Natural Vegetation, Forests & Wildlife

Introduction

India is one of the world’s most biologically diverse countries. It has 12 major forest types, covering a huge range of landscapes — from tropical rainforests in the Western Ghats to alpine meadows in the Himalayas, from dry thorn forests in Rajasthan to mangroves in the Sundarbans.

This chapter covers three areas that NDA tests regularly:

• Types of natural vegetation and which forests cover the most area
• Forest cover data — which states have the most forests
• Protected areas — national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, tiger reserves, biodiversity hotspots, and Ramsar sites

These questions reward students who have worked with maps and have a clear geographic sense of where each forest, reserve, or park is located.

Understand the Topic

Factors Affecting Natural Vegetation

The type of vegetation that grows in an area depends on:

• Rainfall — the most important factor. More rain = denser, taller forests.
• Temperature — determines whether forests are tropical or temperate.
• Altitude — as you go higher, vegetation changes from forests to scrub to grass to bare rock.
• Soil — different soils support different plants.

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Types of Natural Vegetation in India

India has six main types of natural vegetation:

1. Tropical Evergreen Forests
2. Tropical Deciduous Forests (Moist and Dry)
3. Tropical Thorn Forests
4. Mangrove Forests (Tidal Forests)
5. Montane (Mountain) Forests
6. Alpine Forests

1. Tropical Evergreen Forests

Rainfall needed: More than 200 cm per year. [NDA tested via CDS]

Where found:

• Western Ghats — Kerala, Karnataka, Goa
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• Northeastern states — Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh

Characteristics:

• Trees are tall and dense — canopy closes out sunlight
• Trees do NOT shed leaves all at once — always appear green
• Very diverse — many species per hectare
• Difficult to exploit commercially — trees of many species mixed together

Key trees: Ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber, cinchona [NDA tested via CDS]

Tropical evergreen forests are found in the Western Ghats — NOT the Eastern Ghats. [NDA 2006-I]

2. Tropical Deciduous Forests

These are the most widespread forests in India. They shed their leaves during the dry season (usually summer) to conserve water.

Two subtypes:

Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests:

• Rainfall: 100–200 cm per year [NDA tested via CDS]
• Where found: Shiwalik Hills, foothills of Himalayas, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, eastern Maharashtra
• Key trees: Teak, sal, bamboo, shisham, sandalwood
• Sal is the typical species of tropical monsoon (moist deciduous) forests [NDA tested via CDS]
• Shisham is found in moist deciduous forests [NDA tested via CDS]

Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests:

• Rainfall: 50–100 cm per year [NDA tested via CDS]
• Where found: Drier parts of the Deccan Plateau, Rajasthan borders, UP and Bihar plains
• Key trees: Teak, sal, peepal, neem, palas

Tropical deciduous forests cover the MAXIMUM area in India. Of these, the Tropical Dry Deciduous type covers more area than the Moist Deciduous type. [NDA 2008-II | NDA 2021-I | NDA tested via CDS]

Sequence of tropical forests from largest to smallest area in India:
Dry Deciduous → Moist Deciduous → Wet Evergreen → Semi-evergreen. [NDA 2012-I]

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3. Tropical Thorn Forests

Rainfall needed: Less than 50 cm per year. [NDA tested via CDS]

Where found: Rajasthan, Gujarat, UP, Haryana, Punjab — very dry regions

Characteristics:

• Trees are small with thorns
• Leaves are thick and waxy — to reduce water loss
• Plants include acacia, euphorbias, cactus-like plants

Haryana and Punjab have tropical thorny forest as their normal vegetation type. [NDA 2015-II]

4. Mangrove Forests (Tidal Forests)

Where found: Coastal areas — river deltas, estuaries, tidal mudflats

Characteristics:

• Grow in saltwater — between sea and land
• Trees have special roots (prop roots, stilt roots) that stick out of the mud
• Dense and tangled — difficult to enter
• Protect coasts from storms and erosion

Sundarbans in West Bengal/Bangladesh = world’s largest mangrove forest.

