Flora and Fauna of Bihar

India is called the melting pot of cultures, with that being said, the flora and fauna of the culturally rich subcontinent are not consistent throughout the country. India has a rich biodiversity, and the rich diversity of flora and fauna in India contributes to a favorable climate. India is gifted with mountains, plains, deserts, rich rainforests, swamplands, islands, sanctuaries and various other ecozones. This rich biodiversity helps to promote Indian tourism. The biodiversity-rich subcontinent has around 45000 species of flora and around 90000 species of fauna. Amongst this flora and fauna, some of the famously found species are pine, fir, spruce, cedar (Toona Ciliata), larch, cypress, Shorea robusta, Diospyros melanoxylon etc.

Biodiversity Hotspot of India

India has rich biodiversity and rich diversity of flora and fauna. There are four major biodiversity hotspots in India amongst the 36 biodiversity hotspots of the world. These are the Indian Hotspots, the Himalayas, the Western Ghats, the Indo-Burma region and Sundaland. Honorable mentions, the Sundarbans and the Terai-Duar Savannah grassland are famous for their unique foliage and animal species.

Himalayas

Driving up the Himalayas is a great experience not only in terms of climate change but also the change in the landscape and the biodiversity. The evergreen forest of oak is filled with broad-leaved trees; the alpine meadows are conifers at much higher elevations as the giant trees cannot grow because of the elevation from the sea level and harsh climate, here only ground-hugging plants thrive. Shorea robusta is native to the Himalayas.

Indo-Burma region

Covering the areas of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos PDR, Gangetic plains, the Brahmaputra river, and parts of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Indo-Burma region is one of the largest hotspots in the world. Apart from the Ganga and Brahmaputra, numerous large Asian rivers provide rich alluvial material to the plains of this area.

Western Ghats 

The Western Ghats is declared a World Heritage Site by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Creatures like tigers, Black Panthers, and Leopards are habituated in the montane tropical rain forests on these slopes.

Sundaland

The Nicobar Islands wear the jewel of housing the Sundaland Hotspot, and it extends under the Indian ocean. Orangutans, pig-tailed langurs, Javan and Sumatran rhinoceros, and proboscis monkeys, only found in Borneo, call the hotspot home. Sundaland is also home to one of the world’s largest flowers, the rafflesia, which measures one meter in diameter.

Bihar Flora and Fauna

Coming from the land of monasteries, the state of Bihar, whose name is derived from the ancient word Vihara(monastery). Bihar is amongst the biodiversity-rich states in India. There are 21 animal sanctuaries and 3 national parks in Bihar, which isn’t that astonishing. The Valmiki National Park covers around 800km squares of the area situated in the West Champaran region of Bihar, neighboring Nepal. The park consists of moist Sal bearing forest, also known as Shorea robusta.

More About Shorea robusta, Diospyros melanoxylon & Toona Ciliata

Shorea robusta

Sal tree, Shala tree, Shorea robusta, Sakhua and Sarai are the family of species of trees in Dipterocarpaceae. Shorea robusta is native to India, Bangladesh, Myanmar in Nepal. It runs from Chhattisgarh, Assam, Bengal, Odisha, Haryana, and Jharkhand in India. Shorea robusta is a timber yielding plant. Shorea robusta stands tall for around 30-40 meters. The type of fluorescence is terminal panicle and winged samara fruit. Shorea robusta is the botanical name of the Sal tree.

Diospyros melanoxylon 

Coromandel ebony or East Indian Eboy are some alternative names of Diospyros melanoxylon. It belongs to Ebenaceae flowering trees native to India and Sri Lanka. Diospyros melanoxylon is hard and has a dry bark. In India, Diospyros melanoxylon is known as tambourine or tendu in Hindi. The leaves of Diospyros melanoxylon are famously used to wrap tobacco to create Indian cigarettes, also known as beedi.

Toona Ciliata

Southern Asia, too, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and Australia are where Toona Ciliata is found. The vernacular name of Toona Ciliata is Tun, toon tree, Indian Mahogany, and Australian cedar. Toona Ciliata is now much cultivated for its timber and as an ornamental tree. It is extensively planted in tropical Africa. Toona Ciliata is a large, fast-growing tree with a dense spread crown.

Conclusion

India is one of the most biologically diverse locations, but it is also the most endangered. Many species found here are rarely seen by humans, such as the Annamite muntjac and Gray-crowned crucial. The biodiversity landscape of India is painted with multiple colors of flora and fauna with a wide range. India is one of the oldest civilizations globally, with a mosaic of multicultural experiences. From the snow-covered Himalayas to the desert of Kutch, the biodiversity in India is incredible. Contributing to biodiversity Bihar is amongst the major states with an incredible range of flora and fauna.