Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

With regards to the macro-organisms in India, the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve has 20% of all angiosperm species, 15% of butterflies and 23% of all vertebrates, excluding the marine species, in India are found in the NBR. Such biodiversity is note worthy since the NBR is just equal to 0.15% of India’s land area .

The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) has remarkable number of endemic species. Of the 3000 species of angiosperms known, 82 (27%) are exclusive to this landscape. All species of butterflies endemic to South India are also found in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve except two species (Mycalesis oculus and Ypthima ypthimoldes) that are restricted to south of the Palghat Gap. Amongst the 285 species of vertebrates endemic to the Western Ghat, 156 (55%) are found in the NBR (Table below). Interestingly, of the 25 species of vertebrates exclusive to the NBR, 23 are of fish, amphibians and reptiles.