Mangrove vegetation type corresponds to coastal/tidal areas. [NDA 2010-I]

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5. Montane (Mountain) Forests

As you go higher in the Himalayas, vegetation changes with altitude:

Altitude Zone	Vegetation	Key Trees
Foothills (up to 1,000 m)	Tropical deciduous	Sal, bamboo
Lower Himalayas (1,000–2,000 m)	Subtropical	Oak, chestnut
Mid Himalayas (2,000–3,000 m)	Temperate	Oak, rhododendron, deodar, pine
Higher Himalayas (3,000–4,000 m)	Alpine	Silver fir, juniper, birch
Above 4,000 m	Alpine meadows (Bugyals)	Grasses, mosses

Himalayan vegetation varies according to both altitude AND climatic conditions — TRUE. [NDA 2011-I]

There are NOT two types of tropical forests in the Himalayas — the Himalayas have a range from subtropical to alpine, not just two types. Statement “there are mainly two types of tropical forests in the Himalayas” is WRONG. [NDA 2011-I]

Tree species found on the Himalayas: Oak and Rhododendron are found on the Himalayas. Rosewood is NOT a Himalayan species — it is found in tropical evergreen forests of the Western Ghats. [NDA 2023-I]

Deodar is a coniferous species — TRUE. [NDA tested via CDS]

Walnut is found in Himalayan moist forests. [NDA tested via CDS]

Birch is found in Alpine forests (highest zone of Himalayas). [NDA tested via CDS]

Shola forests: Shola forests are special patches of subtropical montane forests found in the high valleys (above 1,500 m) of the Nilgiri Hills in South India — NOT in the upper reaches of the Himalayas. [NDA tested via CDS]

6. Alpine Forests and Meadows

Found above the treeline in the Himalayas. Consists of low shrubs, grasses, mosses, and sedges. Used for seasonal grazing (transhumance).

Himalayan meadows are suitable for transhumance — TRUE. This is because seasonal movement of livestock to high pastures in summer and back to lower valleys in winter is traditional practice. Transport facilities being good is NOT the reason — the reason is the availability of seasonal pasture. [NDA tested via CDS]

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Vegetation Sequence — Assam Valley to Rajasthan Plains

Moving from the wet east (Assam) to the dry west (Rajasthan), you pass through progressively drier vegetation:

Tropical Wet Evergreen → Tropical Moist Deciduous → Tropical Dry Deciduous → Tropical Thorn Forest [NDA 2009-II]

Vegetation sequence from Bikaner to Konark by road:
Bikaner is in western Rajasthan (desert). Konark is in Odisha (coast/mangrove).
Sequence: Desert → Tropical Thorny → Moist Deciduous → Mangrove [NDA tested via CDS]

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Rainfall and Vegetation — Matching:

Vegetation Type	Annual Rainfall
Tropical Evergreen	More than 200 cm
Tropical Moist Deciduous	100–200 cm
Tropical Dry Deciduous	50–100 cm
Arid/Thorn Forests	Less than 50 cm

[NDA tested via CDS]

Vegetation Type Matching:

Place	Vegetation Type
Western Ghats	Tropical Evergreen [NDA 2015-II]
Himachal Pradesh	Himalayan Moist Forest [NDA 2015-II]
Haryana and Punjab	Tropical Thorny Forest [NDA 2015-II]
Chota Nagpur Plateau	Tropical Moist Deciduous [NDA 2015-II]
Madhya Pradesh	Teak (Moist Deciduous) [NDA 2010-I]
Rajasthan	Scrub/Thorn vegetation [NDA 2010-I]
Arunachal Pradesh	Coniferous/Montane [NDA 2010-I]
Karnataka (coastal)	Mangrove [NDA 2010-I]

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Plant-Vegetation Matching:

Plant	Vegetation Type
Ebony	Tropical Evergreen [NDA tested via CDS]
Shisham	Moist Deciduous [NDA tested via CDS]
Walnut	Himalayan Moist [NDA tested via CDS]
Birch	Alpine [NDA tested via CDS]
Sal	Tropical Monsoon (Moist Deciduous) [NDA tested via CDS]
Teak	Tropical Moist Deciduous
Casuarina	Eastern coast of Tamil Nadu [NDA tested via CDS]

Casuarina is largely found along the coastal region of Tamil Nadu — TRUE. [NDA tested via CDS]

Forest Cover in India

Important facts:

State with largest total forest area: Madhya Pradesh. [NDA 2017-II]

State with highest percentage of forest to total area: Mizoram. [NDA tested via CDS]

Top three states by total forest area: Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh. Maharashtra is NOT in the top three. [NDA tested via CDS]

Decreasing order of total forest area:
Madhya Pradesh → Arunachal Pradesh → Chhattisgarh → Odisha → Maharashtra. [NDA 2016-II]

