Western Ghats — Biodiversity & Conservation Status
Biodiversity Profile
One of Earth’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biodiversity
Endemism rates — species found nowhere else:
Category
Endemic Share
Tree species
54%
Amphibians
65%
Reptiles
62%
Contains at least 325 globally threatened species
Key Endemic Fauna
Species
Conservation Status
Lion-tailed Macaque
Endangered
Nilgiri Tahr
Endangered
Purple Frog
Endangered
Malabar Civet
Critically Endangered
Critical Status Update (2025–2026)
IUCN downgraded Western Ghats’ outlook → “Significant Concern” in World Heritage Outlook 4 report (late 2025)
Drivers of downgrade: unregulated tourism + invasive species + climate-induced rainfall variability
Significance of designation → acts as a “red flag”: site values actively threatened → immediate additional conservation measures required to prevent further loss
Key Threats
Overview
UNESCO World Heritage Site + global biodiversity hotspot → now classified “Significant Concern” by IUCN (2025–2026)
Threat Summary Table
#
Threat Category
Key Example
1
Climate Change & Altered Hydrology
Wayanad/Kodagu landslides
2
Infrastructure & Development
Sillahalla Pumped Storage Project
3
Invasive Alien Species
Lantana camara in Bandipur
4
Unregulated Tourism & HWC
100–120 conflict incidents/year
5
Policy & Governance Gaps
ESA notifications pending/rejected
1. Climate Change & Altered Hydrology
Climate change has replaced hunting as the most pervasive threat
Endemic birds (Nilgiri flycatcher, black-and-orange flycatcher) → forced to higher altitudes due to rising temperatures