375 399 33


4. Amphibian 2,000 181 62


5. Fishes 23,400 1,693 —


6. Insects 8,00,000 60,000 —


7. Molluscs 1,00,000 5,000 —

Source: Wildlife Institute of India WII, (1993).

Table 4.5: Wild Plants Diversity in India

S.No. Flora World India % of Endemism

1. Angiosperm 2,50,000 15,000 6


2. Gymnosperm — 64 —


3. Pteridophytes — 1,022 —


4. Bryophytes — 2,584 —


5. Algae — 2,500 —


6. Fungi -— 23,000 —


7. Bacteria — 850 —
   8. Lichens — 1,600 —

Source: Biodiversity in India, R.R. Rao (NBRI) Lucknow, 1984.

HOTSPOTS OF BIODIVERSITY

Areas with rich biodiversity and exhibiting high levels of endemism, which are under
immediate threat of species extinction and habitat destruction, are recognized on priority
basis worldwide for conservation practices and are known as hot spots. 12 hot spots identified
world over represent 14% of world’s plant species in only 0.2% of its -total land surface. 12
mega diversity nations (Mexico, Columbia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Madagascar, Indonesia.
Malaysia. India, China and Australia) contain 60-70 % of the world’s biodiversity. Out of the
total hot spots worldwide two lies in India. These are represented by North-eastern Himalayas
(Khasi jaintia hills and the lower Himalayan slopes embracing areas of Arunachal Pradesh,
Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura) and Western Ghats region in the south. These
fall under heavy rainfall zones.

The rain forests of the Western Ghats and the eastern Himalayas consist of very dense
and lofty trees with a multitude of species occurring in the same area. Hundreds of species