A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant biodiversity that is threatened by human activity. To qualify as a hotspot, a region must contain at least 1,500 endemic plant species or 0.5% of the world's plant species, and have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation. There are 34 biodiversity hotspots globally supporting over 60% of the world's species with high endemism. Examples discussed are the Eastern Himalayas, Lake Biwa in Japan, and Madagascar which is home to many lemur and plant species.

2. What is a biodiversity hotspot?
• A biodiversity hotspot is a bio geographic
region with a significant reservoir
of biodiversity that is under threat from
humans.
• To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot on Myers
2000 edition of the hotspot-map, a region
must meet two strict criteria: it must contain at
least 0.5% or 1,500 species of vascular
plants as endemics, and it has to have lost at
least 70% of its primary vegetation.

3. • Around the world, 34 areas qualify under this
definition, with nine other possible candidates.
These sites support nearly 60% of the world's
plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and
amphibian species, with a very high share of
endemic species.
• Some of the biodiversity hotspots are discussed
below:

4. HIMALAYAS
The Eastern Himalayas harbor an amazing
diversity of life. There are 163 globally threatened
species found in the Himalayas, including Asia’s three
largest herbivores – Asian elephant, greater one-
horned rhinoceros and wild water buffalo – and its
largest carnivore, the tiger. The region is home
to10,000 types of plants, 300 mammals, 977 birds,176
reptiles,105 amphibians and 269 freshwater fish.
• The Himalayan grasslands have the densest population
of Bengal tigers, which live alongside Asian elephants
and one-horned rhinos. The mountains offer refuge
for red pandas, golden langurs and takins.

5. LAKE BIWA
• Lake Biwa is the largest freshwater lake in Japan,
located in Shiga Prefecture.
• Naturalists have documented about 1100 species in
the lake, including 58 endemic species. Lake Biwa is an
important place for water birds. About 5,000 water
birds visit Lake Biwa every year.
• There are 46 native fish species and subspecies in the
lake, including 12 endemic species and 5 endemic
subspecies.
• Lake Biwa is also the home of a large number
of molluscs, including 38 freshwater snails (19
endemic) and 16 bivalves (9 endemic).

6. MADAGASCAR
• Dominated by the nation of Madagascar, the fourth
largest island on Earth, the hotspot includes more than
300 bird species are regularly found in the hotspot,
nearly 60 percent of which are found nowhere else on
the planet; additionally, 42 genera and four families
are endemic. The bird fauna includes some
extraordinarily relict bird species on Madagascar, such
as the ground-rollers and cuckoo-rollers.
• The most intriguing mammals of Madagascar are the
lemurs, represented by five families of primates unique
to this island. Vascular plants total at least 13,000
species, of which about 90 percent are found nowhere
else in the world. Incredibly, eight of at least 160 plant
families found here are endemic.

7. EXPLORE THE ABOVE DESCRIBED
PLACES BY CLICKING BELOW:
Various biodiversity hotspots around the
world
Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar
Ranomafana National Park2

8. Now answer the following questions:
 How many biodiversity hotspots are there
in the world?
 How many biodiversity hotspots are
present in India?
 Where is Lake Biwa located?
 Name the National Park located in
Madagascar.