![]() The Chhota-Nagpur dry deciduous forests in India extend across the eastern Indian states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal. The plateau's ancient origin is attested to the Gondwana substrates and it is also part of the Deccan Plate. The forests in this ecoregion receive less rainfall compared to that of the adjacent ecoregions, which support the moist deciduous forests. For this reason, the vegetation in these forests is drier than that of the adjacent ecoregions. These dry deciduous forests are typically composed of three stories. The upper canopy of the forests reach 15-25 meters, the high understory reaches 10-15 meters, and the undergrowth reaches at about 3-5 meters. ![]() The Chhota-Nagpur dry deciduous forests in India are neither home to a rich variety of fauna species, nor the species are distinctive. There are a total of seventy-seven mammal fauna species available in the forests and none of them is considered as endemic. Apart from that, several of India's large charismatic vertebrates, including the threatened species like Tiger, Asian Elephant, Wild Dog, Sloth Bear, Chousingha, Blackbuck, and Chinkara, are also found here. The forests still have large areas of habitat capable of supporting viable populations of these species, unlike in many other ecoregions in this bioregion. All these habitat blocks are included in two Level I TCUs that extend into the ecoregion. Apart from the rich mammal fauna species, the Chhota-Nagpur dry deciduous forests in India are also home to a large number of almost 280 bird species. Though, none of the species is considered as endemic, there are some species that are of conservation importance. These species include the globally threatened Lesser Florican and other species like the Indian Grey Hornbill and Oriental Pied-Hornbill. |
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