Biosphere Reserves of India : Names and Location

A biosphere reserve is a designated area that aims to balance the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable development, and scientific research. Biosphere Reserves of India often include one or more National Parks or sanctuaries, along with buffer zones that are open to some economic uses. Read here to learn about the biosphere reserves in India. 

Biosphere Reserves are large areas of biodiversity where flora and fauna are protected. These regions of environmental protection roughly correspond to IUCN Category V Protected areas. The Indian government has established 18 Biosphere Reserves of India, which protect larger areas of natural habitat (than a National Park or Wildlife Sanctuary).

Biosphere Reserves of India often include one or more National Parks or sanctuaries, 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.

List of Biosphere Reserves of India

Note: Those Biosphere reserves in bold are part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves too.

Biosphere Reserves of India in World Network of Biosphere Reserves

Nine of the eighteen biosphere reserves of India are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list. They are given in ‘bold’ in the above list.

Differences between Biosphere Reserves, National Parks, and Wild Life Sanctuaries

Biosphere Reserves, National Parks, and Wildlife Sanctuaries are all categories of protected areas aimed at conserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems. However, they have distinct purposes, regulations, and levels of human activity allowed within their boundaries.

Biosphere Reserves are the biggest entity among the three. The level of restriction in the increasing order is Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and National Parks.

The Indian government has established 18 Biosphere Reserves in India, roughly corresponding to IUCN Category V Protected areas. India has over 441 animal sanctuaries, referred to as Wildlife sanctuaries (IUCN Category IV Protected Area). As of January 2023, there are 567 existing wildlife sanctuaries in India covering an area of  125564.86 km².

The National Parks of India are IUCN category II protected areas. As of January 2023, there were 106 national parks in India, and more parks are in the process of getting commissioned.

Recent news

UNESCO has approved the designation of 11 new biosphere reserves in 11 countries. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves now totals 759 sites in 136 countries.

1. Kempen-Broek Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (Belgium, Kingdom of the Netherlands)
2. Darién Norte Chocoano Biosphere Reserve (Colombia)
3. Madre de las Aguas Biosphere Reserve (Dominican Republic)
4. Niumi Biosphere Reserve (Gambia)
5. Colli Euganei Biosphere Reserve (Italy)
6. Julian Alps Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (Italy, Slovenia)
7. Khar Us Lake Biosphere Reserve (Mongolia)
8. Apayaos Biosphere Reserve (Philippines)
9. Changnyeong Biosphere Reserve (Republic of Korea)
10. Val d’Aran Biosphere Reserve (Spain)
11. Irati Biosphere Reserve (Spain)

Biosphere reserves contribute to helping achieve the targets set by States upon the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in December 2022, which includes designating 30% of the Earth’s land and marine surface as protected areas and restoring 30% of the planet’s degraded ecosystems by 2030.