Western Ghats

The Western Ghats are a continuous mountain range that is running parallel along India’s western coast. The mountain range started from Gujarat and ended in Tamil Nadu covering Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala. The Ghats are a UNESCO World Heritage site often called the Great Escarpment of India. They are one of the eight hotspots of biological diversity due to their high level of biodiversity.

Let us learn more about the Western Ghats in detail.

Western Ghats – Overview

The Western Ghats, known as the Sahyadri Hills, are known for their rich and unique flora and fauna. The range is called Sahyadri in northern Maharashtra and Sahya Parvatham in Kerala. The northern portion of the narrow coastal plain between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea is known as the Konkan Coast. The Central part is called Kanara and the southern portion is the Malabar region or coast. The foothill region east of the Ghats in Maharashtra is called Desh, while the eastern foothills of central Karnataka are known as Malanadu. The range is called Nilgiri Malai in Tamil Nadu.

The Western Ghats extend from the Satpura Range in the north, go past Goa, through Karnataka, and into Kerala and Tamil Nadu end at Kanyakumari. These mountains cover an area of around 1,40,000 square kilometers in a 1,600-kilometer-long stretch. The Niligiri ranges southeast of Mysore in Karnataka, meet the Shevaroys and Tirumala range farther east, linking the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats.

Area covered	1,40,000 square kilometer
Length	1,600 kilometer
Also called	Sahyadri hills
Fauna	Nilgiri marten, brown palm civet, leopard cat, torrent frogs, etc
Flora	Rosewood, Mahogany, Cedar, Teak, Sal, Shisham, etc
Rivers	Periyar, Bharatapuzha, Godavari, Krishna, etc

Western Ghats- Recent News

Some latest updates on Western Ghats are as follows:

1. Koyna region of Western Ghats is in news after National Geophysical Research Institute has reported that the region witnessed significant warming of 0.6 to 1 degree centigrade over last 100 years.
2. Torrent frogs, which are also known as Dancing frogs are endemic in western ghats.
3. New species of flies called Singanallur Tank have been registered.
4. A new species of plant called Echinops sahyadricus have been discovered in northern Western Ghats.

Western Ghats as Biodiversity Hotspot

The Western Ghats, a mountain range along the western coast of India, is renowned as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots due to its exceptional richness and diversity of flora and fauna. Here are some key points highlighting why the Western Ghats is considered a biodiversity hotspot:

1. Species Richness: The Western Ghats is home to an incredibly diverse array of plant and animal species, many of which are endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else on Earth. The region harbors a significant proportion of India’s biodiversity, with numerous species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and plants.
2. Endemism: The Western Ghats has a high level of endemism, with many species evolved in isolation within the region due to its unique geological history and isolation from other mountain ranges. It is estimated that over 30% of the plant species in the Western Ghats are endemic.
3. Habitat Diversity: The Western Ghats encompass a wide range of habitats, including tropical and subtropical moist forests, montane rainforests, grasslands, sholas (tropical montane cloud forests), wetlands, and freshwater ecosystems. This diverse array of habitats supports a rich variety of life forms adapted to different environmental conditions.
4. Ecosystem Services: The biodiversity of the Western Ghats provides crucial ecosystem services such as water regulation, soil fertility, pollination, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation. The region’s forests act as vital watersheds, supplying water to numerous rivers, which in turn support agriculture, industry, and human settlements downstream.
5. Conservation Importance: Recognizing its ecological significance, the Western Ghats has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also recognized as one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity by Conservation International. Efforts are underway to conserve and protect the region’s biodiversity through various conservation initiatives, protected areas, and sustainable management practices.

Western Ghats is Also Known As

The Western Ghats are also known by various other names, including:

1. Sahyadri Mountains: This is the most commonly used local name for the Western Ghats, especially in the state of Maharashtra.
2. Sahyadri Range: Similar to Sahyadri Mountains, this name is used to refer to the mountain range as a whole.
3. Malnad: This term is often used in the Kannada language to refer to the hilly and forested regions of the Western Ghats in Karnataka.
4. Malenadu: Similar to Malnad, this is another term used in the Kannada language to denote the hilly and forested areas of the Western Ghats.
5. Ghat Mountains: The term “Ghat” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Ghatta,” meaning a mountain range or hill.

