At a Glance
Four facts to hold on to.
Where
Southern Western Ghats; Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Inside
Neyyar, Peppara, Shendurney, Kalakad Mundanthurai.
Dates
India 2001; UNESCO network 2016.
People
Kani community; the Jeevani case.
In this lesson
Where It Is and What It Protects
What is a biosphere reserve?
- A biosphere reserve is a large area for nature and people.
- It protects living things while allowing careful use and research.
- It can contain sanctuaries, tiger reserves and villages.
- Agasthyamala lies at the southern end of the Western Ghats.
- Its name comes from Agasthyamalai peak. Local tradition links the peak to sage Agastya.
Which protected areas lie inside?
- Kerala side: Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries.
- Tamil Nadu side: Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.
- Other forest areas around them are also included.
- A biosphere reserve is the larger landscape. It is not another name for one sanctuary.
- A tiger reserve and a sanctuary have their own legal rules.
- Source: UNESCO Agasthyamala profile.
True or False: Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve spans two states: Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Previous Year Questions
UPSC 2019 asked which protected areas are inside Agasthyamala.
- UPSC 2019The answer: Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries, plus Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. View the question.
True or False: UPSC 2019 confirmed that Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve lies inside Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve.
Two Dates and Three Zones
India’s reserve and the UNESCO network
- India first designated Agasthyamalai in 2001.
- The earlier record described a Kerala area of 1,828 sq km.
- UNESCO added the larger two-state landscape to its World Network in 2016.
- UNESCO lists the reserve at about 3,500 sq km, covering both states.
- This is why older Kerala-only records show a smaller area.
- UNESCO recognition is a later network step. It does not create a new Indian sanctuary.
- Sources: Environment Ministry, 2009 reserve list and UNESCO profile.
How the zones work
| Zone | Role |
|---|---|
| Core | Strongest focus on nature protection |
| Buffer | Research, learning and suitable low-impact work |
| Transition | Communities and public bodies test ways to live and work with care |
- Exact boundaries come from official plans.
- Actual access still depends on the site’s laws and local rights.
- Source: Environment Ministry, biosphere reserve zones.
True or False: Agasthyamala was added to UNESCO’s network before India designated it as a biosphere reserve at all.
Forest Life, People and Choices
Why is it so rich in life?
- Rain, steep slopes and varied heights create many habitats.
- Forests include evergreen, semi-evergreen and hilltop types.
- UNESCO records 2,254 higher plant species. About 405 are endemic.
- Wild relatives of cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, jamun and plantain grow here.
- Such plants may hold useful genes for future crop research.
- This does not mean they can simply replace farm crops.
- Sources: UNESCO profile and UNESCO Western Ghats dossier.
The Kani–Jeevani story
- Kani communities live in this landscape.
- