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d) Bio-geographic provinces.


Bio-geographic Province is a ecosystematic or biotic subdivision of realms. India is divided into 25 bio geographic zones.

Biogeographic classification of India was done by Rodgers and Panwar (1988), describing 10 biogeographic zones in India, further divided into 25 biogeographic provinces. The classification was done using various factors such as altitude, moisture, topography, rainfall, etc. Biogeographic zones were used as a basis for planning wildlife protected areas in India.

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The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has agreed to construct a fourth underpass for animals on national highway 6 (NH-6) between Sakoli and Deori near the Nagzira Tiger Reserve (TR).


10.1.1. Biogeographic zones and Biogeographic Provinces of India



S.No.


Biogeographic Zones (10 nos)

Biogeographic

Provinces (25 nos)

1.

Trans Himalaya

1A:Himalaya -Ladakh Mountains 1B: Himalaya -Tibetan Plateau

1C: Trans - Himalaya Sikkim

2.

The Himalaya

2A:Himalaya - North West Himalaya 2B: Himalaya - West

Himalaya

2C: Himalaya - Central Himalaya 2D:Himalaya - East Himalaya


3.

The Indian


Desert

3A: Desert - Thar


3B: Desert - Katchchh

4.

The Semi Arid

4A: Semi - Arid - Punjab Plains


4B: Semi - Arid - Gujarat Rajputana

5.

The Western


Ghats

5A:Western Ghats -Malabar Plains 5B:Western Ghats -Western Ghats Mountains

6.

The Deccan Peninsula

6A: Deccan Peninsular -Central Highlands 6B: Deccan Peninsular -Chotta Nagpur 6C: Deccan Peninsular -Eastern Highlands 6D: Deccan Peninsular -Central Plateau

6E: Deccan Peninsular -Deccan South



7.

The Gangetic Plains

7A:Gangetic Plain - Upper Gangetic Plains


7B:Gangetic Plain - Lower Gangetic Plains



8.

The Coasts

8A: Coasts - West Coast 8B: Coasts - East Coast

8C: Coasts - Lakshdweep


9.

Northeast India

9A:North - East - Braham-putra Valley


9B: North - East - North East Hills


10.

Islands

10A: Islands - Andamans


10B: Islands - Nicobars


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Wrinkles help elephants keep their body temperature down. Wrinkles increase the surface area, so that more skin becomes wet when the animal bathes. All the cracks and crevices trap moisture, which then takes much longer to evaporate. A wrinkly elephant keeps cooler for longer than it would with smooth skin.