India has a highly diverse range of natural habitats and ecosystems that support a vast array of species. The document discusses the types and levels of faunal diversity found across India, with a focus on Tamil Nadu. It outlines the number of species found in the state's freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems. The state has several threatened and endangered species, and it is home to two biosphere reserves that support diverse wildlife. Conservation efforts are needed to protect India's rich biodiversity from growing threats.

2. • India is one of the twelve mega-diverse
nations of the World and is a land of varied
fauna. It shows a notable diversity of
habitats, with significant variations in rainfall,
altitude, topography, and latitude.
• It has a great diversity of natural ecosystems
from cold and high Himalayan ranges to
seacoasts, from wet northeastern green
forests to dry northwestern arid deserts,
different types of forests, wetlands, islands,
estuaries and oceans.
INTRODUCTION

3. TYPES OF DIVERSITY
 Species Diversity
 Ecosystem Diversity
 Genetic Diversity

4. • The country has 10 different bio geographic
zones. Every ecosystem has its own unique
representation of species.
FAUNAL DIVERSITY OF INDIA

5.  Tamil Nadu is endowed with a rich biodiversity.
The main natural habitat types are Forest,
Mountains, Rivers, Wetlands, Mangroves and
Beaches.
 Faunal diversity of Tamil Nadu is spread over the
3 major ecosystems - freshwater, marine and
terrestrial ecosystems.
 Dr. K. Venkataraman, Zoological Survey of India,
Chennai has published about 595 species of
freshwater fauna, 2247 species of marine fauna
and 1898 species of terrestrial fauna in Tamil
Nadu.
FAUNA OF TAMIL NADU

6. The faunal diversity of Tamil Nadu includes
• 165 species of fresh water Pisces of which 126
are red listed,
• 76 species of Amphibians of which 56 are red
listed,
• 177 species of Reptiles of which 77 are red
listed,
• 454 species of Birds of which 32 are red listed
• 187 species of Mammals of which 40 are red
listed.
Source: Tamilnadu Forest Department
TAMIL NADU'S FAUNAL DIVERSITY

7. FRESHWATER FAUNAL DIVERSITY
 The major groups of freshwater fauna occurring
in Tamil Nadu is represented in freshwater
wetlands. In general, insects dominate the
freshwater fauna.
 The Western Ghats exhibits a rich diversity of
freshwater fish fauna. Of the 446 primary
freshwater fishes known from India 230 species
are found in the Western Ghats, of which 118 are
endemic.
 A total of 116 species are reported from Nilgiri
Biosphere Reserve of which 11 species are
endemic.

8.  The marine fauna of Tamil Nadu is rich and
varied. 313 species of sponges and 131 species
of echinoderms are recorded. Free swimmers
or nekton are important components of
marine biodiversity and constitute important
fisheries of the world.
 The dominant taxa in the nekton of Tamil
Nadu are fish (527) others being crustaceans
(419), molluscs (336), reptiles (15) and
mammals (29). Majority of the nektonic
species are found in the coastal waters.
MARINE FAUNAL DIVERSITY

9. TERRESTRIAL FAUNAL DIVERSITY
The terrestrial fauna of Tamil Nadu includes
phylum Annelida, Mollusca, Chordata and
Arthropoda. Among invertebrates, insects
dominate the terrestrial fauna.
NEW FAUNAL RECORDS
During 2014, 176 new species and 61 new
records of animals discovered, described and
reported from India (Animal Discoveries, ZSI,
2014).

10. MOST ENDANGERED FAUNAS OF INDIA
Indian Tiger Indian Dolphin Gharial
Indian Bustard Indian Rhinoceros Black Buck

11. Indian Wild AssIndian Wild Dog
Nilgiri Langur Red Panda

12. THREATS TO FAUNAL DIVERSITY
Anthropogenic causes:
Habitat modification
Overexploitation
Innovation by exotic species
Pollution
Hunting
Global warming and climate
change
Natural causes:
Low population
Low breeding rate
Natural disasters

13. BIOSPHERE RESERVES OF TAMIL NADU
 The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) is the
first Biosphere Reserve established in India,
in the year 1986. It is located in the Western
Ghats and encompasses two of the ten bio-
geographical zones of India.
 The fauna of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
includes over 100 species of mammals, 350
species of birds, 80 species of reptiles and
amphibians, 300 species of butterflies and
innumerable invertebrates.

14.  Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve
(GOMMBRE), situated in the southeastern
coast of India extending from Rameswaram in
the north to Toothukudi in the south along
with its marine environment has been
declared as India's first Marine Biosphere
Reserve.
 It is rich in fin and shellfish resources and
number of endemic and endangered species
including the Dugong dugong commonly
referred to as the sea cow.

15.  Imparting Environmental Education
 Conservation through Biotechnology
 Promoting Eco-tourism
 Implementing Project Tiger and Project Elephant
 Man and Biosphere Programme
 'Eco-development' for in situ conservation
 Biosphere Reserves
C0NSERVATION OF FAUNAL DIVERSITY

16. C0NCLUSION
 In the last few decades we have
seen a steady increase in the
extinction rate of fauna all over
world including India and so
now, conservation of faunal
diversity is of importance.
 Biodiversity conservation serves
as an insurance policy for the
future.

17. Presented by
S.Priya M.Sc., M.Phil.,
Ph.D., Research Scholar,
Department of Zoology,
Queen Mary’s College