List of Mangrove Sites in India, Map with Important Facts For Exam

Mangrove sites are found across the world. However, the greatest diversity of species is found in Southeast Asia. In India, 42.45% of the mangrove area was covered in West Bengal, followed by Gujarat (23.66%), Andaman and Nicobar (12.39%). Gujarat had the most increase in mangrove forest cover in the country, covering 37 square miles. The states and UTs with the lowest mangroves are Kerala (9 km²) and Puducherry (2 km²), respectively. The National Mangrove Genetic Resource Center was established by the Environment Ministry for research and development purposes in Bhitarkanika, Odisha.

What are Mangroves?

Mangroves are a kind of littoral plant growth seen along sheltered tropical and subtropical coastlines. Mangroves are shrubs and trees that grow beneath the high-water levels of spring tides and have an amazing ability to withstand saline water. Plant groups known as mangroves can tolerate heat and salt and are found worldwide in tropical and subtropical intertidal zones.

High temperatures (between 26 and 35 degrees Celsius) and heavy rainfall (1,000 to 3,000 mm) are characteristics of these areas. Mangrove species, especially those found in the mangrove forests of India, have a range of morphological, anatomical, and physiological adaptations that enable them to survive tidal surges, storms, and excessive salinity. Mangrove forests are found only in tropical and subtropical latitudes close to the equator. Mangrove forest trees produce a variety of roots, including:

• Prop Roots: Provide support for roots that are immersed in water.
• Air Roots: Air roots are arranged vertically that protrude from the mud.
• Adventitious Roots: They are also called stilt roots, and emerge from the tree’s main stem.

Mangrove Sites in India

Mangrove forests are found in tropical regions of almost thirty countries, with the largest concentration in India, covering approximately 2 lakh square kilometers. The overall mangrove cover of India is only about 4,482 sq km, or 3% of the total mangrove area in the globe.

• The Sundarbans mangroves are the world’s largest single-block coastal halophytic mangrove systems. It is well-known for its crocodiles and Royal Bengal Tigers. Areas of mangroves are being removed here for agricultural purposes.
• The second-largest mangrove forest in the Indian subcontinent is Bhitarkanika, in Orissa, and it is home to hundreds of typical mangrove species.
• Mangrove swamps are found on the intertidal mudflats of Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna-Godavari deltaic regions.
• The development of salt pans and aquaculture ponds is the primary cause of the current degradation of the mangrove forests in Pichavaram and Vedaranyam.
• Mangrove forests are found along the intertidal zone of estuaries and creeks in Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka on the western coast of India. They are primarily scrubby and deteriorated.
• Kerala’s coastline region has extremely thin and sparse mangrove forest vegetation. Mangroves are primarily found in Gujarat in the Kori Creek and the Gulf of Kutch.
• They vary in size from bushy clusters of dwarf mangroves in the Gulf of Kutch to more tall clusters in the Sunderbans.
• There are tiny tidal estuaries and lagoons on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands that sustain a thick and varied mangrove forest.

Mangrove Forest Distribution in India (State-wise)

The mangrove cover in South Asia, comprising up 6.8% of the world’s total, has been accounted for by India to the amount of about 3%. Roughly 40 percent of all mangroves worldwide are found in Southeast Asia. India’s mangrove cover has increased over the previous assessment by 54 sq km (1.10%). The mangrove cover of the nation is 4,975 sq km (1.2 million acres), or 0.15% of its total geographic area, according to the most recent data. Over half of all of India’s mangrove-covered land is found in the Sundarbans in West Bengal.

S.No	State/UT	Open Mangrove in Km2	Moderately Dense Mangrove in Km2	Very Dense Mangrove in Km2	Total	Area Increse According to ISFR 2023
1	West Bengal	424.00	692.00	996.00	2112.00	-2.00
2	Gujarat	1008.00	169.00	0.00	1177.00	37.00
3	A&N Islands	49.00	169.00	398.00	616.00	-1.00
4	Andra Pradesh	191.00	213.00	0.00	404.00	0.00
5	Maharastra	232.00	88.00	0.00	320.00	16.00
6	Odisha	76.00	94.00	81.00	251.00	8.00
7	Tamil Nadu	17.00	27.00	1.00	45.00	-4.00
8	Goa	6.00	20.00	0.00	26.00	0.00
9	Karnataka	8.00	2.00	0.00	10.00	0.00
10	Kerala	4.00	5.00	0.00	9.00	0.00
11	Daman & Diu	3.00	0.00	0.00	3.00	0.00
12	Puducherry	2.00	0.00	0.00	2.00	0.00
Total		2020.00	1479.00	1476.00	4975.00	54.00

Total Mangrove Sites in India

The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has published a list of 38 mangrove sites in India as of 2021. (Source: Annual Report MoEF&CC 2020-21). Maharashtra has the greatest number of mangrove sites in a state (10), followed by Orissa (7 sites).

Mangrove Sites in India Map

 The below map outlines the mangrove sites in India:

List of Mangrove Sites in India in Table Format

The following table lists all the 38 mangrove sites in India:

States/UTs	Mangrove Sites
Andaman and Nicobar	North Andaman Nicobar
Andhra Pradesh	Coringa East Godavari Krishna
Goa	Goa
Gujarat	Gulf of Kutchh Gulf of Khambhat Dumas-Ubhrat
Karnataka	Coondapur Dakshin Kannada/ Hannavar Karwar Mangalore Forest Division
Kerala	Vembanad Kannur (North Kerala)
Maharashtra	Achra-Ratnagiri Dev Garh-Vijay Durg Veldur Kundalika-Revdnada Mumbra-Diva Vikroli Shreevardhan Vaitarna Vasai-Manori Malvan
Odisha	Bhaitarkanika Mahanadi Subarnarekha Devi-Kauda Dhamra Mangrove Genetic Resources Centre Chilka
Tamilnadu	Pichavaram Muthupet Ramnad Pulicat Kaznuveli
West Bengal	Sunderbans

Characteristics of Mangrove Forests in India

The following are some of the important characteristics of mangrove forest in India:

• In India, mangroves range in height from 8 to 20 meters. They protect the coastline from the damaging effects of tsunamis and cyclones.
• To filter salty water through their roots, these kinds of forests need a lot of sun radiation. This indicates why mangroves are limited to coastal seas that are tropical or subtropical.
• Because mangrove forests in India can withstand salt, they are also known as halophytes. Thick leaves with glands that secrete salt are also present.
• Mangroves are the ideal example of an ecotone because they grow between the land and the sea, and they serve as a breeding ground for many species of fish that are essential to the economy.
• An Indian mangrove forest has a salt filtration system in place to handle wave action and immersion in seawater.
• Pneumatophores, or blind roots, are a feature of mangroves in India that help them overcome the respiration issue in anaerobic soil.
• Mangroves reproduce by viviparity, which means that seeds begin to develop inside the tree before falling to the ground. This is an important adaptation strategy for resolving the germination issue in salinized water.
• In India, mangrove forests can be found in many different forms. Certain species send their arched prop roots into the water, like Rhizophora. Others shoot up vertical “Pneumatophores,” or air roots, from the mud at the same moment. Stilt roots are atypical roots that protrude above the ground from the tree’s main trunk.

Types of Mangroves in India

Every kind of mangrove that has adapted to the distinct climatic conditions found in India’s wide coastline is found growing there, including:

• Red mangroves: The hardest of the three main varieties of mangrove plants, they are seen growing along coasts.
• Black mangroves: Mangroves known as “black” ones get their name from their dark bark. Usually, they grow higher than red mangroves. Because their roots are more exposed, they can get more oxygen.
• White mangroves: Compared to red and black mangroves, they grow at greater elevations. They typically lack aerial roots. However, when oxygen levels are low due to flooding, peg roots can occasionally grow in an unusual way.

Threats to Mangrove Sites in India

India’s mangroves are threatened by a number of factors, including

• India’s mangrove forests are seriously threatened by pesticide use, industry, home sewage outflow, urbanization, and industrial effluents.
• India’s mangrove forests are also threatened by saltpans and aquaculture.
• In the last thirty years, the Western Coast of India has seen the conversion of about forty percent of its mangrove forests into agricultural land and housing colonies.
• India has lost 40 percent of its mangrove land in the last century, mostly as a result of urbanization, agriculture, aquaculture, tourism, and overexploitation, according to study done by the Indian Institute of Science.

Conservation of Mangrove Sites in India

To preserve India’s mangrove forests, both the national and international governments have launched a number of programs.

• The Indian Constitution was amended in 1976 to include a new section called “Fundamental Duties,” which said that it was the responsibility of all Indian citizens to preserve and enhance the country’s natural resources, such as its forests, lakes, rivers, and animals.
• The National Mangrove Committee was established by the Indian government to provide guidance on the preservation and advancement of mangroves.
• Mangrove forests in India are included in the National Forest Policy of 1988 as a priority area for forestry research, with the goal of effectively conserving and managing these natural forest ecosystems.
• Plants and animals are protected by the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and the Indian Forest Act of 1927. They do not, however, particularly address mangroves; instead, they can be applied to the preservation of India’s mangrove forests’ ecology and biodiversity.
• The Ramsar Convention protects several mangrove sites worldwide, including those in India.

Questions And Answers on Mangrove Sites in India for Exam

1. How many Mangrove Sites are there in India?

There are 38 mangrove sites in India in total. The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has published a list of all 8 mangrove sites in India as of 2021. (Source: Annual Report MoEF&CC 2020-21). Maharashtra has the greatest number of mangrove sites in a state (10), followed by Orissa (7 sites).

2. Which is the 2nd Largest Mangrove in India?

Located in Odisha, Bhitarkanika is the second largest mangrove forest in India. The Brahmani and Baitarani rivers’ two deltas combine to form the forest. It is among India’s most important Ramsar wetlands.

3. Which is the first Largest Mangrove in India?

Located on the Bay of Bengal’s delta, the Sundarbans mangrove forest spans 140,000 hectares and is among the world’s largest mangrove forests. It is formed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers.

4. Which Place of India is Famous for Mangroves?

Sundarbans Mangroves, West Bengal is the most famous mangrove in India. The Sundarbans Forest covers portions of West Bengal and Bangladesh, our neighbor, and covers an area of roughly 10,000 square kilometers.

5. Which is the Third Largest Mangrove Forest in India?

In Andhra Pradesh, India, there is an estuary called Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary that is close to Kakinada. With 24 different varieties of mangrove trees and over 120 different bird species, it is the third largest mangrove forest length in all of India.

6. Which Country has Largest Mangrove Area?

Indonesia has largest mangrove area having 23,143 km², followed by Brazil (7663 km²) and India (4992 km²).