[56] All but one (Tor khudree) of these are endemic to the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats lie roughly parallel to the west coast of India. You must know a little bit more about them and … The South Western Ghats montane rain forests are the most species-rich ecoregion in peninsular India; eighty percent of the flowering plant species of the entire Western Ghats range are found in this ecoregion. The soil is acidic only a thin layer on top of laterite rock underneath. The vegetation and biodiversity values of the Kas plateau as a representative site of the threatened rocky plateau habitat has been discussed by Porembski and Watve (2005) [13] Watve (2007),[14] 2010 [15] One study has been published on the pollination mechanism (Hobbhahn et al., 2006[16] that includes field studies carried out on Kas. [16] It traverses south through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. The Western Ghats must be visited for so many good reasons specially to enjoy monsoon. [1] It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the eight hot-spots of biological diversity in the world. [68] The Western Ghats are home to 174 species of odonates (107 dragonflies and 67 damselflies), including 69 endemics. Kalsubai , a peak in the Sahyadris, near Nashik city is the highest elevated point in Maharashtra. Kaas has more than 850 different species of flowering plants.These include orchids, shrubs such as the Karvy, and carnivorous plants such as Drosera Indica. [70] A total of 77 species of freshwater molluscs (52 gastropods and 25 bivalves) have been recorded from the Western Ghats, but the actual number is likely higher. Talakaveri is the source of the river Kaveri and the Kuduremukha range is the source of the Tungabhadra. [17][21][22] During the monsoon season, numerous streams fed by incessant rain drain off the mountain sides leading to numerous waterfalls. satara.gov.in). Later it bought the land from villagers at a cheap price to set up four 3.75 MW windmills. The purple frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis) was discovered in 2003. Above 1,000 meters elevation are the cooler and wetter North Western Ghats montane rain forests, whose evergreen forests are characterised by trees of the family Lauraceae. [13][14] Roads passing through ghats are called Ghat Roads. The reservoirs are important for their commercial and sport fisheries of rainbow trout, mahseer and common carp. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, comprising 5,500 square kilometres (2,100 sq mi) of the evergreen forests of Nagarahole and deciduous forests of Bandipur in Karnataka, adjoining regions of Wayanad-Mukurthi in Kerala and Mudumalai National Park-Sathyamangalam in Tamil Nadu, forms the largest contiguous protected area in the Western Ghats. Amboli Toad. Kas is very famous for the mass blooming of Eriocaulon spp., Utricularia spp., Impatiens lawii and Smithia spp. A total of thirty-nine areas in the Western Ghats, including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests, were designated as world heritage sites in 2012 – twenty in Kerala, ten in Karnataka, six in Tamil Nadu and four in Maharashtra. There are several species of leeches found all along the Western Ghats.[69]. [7] The small shrubs and trees are located at the periphery of the plateau. Anaimudi (2695 m), is the highest peak of the Western Ghats, which is situated in Eravikulam National Park, Kerala. At lower elevations are the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests, with Cullenia the characteristic tree genus, accompanied by teak, dipterocarps, and other trees. Species that are rare, endemic and habitat specialists are more adversely affected and tend to be lost faster than other species. Geologic evidence indicates that they were formed during the break-up of the supercontinent of Gondwana some 150 million years ago. Ghat, a term used in the Indian subcontinent, depending on the context could either refer to a range of stepped-hill such as the Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats; or the series of steps leading down to a body of water or wharf, such bathing or cremation place along the banks of a river or pond, Ghats in Varanasi, Dhoby Ghaut or Aapravasi Ghat. Fairy shrimps are present in the small pond. Both these are irreversible unless immediate measures are taken. Mullayyanagiri (1,950 m) is the highest peak in Karnataka. [4][5][6] To control possible damage by tourists, the number of visitors to the plateau has been restricted to 3,000 per day. Some of them could be Kerala backwaters, Sahyadri hills, biodiversity hotspots in India, western ghats … It difficult for people from the region has a significant population of the sacred Godavari river ). 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