AUTHORS : Siddhant Shetty and Rishabh Shetty
INTRODUCTION-
“to walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles”-Mary Davis
A huge thanks to Samarth Sriram for providing the pictures that capture the essence of the western ghats.
One of the natural wonders of the world – The Western Ghats, also known as the sahyadris (Benevolent Mountains) are a mountain range that runs along the western coast of the Indian peninsula, going through the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra and finally Gujarat. The term ‘Ghat’ is derived from Hindi and means “river landing stairs” or “mountain pass”. A UNESCO world heritage site, it has 39 designated national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests- twenty in Kerala, ten in Karnataka, six in Tamil Nadu and four in Maharashtra.
This great escarpment is also home to tens of thousands of flora and fauna, many of which are only found in India and nowhere else in the world. It is very likely that hundreds of undiscovered species peacefully live deep in the Western Ghats. At least 330 globally threatened species call the Western Ghats their home. The region receives almost perennial rainfall because the winds from the neighbouring Arabian Sea climb the slopes of the Ghats from 900-1200m, after a while, the winds become cool and as a result, the windward side of the Ghats receive extremely heavy rainfall ranging from 200cm to 400cm.
The forests have 90% of canopy cover and because of this amidst the vast ecosystem, there exists a smaller ecosystem on the forest floor which is home to endemic flora as well as smaller fauna like the Malabar gliding frog, the small Indian civet or even the cute slender loris.
IMPORTANCE-
The Western Ghats are extremely important for the environment because the area is considered to be one of the world’s biggest biodiversity hotspots.
Now, what exactly is a biodiversity hotspot you may ask, well, a biodiversity hotspot is a biographic region that is both a significant reservoir of biodiversity and is threatened with destruction. In order to qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, an area must meet two criteria’s:
1) Contain at least 1,500 species of endemic plants( plants found nowhere else in the world)
2) Have lost a minimum of 70 per cent of their primary vegetation.
The region is home to hundreds of indigenous tribes, many of whom rely directly on healthy ecosystems for their own well being and survival.
Meet the Soliga Tribe.
They are an indigenous tribe from Karnataka’s Male Madeshwara Hills who have been living in the Western Ghats for hundreds of years. Soliga in Kannada means “children of bamboo” which reflects the tribe’s relationship with nature and their belief that they too have emerged from it. Soligas are natural botanists. They are said to possess vast knowledge about the forest and the native plants present. It is a collective shame that our society neither makes use of their knowledge nor values.
Destruction of the Ghats will mean that we stand to lose the heritage and cultures of tribes like these forever.
If there is another reason to protect the Western Ghats, it is due to the phenomenon of endemism. The Nilgiri biosphere is home to the largest population of Asian elephants as well as home to endangered species like the tahr and fascinating reptiles like the Great Indian Cobra, viper and the dwarf gecko.
It is amazing that the Ghats comprise of an extraordinary sliver of diverse life in a populous country like India.
The Western Ghats are also well known for being a watershed for many major rivers and therefore it is has a vast ecosystem of its own having unique fish, amphibians and molluscs some them found nowhere else on earth.
Amphibians, in particular, are well documented in the Western Ghats as they have direct links with declining climates and environments. Their moist permeable skin makes them vulnerable to drought and change. Hence, they are an exceptional indicator of failing ecosystems.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH HELD –
· The Agumbe Rainforest Research Station is field-based reptile conservation and research organization situated in Agumbe, Karnataka. It was started by legendary herpetologist Romulus Whitaker in 2005.
· The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel headed by Prof. Madhav Gadgil was set up to analyze the effects of the Athirappily hydroelectric dam on the tribes living there as well as the surrounding river basins.
· Various studies on amphibians are held by the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore
· The IUCN(international union of conservation of nature ), as well as the WWF(world wildlife federation ), continue their efforts in saving the region from degradation and depletion.
FLORA AND FAUNA
FAUNA
The Western Ghats is blessed with rich biodiversity. All species from Birds to reptiles and mammals call the forests of the Western Ghats home. 325 of these animal species are globally threatened species.
