Answer:
- The variety of living organisms, flora, and ecosystems found within a specific geographical area is called biodiversity. Regions with exceptionally rich yet highly threatened biodiversity are designated as hotspots. This concept was propounded by Norman Myers in 1988. Currently, 36 biodiversity hotspots are recognized globally by Conservation International (CI), a US-based organization.
Mandatory Identification Criteria:
- Species Endemism: The region must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants (>0.5% of the world's total) as endemics.
- Threat Level (Habitat Loss): It must have lost at least 70% of its original primary native vegetation/habitat.
Major Biodiversity Hotspots in India:
- India hosts 16.86% of the global hotspot land area (~2.3% of global biodiversity), comprising 4 major regions:
- The Himalayas: 44.4% of its area lies in India; the remainder spans Nepal, Bhutan, etc.
- Key species: Namdapha flying squirrel, pygmy hog, hangul, Kashmir stag/tahr, red panda, Ganges river dolphin.
- Western Ghats & Sri Lanka: 64.9% of its area lies in India (spanning Gujarat to Kerala).
- Key species: Lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri tahr, Malabar civet, black robin, hornbill.
- Indo-Burma: 5% lies in Northeast India; the remainder covers Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, etc.
- Key species: Ape species, freshwater turtles, rare bird species.
- Sundaland: 1.28% falls in India (Nicobar Islands); the remainder covers Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, etc.
- Key species: Dugong (sea cow), coral reefs, olive ridley turtle, leatherback whale.
Conservation Issues in the Western Ghats:
- Habitat Fragmentation: Severe fragmentation driven by expansion of tea, coffee, and rubber plantations alongside road and rail infrastructure.
- Unregulated Mining: Illegal and unchecked extraction of iron ore and bauxite across ecologically sensitive slopes in Goa and Karnataka.
- Human-Wildlife Conflict: Encroachment into residential areas by elephants and tigers due to disruption of natural wildlife corridors.
- Tourism & Pollution: Unregulated tourism resulting in acute solid waste accumulation and plastic pollution.
Key Conservation Efforts:
Committee Recommendations:
- Madhav Gadgil Committee (2011): Recommended designating the entire Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ).
- K. Kasturirangan Committee (2013): Recommended demarcating approximately 37% of the total area as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), imposing complete bans on mining and polluting industries.
- Global Recognition: UNESCO inscribed 39 serial sites across the Western Ghats as World Heritage Sites in 2012.
- Institutional Framework: Establishment of a Protected Area (PA) network, including Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and Silent Valley National Park, alongside the implementation of Project Tiger and Project Elephant.