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FAUNA OF
MEGHALAYA
Meghalaya ‘Scotland of the East’ is a state located in North East India. The word
meghalya means Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit. It is one of the richest biodiversity spots in
India and maybe even Asia, as remarked by Joseph Dalton hooker a British botanist and
explorerin late 1800’s.It is one of the wettest areas in the world, with some places like
Mawsynram and Cherrapunji receiving up to eleven meters of rain in a year.
The meghalayan ecoregion comprises 30% of the total land in meghalya. It is one of the
most species-rich areas in India, with a rich diversity of birds, mammals, and plants in
particular. The lowlands holds mostly tropical forests, while the hills and mountains are
covered in grasslands and several distinct types of forest habitats, including subtropical
moist broadleaf forests in some of the montane areas above 1,000 metres. The Meghalaya
subtropical forests are part of the larger Indo-Burma biological hotspot with many
endemic species not found anywhere else in the world. Together with the Western Ghats,
Northeast India are the only two regions of India endowed with rainforest.
Therefore protection and conservation of the Meghalaya subtropical forests are
important on a local, national, regional and even global level.
Flora
Meghalaya harbours about 3,128 species of flowering plants and contributes about 18% of the total flora
of the country, of which 1,236 are endemic. Tmber trade forms an integral and vital element in the economy
of Meghalaya. Some of the important tree species, which yield valuable timber for trade, are Khasi pine,
Sal, Teak, and Bamboos. The forests of Meghalaya are a treasure house of valuable products such a timber,
fuel wood, fodder, resin, tannin, gums, shellac, fiber, latex, essential oils, fats, edible fruits, honey and a
large number of medicinal plants. Meghalaya state is also rich in medicinal plant species. Meghalaya
villages have an ancient tradition of nurturing sacred groves known as Law Kyntang or Law Lyngdoh where
medicinal and other valued plants are grown and harvested sustainably, and they present a very high
biodiversity. The natural occurrence of most medicinal plants has decreased due to habitat loss. A total of
131 RET (Rare, Endemic and Threatened) medicinal plant species, including 36 endemic and 113 species under
different threat categories, are found within Meghalaya.
Fauna
◦ The montane ecoregion is home to a diverse mix of birds, with a total of 659 species recorded as of 2017. Some of the birds living here are endemic to the
Indo-Burma ecoregion, and quite a few species are threatened or near threatened on a global scale. The Meghalaya forests are not only important as a
wildlife refuge for birds, it is also important to migratory birds on their long-distance flights.
The subtropical forests presents a diverse range of reptiles, with as much as 56 species of known snakes, in addition to several lizards and turtles. The
Tokay Gecko, among the largest geckos in the world, are here. A and a new species of skink (sphenomorphus apalpebratus) was discovered in the forests
as late as 2013. There are several venomous and deadly serpents too, such as the Green Pit viper and the King Cobra, the longest venomous snake in the
world. Many of the snake species here are elusive (and rare), such as the Cherrapunji keelback, Khasi keelback or Khasi earth snake.
The damp and moist environment of the Meghalaya forests also supports what is the most diverse range of amphibians in North-east India, with a
total of 33 recorded species living here. The two frog species Shillong bush frog and Khasi Hill toad are endemic, and both rare and threatened.
Molluscs are thriving in the moist conditions and are abundant throughout, both on land and in the water, As much as 223 species has been recorded by
science, and many of the land-dwelling molluscs are endemic to Meghalaya. Fresh water molluscs are generally considered a good indicator species
of clean waters, and Meghalaya's waterways are home to 35 species, with a lot of paludomus-snails in the hill streams. Several types of fresh
water snails are part of the hill tribes diet, including the large bellamya bengalensis snails.
Situated between the mighty Brahmaputra in the north and the Barak River to the south, Meghalaya's many waterways are also home to a
diverse range of fish species. 152 known species has been observed as of 2017. Two types of mahseer (neolissochilus and tor) are fished for sport.
The subtropical forests are home to 110 species of mammals, none of which are endemic. By far, most of these species comprise smaller mammals, in
particular bats and small carnivores, and the population of large mammals is comparatively sparse. The Western hoolock gibbons in the forests of
Meghalaya are globally endangered, and also threatened in this particular habitat, but they have a special place among the local tribes who cherish
their song.
Clouded leopard