BharatNotes India has 18 notified Biosphere Reserves. Of these, 13 have been recognized under UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme's World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). The most recent UNESCO recognition was for Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve (Himachal Pradesh) in September 2025, making it India's 13th UNESCO-recognized Biosphere Reserve. UPSC tests the distinction between UNESCO-recognized and non-UNESCO reserves, their zones, flagship species, and which other protected areas fall within them.
Structure of a Biosphere Reserve: Core Zone (strictly protected, no human activity) → Buffer Zone (limited research/eco-tourism) → Transition Zone (sustainable use by local communities).
All 18 Biosphere Reserves
| Biosphere Reserve | State(s) | UNESCO MAB | Year Designated (India) | Year UNESCO | Key Species / Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nilgiri | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka | Yes | 1986 | 2000 | First in India; Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, Elephant, Tiger; includes Mudumalai, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Silent Valley, Mukurthi NPs |
| Nanda Devi | Uttarakhand | Yes | 1988 | 2004 | Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Himalayan Brown Bear; includes Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers NPs |
| Nokrek | Meghalaya | Yes | 1988 | 2009 | Red Panda, Slow Loris; centre of citrus diversity; Garo Hills |
| Great Nicobar | Andaman & Nicobar | Yes | 1989 | 2013 | Leatherback Sea Turtle, Nicobar Megapode, Saltwater Crocodile; southernmost tip of India |
| Gulf of Mannar | Tamil Nadu | Yes | 1989 | 2001 | Dugong, Sea Turtles, Coral; first marine BR in South/Southeast Asia |
| Manas | Assam | Yes | 1989 | 2001 | Golden Langur, One-horned Rhino, Tiger; UNESCO WH Site also |
| Sundarbans | West Bengal | Yes | 1989 | 2001 | Mangrove Tiger, Irrawaddy Dolphin, Estuarine Crocodile; largest mangrove forest; Ramsar site |
| Simlipal | Odisha | Yes | 1994 | 2009 | Tiger, Elephant, Melanistic Tiger; sal forests; Simlipal NP within it |
| Dibru-Saikhowa | Assam | No | 1997 | — | Feral Horses, Gangetic Dolphin; includes Dibru-Saikhowa NP |
| Dihang-Dibang (Dehang-Debang) | Arunachal Pradesh | No | 1998 | — | Tropical forest; Hoolock Gibbon, Tiger; covers Mouling NP and Dibang WLS |
| Agasthyamalai | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | Yes | 2001 | 2016 | Shola grasslands, endemic plants; Kani tribe's Arogyapacha (Jeevani) plant; includes Neyyar, Peppara WLS |
| Achanakmar-Amarkantak | MP, CG | Yes | 2005 | 2012 | Origin of Son and Narmada rivers; Four-horned Antelope, Indian Wild Dog |
| Pachmarhi | Madhya Pradesh | Yes | 1999 | 2009 | Satpura landscape; Flying Squirrel, Leopard; Satpura NP and Bori & Pachmarhi WLS |
| Khangchendzonga | Sikkim | Yes | 2000 | 2018 | Snow Leopard, Red Panda, Himalayan Tahr; Kangchenjunga NP within it; UNESCO WH Site |
| Seshachalam Hills | Andhra Pradesh | No | 2010 | — | Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus); Eastern Ghats; unique to this region |
| Panna | Madhya Pradesh | No | 2011 | — | Tiger (reintroduced), Ken River; Ken-Betwa Link concerns |
| Cold Desert | Himachal Pradesh | Yes | 2009 | 2025 | Lahaul-Spiti district; 7,770 sq km; Pin Valley NP, Chandratal, Kibber WLS; Snow Leopard, Siberian Ibex, Tibetan Wolf; India's 13th UNESCO-recognized BR (Sept 27, 2025, at 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, Hangzhou) |
| Kachchh | Gujarat | No | 2008 | — | India's largest BR (~12,454 sq km); Great and Little Rann of Kutch; Indian Wild Ass, Indian Flamingo, Spiny-tailed Lizard; salt marsh and desert ecosystem |
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