Decreasing order of forest as percentage of state area:
Kerala → Karnataka → Odisha → Andhra Pradesh (approximately). [NDA 2017-II]

The state with the largest forest area to its total land area = Mizoram. [NDA tested via CDS]

Forest Survey of India (FSI) is located in Dehradun. [NDA tested via CDS]

National Forestry Action Plan aims to bring 33% of land under tree cover. [NDA tested via CDS]

Forest cover changes 2011–2021:

• Overall forest cover in India INCREASED between 2011 and 2021.
• However, Moderately dense forest (canopy density 40–70%) DECREASED during this period. [NDA tested via CDS]

Protected Areas of India

Three main categories of protected areas:

National Park:

• Highest protection status
• No human activity (including grazing) is allowed inside
• People are NOT an integral part of the system — statement “people are an integral part of national parks” is WRONG [NDA tested via CDS]

Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Some human activities are permitted (like forest produce collection by local communities)
• Concerned with conservation of particular species — TRUE [NDA tested via CDS]

Biosphere Reserve:

• Multipurpose protected areas to preserve genetic diversity in ecosystems
• Has three zones: Core, Buffer, Transition
• People CAN live in the transition zone
• UNESCO launched the Man and Biosphere Programme in 1971 [NDA tested via CDS]
• Biosphere reserves promote research on ecological conservation — TRUE [NDA tested via CDS]
• Statement “Biosphere reserves are connected with the habitat of a particular wild animal” is WRONG — that describes wildlife sanctuaries [NDA tested via CDS]

Important National Parks:

National Park	State	Known For
Jim Corbett National Park	Uttarakhand	Oldest NP in India; first tiger reserve; originally called Hailey NP [NDA tested via CDS]
Nanda Devi NP	Uttarakhand	Near Chamoli [NDA 2007-I]
Valley of Flowers	Uttarakhand	Alpine flowers; UNESCO World Heritage Site
Kaziranga NP	Assam	One-horned rhinoceros
Manas NP	Assam	Tiger reserve; UNESCO World Heritage Site
Sundarbans NP	West Bengal	Royal Bengal Tiger; mangroves; UNESCO WHsite
Kanha NP	Madhya Pradesh	Barasingha (swamp deer); tiger; Tropical Moist Forests [NDA tested via CDS]
Pench NP	MP/Maharashtra	Tiger; inspiration for Jungle Book
Panna NP	Madhya Pradesh	Tiger reserve
Ranthambore NP	Rajasthan	Tiger
Sariska NP	Rajasthan	Tiger
Gir NP	Gujarat	Asiatic lion — only wild habitat
Periyar NP	Kerala	Tiger; elephant; Periyar Lake
Silent Valley NP	Kerala	Tropical rainforest; no dams allowed [NDA 2015-I]
Bandipur NP	Karnataka	Tiger; elephant
Nagarhole NP	Karnataka	Tiger; elephant
Dudhwa NP	Uttar Pradesh	Tiger; swamp deer
Simlipal NP	Odisha	Tiger
Keibul Lamjao NP	Manipur	World’s only floating national park; Sangai deer
Indravati NP	Chhattisgarh	Wild buffalo; tiger
Kuno NP	Madhya Pradesh	Cheetahs introduced from Namibia [NDA tested via CDS]
Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam	Andhra Pradesh/Telangana	Largest tiger reserve in India by core area [NDA 2018-I]
Mahatma Gandhi Marine NP	Port Blair, A&N Islands	Marine national park [NDA tested via CDS]

Jim Corbett National Park:

Jim Corbett National Park:

• Oldest national park in India — TRUE
• One of nine tiger reserves created at launch of Project Tiger in 1973 — TRUE
• Initially named Hailey National Park — TRUE
  All three statements are correct. [NDA tested via CDS]

Cheetahs from Namibia were introduced at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh. [NDA tested via CDS]

Nanda Devi National Park is located near Chamoli in Uttarakhand. [NDA 2007-I]

Kanha National Park belongs to the Tropical Moist Forests biogeographical area. [NDA tested via CDS]

Largest tiger reserve in India by core area = Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh/Telangana. [NDA 2018-I]

Correct order of tiger reserves North to South:
Corbett → Sariska → Simlipal → Periyar. [NDA 2017-I]

Tiger Reserve-State Matching:

• Indravati = Chhattisgarh
• Periyar = Kerala
• Simlipal = Odisha
• Bandipur = Karnataka [NDA tested via CDS]

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Important Wildlife Sanctuaries:

