The tropical rain forest of India supports a diversity of plant and animal
species and it's biotic system is constantly being stressed by various human
activities. Rainforests are very dense, warm, wet forests. They are havens
for millions of plants and animals and are extremely important in the
ecology of the Earth. These plants are also very important to people in
other ways; many are used in new drugs that fight disease and illness.
The tropical rain forest comprises Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya,
Nagaland, Tripura, Western ghats, West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar
Islands, which receive heavy rainfall. These areas are covered with
evergreen forests. These forests have three storeyed vegetation. The upper
storey consisting of tall trees which forms the top canopy receiving most of
the sunlight. Trees of lesser height form the middle storey. The thick,
dense and rich environment is capable of providing food and shelter to a
host of animals of all kinds-the ground dwellers as well as tree dwellers.
In the south Nilgiris, Annamalai, Palani hills and
other south Indian ranges have extensive grass land dotted with patches of
dense evergreen forests. They provides shelter to elephants, gaur and other
large animals. Himalayan animals such as tahr, pine marten and European
Otter, live here. The Vegetation and animals of the region show affinity
height with high altitude forests of Assam. The forests of Andaman and
Nicobar islands come under the equatorial belt of tropical rain forests.
They carry one of the most beautiful forest in the world. There are about
200 species of trees of which Padauk, Gurjain, silver-gray etc are
prominent.
Arunachal Pardesh is India's only surviving rainforest. It is gifted with
enormous wealth of wildlife and forested land. Increasing population,
hunting and encroachments has resulted in the destruction of India's forest
lands. Today the North eastern states of India, have become the only region
where Rainforest wealth of India survives.
The highest number of tigers are found in mangrove forest which are found
in Sunderbans delta formed by the estuaries of Ganga and the Brahmaputra.
The animal besides tiger are spotted deer, pigs, rhesus, monkey, lizard,
water monitor, crocodile, crabs and fish . The fish-the mud skipper-can
climbs trees. Weaver ants found here make their nest in the trees. The tiger
here is the most interesting animal which swims in the creeks, preys on fish
and crabs besides spotted deer and wild boar.
