Biosphere reserves in India.

The Indian government has established around eighteen Biosphere Reserves in India, (categories roughly corresponding to IUCN Category V Protected areas), which protect larger areas of natural habitat (than a National Park or Animal Sanctuary), and often include one or more National Parks and/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. Animals are protected and saved here.

World network

Nine of the eighteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list.

Name States Year
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka 2000
Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu 2001
Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve West Bengal 2001
Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve Uttarakhand 2004
Nokrek Biosphere Reserve Meghalaya 2009
Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve Madhya Pradesh 2009
Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Odisha 2009
Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh 2012
Great Nicobar Andaman and Nicobar Islands 2013
List of Biosphere Reserves

In 2009, India designated Cold Desert of Himachal Pradesh as a biosphere reserve. On September 20, 2010, the Ministry of Environment and Forests designated Seshachalam Hills as the 17th biosphere reserve. Panna (Madhya Pradesh) was scheduled to become the 18th on August 25, 2011.

Biosphere reserves of India (area wise)
Year Name Location State Type Key fauna Area (km2)
1 1986 Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Part of Waynad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Mudumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley and Anaimalai Hills Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka Western Ghats Nilgiri tahr, lion-tailed macaque 5520
2 1988 Nanda Devi National Park & Biosphere Reserve Parts of Chamoli District, Pithoragarh District & Bageshwar District Uttarakhand Western Himalayas 5860
4 1989 Gulf of Mannar Indian part of Gulf of Mannar extending from Rameswaram island in the North to Kanyakumari in the South of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka Tamil Nadu Coasts Dugong or sea cow 10500
3 1988 Nokrek Part of Garo Hills Meghalaya East Himalayas Red panda 820
5 1989 Sundarbans Part of delta of Ganges and Barahamaputra river system West Bengal Gangetic Delta Royal Bengal tiger 9630
6 1989 Manas Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup and Darrang Districts Assam East Himalayas Golden langur, red panda 2837
8 1994 Simlipal Part of Mayurbhanj district Odisha Deccan Peninsula Gaur, royal Bengal tiger, elephant 4374
10 1998 Dihang-Dibang Part of Siang and Dibang Valley Arunachal Pradesh Eastern Himalaya 5112
11 1999 Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve Parts of Betul District, Hoshangabad District and Chhindwara District Madhya Pradesh Semi-Arid Giant squirrel, flying squirrel 4981.72
14 2005 Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve Part of Annupur, Dindori and Bilaspur districts Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh Maikala Hills Four horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis), Indian wild dog (Cuon alpinus), Saras crane (Grus antigone), Asian white-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Sacred grove bush frog (Philautus sanctisilvaticus) align="right" | 3835
15 2008 Great Rann of Kutch Part of Kutch, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Patan Districts Gujarat Desert Indian wild ass 12454
16 2009 Cold Desert Pin Valley National Park and surroundings;Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sancturary Himachal Pradesh Western Himalayas Snow leopard 7770
12 2000 Khangchendzonga Parts of Kangchenjunga Sikkim East Himalayas Snow leopard, red panda 2620
13 2001 Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve Neyyar, Peppara and Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary and their adjoining areas Kerala, Tamil Nadu Western Ghats Nilgiri tahr, elephants 3500.08
7 1989 Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve Southern most islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Andaman and Nicobar Islands Islands Saltwater crocodile.