Western Ghats

The Western Ghats or the Sahyadri mountains are the continuous range of mountains, rising up to the India's Malabar coast. They are one of the world's largest ecological region in India. The Western Ghats run north to south from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu for about 9,941 miles (1,600km)and have the peaks of many different heights upto 8,841 feet. Approximately sixty percent of the Western Ghats are located in the state of Karnataka.

Western Ghats eco regions :

Western Ghats comprises of diverse eco systems, ranging from evergreen to moist deciduous forests. There are numerous peaks and ranges in the Western Ghats that comprises of plenteous dense forests . Some of them are Kalsubai, Mahabalehwar, Taramati, Harishchandragad, Mullayanagiri, Nilgiri and Biligirirangans are.

The highest peak in the range a towering 8,841 ft falls in Idukki. Western Ghats prepare the largest forest area in South India. The major vegetation types are tropical evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, scrub jungles, sholas, savannas including the high rainfall savannas.

Western Ghats Rivers :

Countless small streams, rivers and steep canyons forms the major part of he Western Ghats. Some other important rivers that run either inland or towards the Bay of Bengal include Godavari, Krishna, Bhima and Kaveri. Apart from that Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Tungabhadra, Hemavati and Kabini also flows here. These small rivers and streams are a home to highly endemic aquatic biota with over 100 fish, about 20 per cent of mollusc species, and 100 amphibian species.

Some of the fish species that are declared as threatened includes Malabar batasio (Batasio travancoria), Peninsular hilltrout (Lepidopygopsis typus), six species in the genus Hypselobarbus, and Indian blind catfish (Horaglanis krishnai).

Western Ghats Mountains :

The major hill range that highlight the Western Ghats is the Sahyadhri mountain range. It also comprises of Cardamom hills and Nilgiri Hills that falls in the north western part of Tamil State and Anaimalai hills that falls in the western Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The major attraction of the Western Ghats is the Ana Mudi ( 2,695 metres (8,842ft) is) which is the highest peak in India. Some of the other peaks in the region are Chembra Peak (2,100 meters), Banasura Peak (2,073 meters), Vellarimala (2,200 meters), Agasthya Mala (1,868 meters) and Doddabetta (2,623 meters).

Western Ghats Flora and Fauna :

Western Ghats comprises of some of the renowned wildlife parks and sanctuaries that are popular through out the world. The most important among them is the Periyar National Park, which is home to about 1000 elephants and at least 46 tigers. Than the Nagarhole National Park, Bandipur National Park, Wayanad National Park and Mudumalai National Park are also located in these ghats.

Western ghats are known for the 56 genera of flowering plants, which are considered as endemic. Apart from this there are four thousand species of flowering plants that are known from the western ghats includingCycas circinalis (Cycadales), Decussocarpus wallichianus (Coniferales ), and Gnetum ula and G. contractum (Gnetales).

Amongst the lower plants 320 species of pteridophytes, 200 species of bryophytes, 300 species of algae and 800 species of lichens are known. Western ghats are known for the several endemic species on earth like lion tailed macaques, claw less otters, Nilgiri langurs, Nilgiri Tahr