1. 2012 MSBB

2. MEMBERS OF MAHARASHTRA STATE
BIODIVERSITY BOARD
 Dr. Erach Bharucha
(Chairman)
 Hon. Shri. Vijay Khadse
(MLA Umarkhed)
 Shri Praveen Pardeshi
Principal Secretary (Forests)
 Dr. S. W. H. Naquvi
PCCF (WL)
 Shri Anil Digikar
(Secretary, Animal Husbandry)
 Shri Kishore Rithe
( Satpuda Foundation, Amravati)
 Prof. S.R. Yadav
(Shivaji University, Kolhapur)
 Dr. Anmol Kumar
(Mem. Secretary & APCCF (PER))

3. BIODIVERSITY OF MAHARASHTRA
The special features of biodiversity of Maharashtra are
related to the great variability in biogeographic regions.
Northern Maharashtra has primarily The Deccan Plateau consists of a large
large tracts of deciduous teak forest. semiarid grassland ecosystem.
The Western Ghats are hot spots of The coasts have a variety of forest
biodiversity. Its plateau and ridges are types such as mangrove, rocky and
specialized habitats. sandy shores.
Rivers and lakes are important
inland aquatic systems.

4. ECOSYSTEMS OF NORTHERN
MAHARASHTRA
FOREST TYPES OF
VIDARBHA
Dry tropical forests
include tropical dry
deciduous forests.
Sub-group –
Southern tropical
dry deciduous
forests which include
Dry Teak bearing
forests; Southern dry
mixed deciduous
forests and small
patches of Dry Sal
forests.

5. FAUNA OF NORTHERN
MAHARASHTRA
Tiger Sambar
Cheetal
Sparrow hawk Reptiles are a key
component of
ecosystems.
Spider –
a dominant predator of forest
insects.

6. CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF
NORTHERN MAHARASHTRA
KORKUS OF MELGHAT
Korkus of North Tribal village in Melghat
Maharashtra - Melghat
Korku boy with
his calf
GONDS OF CHAPRALA
Gonds of Northern The bullock cart is still the Sacred shrine in a Gond
Maharashtra only viable means of village - Chaprala
transport

7. ECOSYSTEMS OF WESTERN GHATS
Lateritic plateau
Evergreen forest
Semi evergreen forest
Moist deciduous teak forest
FOREST TYPES:
Moist tropical forest, tropical wet
evergreen forest
Sub-tropical broad leaved forest
SUB GROUP Endemic and Endangered flora
Western subtropical wet forest

8. FAUNA OF WESTERN GHATS
Gaur Leopard Barking deer
The Giant Squirrel –
Sambar Racket – tailed Drongo
Maharashtra’s State animal
Chloropsis Sand boa Python
Tree frog Atlas Moth Trap door spider

9. CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF WESTERN GHATS
A pujari in a Sacred
Pounding rice
Grove - Mulshi
Local people are great
craftsmen
Where is the forest? Katkari people are still forest
dependent - Mulshi

10. GRASSLANDS OF THE DECCAN PLATEAU -
SEMI ARID ECOSYSTEM EXAMPLES – NANAJ, REHAKURI, SUPE
Mosaic of grasslands, scrublands and
Semiarid grassland and the
Thorn Forest
Thorn forest
Babool Thorn forest Thorn forest tracts are the habitat
of Chinkara.
Grasses and herbs are important Ground flora
components of regional ground flora.

11. GRASSLANDS OF THE DECCAN PLATEAU – SEMI ARID FAUNA
As grassland are changed
to other forms of landuse
the habitat of these
Wolf animals is lost. Sugarcane, Fox
horticulture and industry
now dominates this
landscape.
Blackbuck Hare
The Great Indian Sand grouse
Buzzard Kestrel
Bustard
Common calotes
Fan throated
calotes Snail and Beetle

12. CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF THE
DECCAN PLATEAU
Dhangar shepherds are Dhangar with flock
proud owners of sheep
and goats
A Dhangar girl with her
sheep corralled in a Dhangar girl with
Dhangars migrate from the Deccan to
typical nose ring
the Konkan coast following the farmer’s field is paid by
availability of grass for their flock the farmer as sheep
dung is an excellent
fertilizer
Traditional jewelry of Dhangars Dhangar boy with his
is disappearing favorite kid

13. AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM AND WETLAND
Spring – Western Ghats Dam Catchment - Vidarbha
Riverine ecosystem – Wetland – Nandur Madhmeshwar
Deccan Plateau
Wetland –
Bhigwan backwaters -Ujjani

14. FAUNA OF WETLANDS AND AQUATIC
ECOSYSTEMS
Aquatic
systems are
River tern feeding chick being rapidly River tern nestling
converted to
other uses or
are being
affected by
pollution.
Greater flamingo Black winged stilt
Pintail ducks Painted stork
Frog

15. CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF WET LAND
ECOSYSTEMS
Community fishing
Overharvesting of
fingerlings
Inland wetlands that are formed in the
backwaters of dams have become lucrative
fishing cooperatives.
Fisherflok are ecosystem Making fish trap that lead
people to overfishing

16. COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS
Sandy Coast Rocky shore
Coastal agriculture – Coastal forest
Rice, Nagli and Varai

17. COASTAL FAUNA
Overfishing
is a major
factor in
depletion of
Fishing eagle all types of Sand pipers
marine
fauna.
Prawns Snails
Jelly fish Octopus

18. CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN
COASTAL AREAS
Marine fish are a valuable Fish prices have escalated as
source of proteins catch is diminishing due to
trawling
Prawns are an important export Small fishing boats permit
product sustainable fishing. Large trawlers
destroy breeding grounds of fish

19. GADHCHIROLI – ‘GLORY OF ALLAPALLI’
A UNIQUE FOREST PRESERVATION PLOT
FOREST TYPE -
Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest
SUB GROUP –
Southern tropical dry deciduous Forest
An important site of
old growth forest acts
as a benchmark of
naturalness.

20. KAAS –
A UNIQUE SITE FOR GROUND FLORA OF
THE PLATEAU S IN THE WESTERN GHATS
Flora of Kaas Plateau contains a large number of endemic
and threatened species.

21. LONAR -
A UNIQUE GEOLOGICAL SITE
Lonar Lake is a
saltwater
ecosystem created
by a meteor impact
during the
Pleistocene epoch

22. SACRED GROVES - UNIQUE TRADITIONAL
BIODIVERSITY CONSEVATION PRACTICE IN
WESTERN GHATS
Sacred groves are
patches of intact
vegetation
preserved by local
people which
constitute
important gene
banks.
Sacred groove degraded by a concrete pathway

23. THE UNIQUE ART OF WARLI TRIBAL
PEOPLE OF WESTERN MAHARASHTRA
Dev Chowk
Warli belt Jiyva Soma Mashe
– the world
renowned Warli
Artist
The sacred Mahalakshmi hill
of the Warli
Painting showing importance
of Biodiversity in warli culture
Rann Bhoot Waghoba
Warli paddy field Folktale about the crab
Traditional Tarpa Dance depicted in art work

24. UNIQUE SACRED SITE –
BHIMASHANKAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Evergreen forest Giant Squirrel Tribal village
The Bhimashankar
Wildlife Sanctuary
is notified in an
ancient sacred site
surrounded by lush
Evergreen forest. It
is a favored habitat
Sacred grove of the Malabar Forest calotes
Giant squirrel.
Collection of local Spider
flora for worship Shiva temple – One of the twelve
important Jyotirlingas

25. IMPACTS ON NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS AND
BIODIVERSITY OF MAHARASHTRA
The wilderness and Traditional hill slope agriculture-
Development in progress wildlife is seriously ‘rab’, based on wood ash
impacted by cultivation
development, over
use and misuse of
natural resources.
Impact of rural Forest loss – Mumbai – Pune
industrialization expressway
Impact of tourism on Destruction of plateau Impacts of pilgrimage
wildlife vegetation – Panchgani tourism – Bhimashankar

26. THE UNIQUE WESTERN GHATS
This hill range known as the “Sahyadhris” in Maharashtra is an
incredible ‘hot spot’ of biodiversity. Its unique features are related to
climate, topography, ecology, flora and fauna.
Topography
Climate
Rugged steep western
High precipitation in a
escarpment with a typical
short period. Hydrology crestline spurs and
Highly varied plateau tops of laterite
hydrological and basalt.
features
Ecology
A complex ecosystem of varied forest Fauna and Flora
types ranging from evergreen to High levels of endemism
deciduous forms which are rich in flora with many endangered
and fauna. species.
Threats
Development projects, dams, ports, roads, mines, and townships
which essentially alter traditional landuse patterns

27. THE UNIQUE WESTERN
GHATS
CONSERVATION INITIATIVES
•Protected areas- Kalsubai, Tansa,
Sanjay Gandhi NP, Koyna,
Radhanagri, Chandoli.
•Ecosensitive zone surrounded of
PAs are still not clearly demarcated.
•Corridors- existing and potential
forests identified but not given
administrative or legal protection.

28. THE UNIQUE “ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE AREAS” OF
MAHARASTRA
Matheran-
Dahanu-
Highly threatened forest
A coastal area of importance
path due to construction
for its forest cover and
for tourism.
horticulture protected
against landuse change and
power plants.
Mahabaleshwar- Panchgani-
Highest rainfall in the Western Ghats supports specialized
evergreen hill forests and plateaus of great floral endemism
damaged by rapid urbanization for tourism.
All Protected area surrounds designated as 10km Ecologically Sensitive
Areas (ESAs) around all National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.