Biosphere reserves of India


The Indian government has established 18 biosphere reserves in India, which protect larger areas of natural habitat than a typical national park or animal sanctuary, and often include one or more national parks or preserves, along with buffer zones that are open to some economic uses. Protection is granted not only to the flora and fauna of the protected region, but also to the human communities who inhabit these regions, and their ways of life.

World network

Eleven of the eighteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme list.
#NameStates/ UTYear
1Nilgiri Biosphere ReserveTamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka2000
2Gulf of Mannar Biosphere ReserveTamil Nadu2001
3Sundarbans Biosphere ReserveWest Bengal2001
4Nanda Devi Biosphere ReserveUttarakhand2004
5Nokrek Biosphere ReserveMeghalaya2009
6Pachmarhi Biosphere ReserveMadhya Pradesh2009
7Simlipal Biosphere ReserveOdisha2009
8Great Nicobar Biosphere ReserveAndaman & Nicobar Islands2013
9Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere ReserveChhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh2012
10Agasthyamalai Biosphere ReserveKerala and Tamil Nadu2016
11Khangchendzonga National ParkSikkim2018

YearNameLocationStateTypeKey faunaArea
11986Nilgiri Biosphere ReservePart of Waynad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Mudumalai, Nilambur, Silent ValleyTamil Nadu, Kerala and KarnatakaWestern GhatsNilgiri tahr, tiger, lion-tailed macaque5520
21988Nanda Devi Biosphere ReserveParts of Chamoli District, Pithoragarh District & Bageshwar DistrictUttarakhandWestern HimalayasSnow leopard, Himalayan black bear5860
31989Gulf of MannarIndian part of Gulf of Mannar extending from Rameswaram island in the north to Kanyakumari in the south of Tamil Nadu and Sri LankaTamil NaduCoastsDugong10500
41988NokrekIn west Garo HillsMeghalayaEastern hillsRed panda820.00
51989SundarbansPart of delta of Ganges and Brahmaputra river systemWest BengalGangetic DeltaRoyal Bengal tiger9630
61989ManasPart of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup and Darrang DistrictsAssamEastern HillsAsiatic elephant, tiger, Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur, pygmy hog2837
71994SimlipalPart of Mayurbhanj districtOdishaDeccan PeninsulaGaur, royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant4374
81998Dihang-DibangPart of Siang and Dibang ValleyArunachal PradeshEastern HimalayaMishmi takin, musk deer5112
91999Pachmarhi Biosphere ReserveParts of Betul District, Hoshangabad District and Chhindwara DistrictMadhya PradeshSemi-AridGiant squirrel, flying squirrel4981.72
102005Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere ReservePart of Annupur, Dindori and Bilaspur districtsMadhya Pradesh, ChhattisgarhMaikala HillsFour-horned antelope, Indian wild dog, sarus crane, white-rumped vulture, sacred grove bush frog3835
112008Great Rann of KutchPart of Kutch, Morbi, Surendranagar and Patan districts; the largest biosphere reserve in India.GujaratDesertIndian wild ass12454
122009Cold DesertPin Valley National Park and surroundings; Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife SanctuaryHimachal PradeshWestern HimalayasSnow leopard7770
132000KhangchendzongaParts of KangchenjungaSikkimEast HimalayasSnow leopard, red panda2620
142001Agasthyamalai Biosphere ReserveNeyyar, Peppara and Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary and their adjoining areasKerala, Tamil NaduWestern GhatsNilgiri tahr, Asian elephant3500.08
151989Great NicobarSouthernmost of the Andaman and Nicobar IslandsAndaman and Nicobar IslandsIslandsSaltwater crocodile885
161997Dibru-SaikhowaPart of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districtsAssamEastern HillsWhite-winged wood duck, water buffalo, black-breasted parrotbill, tiger, capped langur765
172010Seshachalam HillsSeshachalam Hill Ranges covering parts of Chittoor and Kadapa districtsAndhra PradeshEastern GhatsSlender loris4755
182011PannaPart of Panna District and Chhatarpur DistrictMadhya PradeshCatchment Area of the Ken RiverTiger, chital, chinkara, sambhar and sloth bear2998.98

Potential sites

The following is a list of potential sites for Biosphere Reserves as selected by Ministry of Forests and Environment: