Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 2000, in India. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve exemplifies the tropical forest biome and lies within the Western Ghats system, which represents the confluence of Afro-tropical and Indo-Malayan biotic zones. Biogeographically, the Western Ghats is one of the most important regions and a noted hotspot for speciation in the tropics. The biosphere reserve contains unique and threatened ecosystems, including a range of forest systems from seasonal rainforests in the low hills, to tropical montane forests and grasslands in the higher reaches, and moist deciduous through scrub to dry deciduous towards the plains in the eastern end. The region is noted for rich biodiversity. It houses about 3,500 species of flowering plants, of which 1,500 are endemic to the Western Ghats. The fauna consists of over 100 species of mammals, 550 species of birds, 30 species of reptiles and amphibians, 300 species of butterflies, a large number of invertebrates, and many more species that await discovery by scientists.