India is home to 18 Biosphere Reserves (BRs). The reserves are representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large area of terrestrial or coastal/marine ecosystems. Globally there are 621 BRs from 117 countries included so far.

The national Government is responsible for nominating Biosphere Reserves (BRs) if they meet a minimal set of criteria and adhere to minimal set of conditions under the Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme of UNESCO. Biosphere Reserves (BRs) are special environments for both people and the nature and are living examples of how human beings and nature can peacefully co-exist and respect each other’s needs.

List of Biosphere Reserves

1. Cold Desert

7,770sqkm

Designated on 28.08.2009

Part of Pin Valley National Park and surroundings; Chandratal & Sarchu; and Kibber Wildlife      sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh.

Key fauna include Snow Leopard

2.  Nanda Devi

 5860.69sqk

Designated on 18.01.1988

Part of Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Almora districts in Uttarakhand.

 Key fauna include Himalayan Snow Leopard

3. Khangchendzonga

2931.12sqkm

Designated on 07.02.2000

Part of North and West districts in Sikkim.

Key fauna include Snow Leopard, Red Panda

4. Dehang-Dibang

5111.5sqkm

Designated on 02.09.1998

Part of Upper Siang, West Siang and Dibang Valley districts in Arunachal Pradesh.

Key fauna include red panda, binturong

5. Manas

2837sqkm

Designated on 14.03.1989

Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamprup and Darang districts in A

Key fauna include Golden Langur, Red Pa

6. Nokrek

820 sqkm

Designated on 01.09.1988

Part of East, West and South Garo Hill districts in Meghalaya.

Key fauna include Red Panda

7. Dibru-Saikhova

765sqkm

Designated on   28.07.1997

Part of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts in Assam.

Key fauna include Golden Langur

8. Panna

2998.98sqkm

Designated on   25.08.2011

Part of Panna and Chhattarpur districts in Madhya Pradesh

Key fauna include Tiger, Chital, Chinkara, Sambhar and Sloth Bear

9. Kachchh

12,454sqkm

Designated on29.01.2008

Part of Kachchh, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Patan districts in Gujarat.

Key fauna include  Indian Wild Ass

10. Pachmarhi

4981.72sqkm

Designated on03.03.1999

Part of Betul, Hoshangabad and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh.

Key fauna include Giant Squirrel, Flying Squirrel

11.  Achanakmar- Amarkantak          

3,835.51 sqkm

Designated on 30.03.2005

Part of Anuppur and Dindori districts of Madhya Pradesh and Bilaspur district of Chattisgarh.

Key fauna include Leopards, gaur, chital

12. Sunderban

9630sqkm

Designated on 29.03.1989

Part of delta of Ganges & Brahamaputra river system in West Bengal.

Key fauna include Royal Bengal Tiger

13. Similipal

4374sqkm

Designated on 21.06.1994

Part of Mayurbhanj district in Orissa.

Key fauna include Gaur, Royal Bengal Tiger, Wild Elephant

Biosphere Reserves

14. Seshachalam

4755.997sqkm

Designated on   20.09.2010

Part of Seshachalam hill ranges in Eastern Ghats encompassing part of Chittoor and Kadapa

districts in Andhra Pradesh.

Key fauna include Wild Dog, Golden Jackal, Indian Fox, Jungle Cat, Sloth Bear

15. Nilgiri

5520 sqkm

Designated on 01.08.1986

Part of Wynad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and

Madumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley and

Siruvani hills in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and

Karnataka.

Key fauna include Nilgiri Tahr, Lion-tailed macaque

16.  Agasthyamalai

3500.36sqkm

Designated on   12.11.2001

Part of Thirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts in Tamil Nadu and Thiruvanthapuram, Kollam

and Pathanmthitta districts in Kerala.

Key fauna include Nilgiri Tahr, Elephants

17. Gulf of Mannar

10500sqkm

Designated on 18.02.1989

Part of Gulf of Mannar extending from Rameswaram island in the North to Kanyakumari in      the South of Tamil Nadu.

Key fauna include Dugong or Sea Cow

18. Great Nicobar

885sqkm

Designated on 06.01.1989

Southernmost island of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Key fauna include Saltwater Crocodile