Sanctuary	State
Chandra Prabha	Uttar Pradesh [NDA 2015-I]
Silent Valley	Kerala [NDA 2015-I]
Valley of Flowers	Uttarakhand [NDA 2015-I]
Indravati	Chhattisgarh [NDA 2015-I]
Periyar	Kerala
Dachigam	J&K (Kashmir Stag/Hangul)
Sariska	Rajasthan
Kanha	Madhya Pradesh
Ranganathittu	Karnataka [NDA tested via CDS]

Correct sequence from South to North:
Periyar → Kanha → Dachigam (Sariska actually lies between Kanha and Dachigam geographically). [NDA tested via CDS]

Wildlife sanctuaries are concerned with conservation of particular species — TRUE. [NDA tested via CDS]

Biosphere Reserves:

Biosphere Reserve	State
Nilgiri	Tamil Nadu/Karnataka/Kerala — spread over three states [NDA tested via CDS]
Gulf of Mannar	Tamil Nadu
Sundarbans	West Bengal
Nanda Devi	Uttarakhand (NOT Madhya Pradesh) [NDA tested via CDS]
Nokrek	Meghalaya [NDA 2012-II]
Manas	Assam
Pachmarhi	Madhya Pradesh
Simlipal	Odisha
Achanakmar-Amarkantak	Chhattisgarh (and MP)
Agasthyamalai	Kerala/Tamil Nadu
Seshachalam	Andhra Pradesh

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is spread over three states — Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala. [NDA tested via CDS]

Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve is in Uttarakhand — NOT Madhya Pradesh. Statement saying it is in MP is WRONG. [NDA tested via CDS]

Nokrek Biosphere Reserve is in Meghalaya. [NDA 2012-II]

Biosphere reserves included in UNESCO World Network:
Nilgiri, Nokrek, Panchmarhi, and Seshachalam are in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. [NDA 2017-II]

Sundarbans is included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. [NDA tested via CDS]

Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve comprises islands with estuaries, beaches, coral reefs, salt marshes, and mangroves. [NDA tested via CDS]

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Biodiversity Hotspots in India

A biodiversity hotspot is a region that:

• Has a large number of endemic species (found only there)
• Has lost at least 70% of its original habitat

India’s biodiversity hotspots:

• Western Ghats (and Sri Lanka)
• Eastern Himalayas (Indo-Burma hotspot)
• Sundaland (Andaman and Nicobar Islands region)

Western Ghats is a global biodiversity hotspot. [NDA tested via CDS]

Eastern Himalayas is a biodiversity hotspot. [NDA tested via CDS]

Aravalli Hills is NOT a biodiversity hotspot. [NDA tested via CDS]

Ramsar Sites

Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance — protected under the Ramsar Convention (1971, signed in Ramsar, Iran).

Important Ramsar sites in India:

Ramsar Site	State/UT
Chilika Lake	Odisha — first Ramsar site in India
Keoladeo Ghana NP	Rajasthan
Loktak Lake	Manipur
Wular Lake	J&K (UT)
Tsomoriri Lake	Ladakh (UT)
Sambhar Lake	Rajasthan
Hokera Wetland	J&K (UT)
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu (NOT a UT) [NDA tested via CDS]
Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary	Haryana — Ramsar site + birding site
Sultanpur National Park	Haryana — Ramsar site + birding site
Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary	Gujarat — Ramsar site + birding site
Wadhwana Wetland	Gujarat — Ramsar site + birding site

About Bhindawas, Sultanpur, Thol, and Wadhwana: All are Ramsar sites AND birding sites — TRUE. But they are NOT all naturally formed wetlands — Bhindawas and Sultanpur are man-made. [NDA tested via CDS]

Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary is NOT in a Union Territory — it is in Tamil Nadu (a state). [NDA tested via CDS]

Sustainable Forestry Concepts

Rural forestry: Aims to raise trees on community land and on privately owned land. TRUE. [NDA tested via CDS]

Farm forestry: Encourages individual farmers to plant trees on their own farmland to meet domestic needs of the family. TRUE. [NDA tested via CDS]

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Tamil Landscape Terms (Sangam Literature)

NDA tested classical Tamil landscape classification through CDS:

Tamil Term	Landscape
Kurinchi	Mountainous region [NDA tested via CDS]
Palai	Arid region [NDA tested via CDS]
Neytal	Seashore [NDA tested via CDS]
Mullai	Pastoral region [NDA tested via CDS]