This is said to be the legendary Thillai Vanam where Lord Shiva performed his Ananda Tandava (cosmic dance) for the sages who lived there, with their wives. One of the world’s largest mangrove jungles, it has over 50 islands, more than 20 tree varieties, 200 bird species, amphibians, reptiles, and more. Migrant and local birds including cormorants, herons, storks, pelicans, spoonbills, and others are also star attractions.

A hilly forest area, spread over 4,000 sq km., it is home to several indigenous Indian tribes including the Gond, Abuj Maria, Muria, and Halbaas. Most of them survive on penda kheti, the traditional shifting cultivation. For six months, they cultivate small grained rice, korsa, and sell the rice along with forest products like tendu leaves, for the rest of the year.

Renowned as Nature’s Own Museum, this is one of the oldest and most famous sacred groves in the state. It houses medicinal and flowering plants, trees, birds, insects, and more. The local Khasi tribe believes that its deity, Labasa, resides there, preserving the forests and community. The forest is divided into three sections, of which only the first two can be visited.

With over 1,000 flora and 1,400 fauna species, the Namdapha National Park is a biodiversity hotspot in the Eastern Himalayas. Located between the Mishmi Hills’ Patkai and Dapha bum ranges, it is inhabited by snow leopards, tigers, wolves, Asiatic black bears, red pandas, red foxes, the snowy-throated babbler, hornbills, and more.

Said to have derived its name from the Sundari Mangrove trees, this coastal mangrove forest stretches across over 40,000 sq. km. and is renowned as the home of the Panthera tigris, commonly known as the Bengal tiger. The forest has over 100 islands of which more than half are inhabited. It is also home to over 260 species of birds, spotted deer, Rhesus macaque, spoon-billed sandpiper, the Indian skimmer, and more.

Home to over 1,000 species of flowering plants, the lowland forest is a mixture of sal and other forest trees. Also known as the Kanha–Kisli National Park, it is one of Madhya Pradesh’s largest national parks. It is also the first tiger reserve in India to officially introduce a mascot, Bhoorsingh, the Barasingha. Apart from tigers, it is inhabited by the sloth bear, dhole, the Indian leopard, and more.

One of the country’s oldest forest reserves, the Jim Corbett National Park, named after British hunter and writer Edward James Corbett, was established as Hailey National Park in 1936. With close to 500 species of flora, 50 mammal, almost 600 bird, and 25 reptile species, it was the first project under the Tiger Reserve initiative. It is home to the Walking Deer, Hog Deer, Sloth, and endangered reptiles such as King Cobra and Mugger Crocodile.

Part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests eco-region, Sasan Gir, also known as the Gir forest, was set up in 1965, in the erstwhile Nawab of Junagarh’s private hunting area. With over 2,300 species of fauna, there are about 38 mammal, 300 bird, 37 reptile and over 2,000 insect species. It is also home to the regal Asiatic lion, and the The Lion Breeding Programme was instrumental in increasing the number of lions in the area.

Rich in iron ore, minerals, sal trees and other wild animals including leopards, the Saranda forest, with its diverse ecosystem, was once the private hunting ground of the Singh Deo royal family of Saraikela. Covering an expanse of over 800 km sq., the Ho people inhabit the forest. Chital and sambar herds roam the forests, as do bison and leopards. Perennial rivers, Karo and Koina, pass through these forested areas supporting the diverse flora and fauna.