Indian Flora and Fauna

India has established 37 tiger reserves (sanctuaries) under Project Tiger to provide protected habitats for the conservation of tigers and their ecosystems. These reserves are spread across various states in India.

These five are the remaining tiger subspecies - Amur/Siberian, Royal Bengal, Indo-chinese, South China, and Sumatran. Three others (Caspian, Javan, Bali) are extinct. African tigers never existed.

The three extinct tiger subspecies are Caspian (P.t. virgata), Javan (P.t. sondaica), and Bali (P.t. balica) tigers. South China and Sumatran tigers still exist (critically endangered), and African tigers never existed.

All statements are correct - white tigers are not a separate subspecies but a rare genetic variant of Bengal tigers, ranging from pure white to white with brown/black stripes, often with blue or amber eyes.

The Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is located on Chorao Island in Goa. It is named after the renowned ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali and is home to numerous migratory and local bird species. It is one of India's important bird sanctuaries.

Begur Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Wayanad district of Kerala. It is part of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot and is known for its rich flora and fauna including elephants, tigers, and various species of birds and butterflies.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Idukki district of Kerala, very close to the Tamil Nadu border. It is one of the few protected areas in Kerala that supports dry deciduous forests and is home to endangered species like the grizzled giant squirrel and star tortoise.

Eravikulam National Park is located in the Idukki district of Kerala. It is most famous for housing the endangered Nilgiri Tahr (a mountain goat species) and was established to protect this species and its shola-grassland ecosystem. Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) has Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kollam has Shenduruny, and Tanur is a coastal town in Malappuram district with no national park.

Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary is part of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and is located in Wayanad district, Kerala. It is a significant elephant habitat and forms part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Idukki has several sanctuaries including Periyar, Kochi (Kochin) has Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary, and Kollam has Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary.

Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Thrissur (Trichur) district of Kerala. It was established in 1958 and is named after the Peechi and Vazhani dams within the sanctuary area. Alleppey (Alappuzha) has Pathiramanal island, Calicut (Kozhikode) has Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, and Wayanad has Muthanga and Tholpetty sanctuaries.

Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Palakkad district of Kerala. It is nestled in the Western Ghats between the Nelliampathy ranges and Parambikulam is famous for its teak plantations and rich biodiversity. Trichur (Thrissur) has Peechi-Vazhani, Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) has Neyyar and Peppara, and Talasherry (Thalassery) is a coastal town in Kannur district.

Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) district of Kerala, about 50 km from the city. It centers around the Peppara dam built on the Karamana River and is an important catchment area. Talassery (Thalassery) is in Kannur district, Tanur and Tirur are coastal towns in Malappuram district - none have a wildlife sanctuary.

Silent Valley National Park is located in Palakkad district of Kerala in the Nilgiri Hills. It is one of India's last remaining tropical evergreen forests and gained fame for the 'Save Silent Valley' conservation movement in the 1970s-80s against a proposed hydroelectric project. Pattanamthitta (Pathanamthitta) has Periyar Tiger Reserve's buffer areas, Payyanur and Panoor are towns in Kannur district.

Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Kollam district of Kerala, bordering the Thenmala forests. It is named after the Shenduruny (Shendurney) River and is known for its biodiversity including the lion-tailed macaque. The sanctuary is part of the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve. Kannur has Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kozhikode has Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, and Kottayam has no major wildlife sanctuary.

Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary (officially Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary) is located in Idukki district of Kerala, on the banks of the Periyar River. It was established in honor of renowned ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali and is home to over 280 species of birds. Kovalam is a beach in Trivandrum, Kollam has Shenduruny, and Kochi has Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary (much smaller).