Other Landscapes

WWF's first round of priorities picked seven landscapes. This does not imply that other areas are of lesser importance, but rather that the prioritisation process reflected knowledge at that time. Even so, the following were also selected as important areas needing further scrutiny:

Manas-Namdhapa - Bhutan, India

Stretching from the Himalayan foothills north of the Brahmaputra river and continuing to the timberline above 4,000 m, tigers are found in this landscape in some of the most natural states.

Manas Tiger Reserve in India, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, adjoins the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan to form part of an important TCU. On the Indian side, this landscape merges with the AREAS North Bank Landscape. The natural state of Bhutan’s tiger habitat will allow an insight into tiger and prey behaviour in steep, moist temperate forests.

Western Forest Complex, Tannantharyi - Myanmar, Thailand

This landscape straddles the Tannantharyi (Tennasserim) range on the Thailand-Myanmar border. On the Thai side are two large protected area complexes: the Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM) in the north, comprising 17 protected areas, and the Khaeng Krachan Complex in the south, which includes Khaeng Krachan National Park and Mae Nam Pachee Wildlife Sanctuary.

Much of the habitat in the centre of this landscape lies in Myanmar and little is known about its biodiversity and forest conditions. Protected areas can be made more secure by maintaining linkage to other nearby habitat. The WEFCOM-Tannantharyi Landscape is important because it supports a broad range of biodiversity and a high density of tigers.

Eastern Indian Highlands

This region comprises discontinuous hill ranges, plateaus and escarpments running along the east coast of India. They spread over 75,000 sq km and cover parts of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka States.

The Western Ghats are joined to the Eastern Ghats by the Shevaroy hills, an important link for genetic continuity of the region’s biodiversity, and an important corridor for large mammals such as tigers and elephants.

The four major rivers of southern India - the Kaveri, Krishna, Godavari and Mahanadi - pass through the region. Tadoba Andhari and Indravati Tiger Reserves contain tigers and prey. The area is also one of the last domains of the wild water buffalo. Encroachment of forests, illicit felling of trees, poaching and habitat fragmentation are among major threats in this landscape.

Western Ghats

The hill chain of the Western Ghats reaches 2,800 m before merging with the Deccan plateau at an altitude of 500-600 m. The average width of this mountain range is about 100 km. This bioregion contains a wealth of species, but is under constant threat from human encroachment - not least insurgency.

The condition of the tiger and its habitat in the protected areas is good, although connecting the protected areas needs to happen. Four tiger reserves and several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries make up the core of this landscape.