Importance of the Western Ghats

The Western Ghats are older than the Himalayas and are considered an evolutionary ecotone showing the “Out of Africa” and “Out of India” hypotheses. The Ghats also have a major influence on the ecological and biophysical processes of the Indian peninsula.

• The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has defined the importance of Western Ghats as an important hydrological and watershed functions source. Approximately 245 million people live in the peninsular Indian states that receive most of their water supply from rivers originating in the Western Ghats. The soil and water of this region sustain the livelihoods of millions of people.
• The mountain ecosystem of the Western Ghats influences the Indian monsoon weather pattern. They act as a barrier intercepting the rain-laden monsoon winds that sweep in from the south-west during late summer.
• The Western Ghats play an important ecological function in maintaining atmospheric carbon dioxide and hence have an important role in climate change. Around 4 million tonnes of carbon is neutralized every year by the ghats.
• The Western Ghats is considered one of the eight hottest hotspots of biodiversity. They contain exceptional levels of plant and animal diversity.
• The Western Ghats are home to Vulnerable Tribal Groups. The tribal communities have been collecting non-timbre forest produce (NTFP) from the forest for survival.
• There are several tourist centres that have been sprung up in the Western Ghats like Ooty and Thekkady WS.

Flora and Fauna – Western Ghats

The Western Ghats are home to, various small carnivores like the Nilgiri marten, brown palm civet, stripe-necked mongoose, Indian brown mongoose, small Indian civet and leopard cat. The Nilgiri tahr and the lion-tailed macaque are also native to the Ghats. Dancing frogs called the Torrent Frogs are native to the Western Ghats. There are 24 species of these frogs found in the Western Ghats. Atleast 325 globally threatened species occur in the Western Ghats.

The Western slopes have tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests marked predominantly by Rosewood, Mahogany, and Cedar, while the Eastern slopes of the Western Ghats have dry as well as moist deciduous forests which have Teak, Sal, Shisham, and Sandalwood trees. A team of conservationists from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Sathaye College, and the University of Camerino has discovered a new species of plant, Echinops sahyadricus, in the northern Western Ghats. Overall Evergreen forests, Moist Deciduous forests, Scrub jungles, sholas, and Savannas are the types of forests found here.

Rivers – Western Ghats

Two types of rivers flow through the Western Ghats, West flowing and East flowing. The following rivers are associated with the two categories:

1. West Flowing: The rivers that originate in the Western Ghats and flow west are Periyar, Bharathappuzha, Netravati, Sharavathi, Mandovi, and few others. These rivers are fast moving due to the steeper gradient and short distance they travel. The steepness, makes the Western Ghats useful in terms of hydroelectricity.
2. East Flowing: The rivers that originate in the Western Ghats and flow east are Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri, and many tributaries like Tunga, Bhadra, Bhima, Malaprabha, Ghataprabha, Hemavathi, and Kabini. These rivers are slower moving and eventually merge into larger rivers like Kaveri and Krishna.

Passes – Western Ghats

A few passes can be found in the ghats. These passes connect cities and districts. Some of them are:

• Thal Ghat Pass (Kasara Ghat): connects Mumbai to Nashik.
• Palakkad Gap (Pal Ghat): connects Coimbatore to Palakkad.
• Amba Ghat Pass: connects Ratnagiri to Kolhapur.
• Bhor Ghat Pass: connects Mumbai to Pune via Khopoli.
• Naneghat Pass: connects Pune with Junnar city.
• Amboli Ghat Pass: connects Sawantwadi to Belgaum.

Threats – Western Ghats

The Western Ghats are extremely important from several points of view. Despite this,, they face a few challenges that need to be addressed. The following are the threats faced by the Ghats:

• Mining: Mining activities, often illegal have led to environmental damage and social disruption. This has increased the vulnerability to landslides, damaged water sources, agriculture, hence negatively affecting the livelihoods of the people living in those areas. Sand mining is a major threat in Kerala.
• Extraction of Forest Produce: Communities living near the protected areas in the Ghats often depend on NTFP for their survival and commercial needs. With the rising human population, this is becoming a critical issue.
• Livestock Grazing: Rising number of livestock is causing habitat degradation in the Western Ghats.
• Human-wildlife Conflict: Since the Ghats exist in a human-dominated landscape, human-wildlife conflicts is a common issue.
• Hunting: Illegal hunting because of tradition and demand for wild meat is a problem across the Ghats.
• Plantations: Agroforestry systems in the Western Ghats are all about tea, coffee, and rubber. Oil palms are a recent addition. But over the years, plantations of cash crops have displaced extensive patches of natural forests throughout the Ghats.
• Hydropower Projects: Large dam projects in Western Ghats have led to environmental and social disruptions.
• Deforestation: Turning forest land into agricultural land or using it for commercial purposes like tourism and illegal logging of timbre has affected the biodiversity negatively.
• Climate Change: This has caused big variations in the duration and intensity of rainfalls. It has also led to flooding in many regions in the past.

Western Ghats- Conservation and Protection

To protect the Western Ghats the following laws were made:

• Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972: It provides a legal framework for the protection of various species of wild animals and plants. This also includes management of their habitats, regulation, and control of trade in wild animals, plants, and products made from them.
• Indian Forest Act of 1927: This aimed to regulate the movement of forest produce. It also declares the procedure to declare an area as Reserved, Protected, or a Village Forest.
• Forest Conservation Act of 1980: The act provides guidelines and regulations for the use of forest land and resources to ensure sustainability.

Thereafter certain committees made efforts for the conservation of the Western Ghats:

• Gadgil Committee (2011): It recommended that all the Western Ghats be declared as Ecological Sensitive Areas (ESA) with only limited development allowed in graded zones.
• Kasturirangan Committee (2013): It sought to balance the development and environmental protection. It recommended that only 37% of the total area should be brought under ESA and a complete ban on mining, quarrying, and sand mining in the ESA.

UNESCO and Western Ghats

As per UNESCO, At least 325 globally threatened (IUCN Red Data list) species occur in the Western Ghats. 129 Vulnerable species, 145 Endangered, and 51 Critically Endangered. The list of a number of flora and fauna species that are globally threatened and are found in the Western Ghats is given below.

Type	Number of Species
Plant	229
Mammal	31
Bird	15
Amphibian	43
Reptile	5
Fish	1

Protected Areas – Western Ghats

There are 2 biosphere reserves, 13 national parks, several wildlife sanctuaries and many Reserve Forests in the Western Ghats. The Nilgiri Biospehere Reserve forms the largest contiguous protected area in the Western Ghats. It is comprised of the evergreen forests of Nagarhole, deciduous forests of Bandipur National Park and Nugu in Karnataka and adjoining regions of Wayanad and Mudumalai National Park in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Silent Valley National Park in Kerala is among the last tracts of virgin tropical evergreen forest in India.

List of National Parks in Western Ghats

National Park	State
Silent Valley National Park	Kerala
Eravikulam National Park	Kerala
Nagarhole Tiger Reserve	Karnataka
Chandoli National Park	Maharashtra
Mukurthi National Park	Tamil Nadu
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve	Tamil Nadu
Bandipur National Park	Karnataka
Vansda National Park	Gujarat
Aanamalai Tiger Reserve	Tamil Nadu
Periyar National Park	Kerala
Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary	Karnataka
Anshi National Park	Karnataka

List of Biosphere Reserves in Western Ghats

Biosphere Reserve	Established
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve	1986
Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve	1999

Medicinal Plants – Western Ghats

The Western Ghats is very rich in its medicinal wealth. The forests and hills of this region have about 700 medicinal plants which are used for traditional and folk medicinal medicinal practices. Many plants are exploited commercially for their active enzyme and their commercial value. These plants represent various life forms ranging from lichen, algae, herbs, climber, shrubs, and trees. Medicinal plants are used at the household level to improve the health of the family members ane at the village level by medicine men or tribals. The most common plants like the Mimosa pudica, Hibiscus angulosus, Leucas aspera, Phyllanthus neruri, Calatropis gigantea, Tridax procumbens, Parthenium hysterophorus are all found to have cure for many major ailments like jaundice, asthma, piles, bronchial and blood disorders.

No.	Plant Name
1	Mimosa Pudica
2	Hibiscus angulosus
3	Leucas aspera
4	Phyllanthus neruri
5	Calatropis gigantea
6	Parthenium hysterophorus
7	Tridax procumbens

Notable Places – Western Ghats

The Western Ghats is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes in India and it is also an incredibly accessible region of the country. People tend to visit certain tourist attractions in the western ghats for weekends or if they need a getaway. The following are a few places:

• Thekkady, Kerala
• Coorg, Karnataka
• Yercaud, Tamil Nadu
• Mollem National Park, Goa
• Agumbe, Shimoga
• Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra
• Idukki, Kerala
• Dandeli, Karnataka
• Kalpetta, Kerala
• Munnar, Kerala
• Coonoor, Tamil Nadu
• Vagamon, Kerala
• Valparai, Tamil Nadu

Important Facts on Western Ghats

Here are some important facts about the Western Ghats:

1. Location: The Western Ghats, also known as the Sahyadri Mountains, is a mountain range that runs parallel to the western coast of India, stretching from the state of Gujarat in the north to the southern tip of Tamil Nadu.
2. Biodiversity Hotspot: The Western Ghats is recognized as one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity by Conservation International. It is home to a vast array of flora and fauna, including many endemic species found nowhere else on Earth.
3. UNESCO World Heritage Site: In 2012, the Western Ghats was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its exceptional biodiversity and ecological significance.
4. Ecological Importance: The Western Ghats plays a crucial role in regulating the region’s climate, capturing and storing rainwater, and supporting numerous rivers and streams that provide water for agriculture, industry, and human settlements downstream.
5. Habitat Diversity: The Western Ghats encompasses a diverse range of ecosystems, including tropical and subtropical forests, montane grasslands, sholas (tropical montane cloud forests), wetlands, and freshwater ecosystems.
6. Endemism: The region has a high level of endemism, with many plant and animal species found exclusively within the Western Ghats. It is estimated that over 30% of the plant species and 50% of the amphibians in the Western Ghats are endemic.
7. Threats: Despite its ecological importance, the Western Ghats faces various threats, including deforestation, habitat fragmentation, encroachment, unsustainable land use practices, illegal mining, and poaching. These threats pose significant challenges to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in the region.
8. Conservation Efforts: Numerous conservation organizations, government agencies, and local communities are working together to conserve and protect the Western Ghats. Efforts include the establishment of protected areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves, as well as initiatives to promote sustainable land use practices and community-based conservation initiatives.

Conclusion

The Western Ghats is significant for its diversity and abundance of flora and fauna species. Apart from that the Ghats play an important role in affecting the climatic conditions of the surrounding areas. The regions surrounding the Ghats have a good source of water due to the rivers flowing through the Ghats. Despite being so important the Western Ghats face many challenges like illegal mining, livestock grazing, hunting, deforestation and climate change. The Government had made laws to protect these ghats and conserve them, for sustainability. There have been committees to keep a check on the Ghats. The Western Ghats are a World Heritage Site and need to be protected to sustain them for the future.

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FAQs on Western Ghats

What are the 6 states of Western Ghats?

The Western Ghats traverse through several states along the western coast of India. The six states through which the Western Ghats run are:

1. Gujarat
2. Maharashtra
3. Goa
4. Karnataka
5. Kerala
6. Tamil Nadu

These states collectively contribute to the rich biodiversity and ecological significance of the Western Ghats region. Each state is home to unique ecosystems, species, and cultural heritage associated with the mountain range.

What are the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu?

The Tamil Nadu section of the Western Ghats is known as the Nilgiris.

Which district is Western Ghats in Karnataka?

Some of the districts in Karnataka that are part of the Western Ghats region include:

1. Uttara Kannada
2. Shimoga (Shivamogga)
3. Chikkamagaluru
4. Hassan
5. Kodagu (Coorg)
6. Dakshina Kannada
7. Udupi
8. Belagavi (Belgaum)

Which is the highest peak of the Western Ghats?

Anamudi is the highest peak of the Western Ghats.

Which is the famous biosphere reserve in the Western Ghats?

The Nilgiri Biosphere is the famous biosphere reserve in the Western Ghats.

What is the Western Ghats famous for?

The Western Ghats are famous for its large biodiversity. It is one of the world’s eight hottest hotspots of biodiversity.

Which plant is known as the Queen of Western Ghats?

Taman is the Queen of Western Ghats. It has purple blossoms that make the tree stand out.

Are the Western Ghats a continuous or discontinuous range of mountains?

The Western Ghats are a continuous range of mountains.