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Conserving the Western Ghats GIS shows the way

by Gyanvitaranam

    The Western Ghats is a unique ecological hotspot, spread across the Sahyadri mountain ranges along the western side of India they separate the Deccan plateau from a narrow coastal plain of the Arabian Sea. The Ghats stretch across six states: Kerala, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat. It has two biosphere reserves, 14 national parks and several wildlife sanctuaries, besides it’s the birthplace of Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri rivers.

    A large number of plants, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals are endemic to the region. It is home to thousands of wild animal species including at least 325 globally threatened species. The region has some critically endangered species of riparian trees, four species of hornbills, rare varieties of fish and hosts migratory routes for Great Indian elephants, big Indian cats and rare species such as lion-tailed macaque, black panther, gaur, wild boar, sloth bear, Indian bison, leopard,....

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