1. Mammals: 139 mammal species can be found in the Western Ghats, of which 16 are endemic mammals. Indian elephants, Bengal tigers, Indian leopards, Sloth Bears are some of the mammals which are found here but endangered. The Western Ghats serve as important wildlife corridors and form an important part of Project Elephant and Project Tiger reserves. The largest population of tigers outside the Sundarbans is in the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats eco-region has the largest Indian Elephant population in the wild, approximately 11,000 individuals. The critically endangered Malabar large spotted Civet and the endangered lion-tailed Macaque can only be found here.
2. Reptiles: The major population of the snake family Uropeltidae is restricted to the forests of the Western Ghats. The rare Cochin forest cane turtle species can also be found here. The region also has a significant population of the mugger crocodile. Some enigmatic endemic reptiles of this region include the venomous snakes such as the striped coral snake, the Malabar pit viper, horseshoe pit viper and so on.
3. Birds: The Western Ghats host almost 508 species of birds and is a bird watchers paradise.16 species of birds are endemic to the region. The great Indian Hornbill, Malabar grey hornbill, Nilgiri flycatcher, white-bellied treepie, Crimson backed sunbird are some of the enigmatic bird species found here.
FLORA
About 7,402 species of flowering plants have been identified in the Western Ghats. Of these, 5588 species are indigenous and 376 are exotics naturalised; 1,438 species are cultivated and planted. This varies from small shrubs to gigantic trees. Most of the forests are deciduous forests with abundant rainfall. Some rare species have also been re-discovered. A species called ‘Ceropegia omissa H.Huber ', the species was last seen in the year 1916. Before this, it was seen and collected only on two occasions—in 1835 and 1914. These sightings have been made in a narrow region of 50 Km radius in the southern part of the Western Ghats. Another rare plant found is the South Indian orchid species 'Habenaria Wild'.
PROBLEMS
Although the Western Ghats is a rich biodiversity hotspot, it has been facing certain problems. There has been a large scale of felling of trees ever since the British colonial times to meet the timber needs. In recent years a large number of mineral deposits have also been found in these regions. Mineral ores like Iron, Manganese, Bauxite are found in huge deposits throughout the hills of the Western Ghats. A lot of illegal mining also used to take place by the local people. One of the largest iron ore mines in the world, the Kudremukh mines were also found here. Although these mines are now shut over environmental reasons, the scars left by the mines remain till today. Mining results in much higher pollution, deteriorating water and air quality. These mines have left a negative impact on the biodiversity of the region. A large number of damns are also being built in these regions which have resulted in deforestation. Unplanned developmental activities and land use are reducing the evergreen forest cover and perennial streams in the central region of the Western Ghats. Other calamities like floods have also been caused due to the excessive building of dams. Yes, damns are necessary for development, but it should be planned properly before such big projects are undertaken.
RAILWAY PROJECT THROUGH KALI TIGER RESERVE
A few months back the Karnataka Government approved the controversial Hubli- Ankola rail line. This project was being opposed by several environmentalists and other concerned citizens. The Kali Tiger reserve, situated in the Western Ghats lies between Hubli and Ankola. In this reserve 29 species of mammals, 256 species of birds, 8 species of reptiles can be found. The rail line extends to over 168 Km and cuts right through the dense forests of this reserve. For this project, a large amount of forest area has to be cleared. This railway would ruin the home of a large number of animal species like leopards, sloth bears, elephants, foxes and tigers to name a few. The government has also increased the area to be cleared from their last report in 2016 which stated 25%-30% lesser is to be cleared.
CONCLUSION
The Western Ghats is one of the most enigmatic yet marvellous places in the country. Its rich biodiversity has made it an important place not only in India but all over the world. Yet this place today has been facing many problems. Yes, development is needed but not at the cost of the environment. The biggest example is the railway line through the tiger reserve. An alternate railway line exists just 80 km north of the proposed line and a compromise can be made considering the heavy loss of biodiversity. Development should take place in a limited and meaningful manner. The Western Ghats has been the home of a number of plants and animals for years and we hope it remains so in the future.
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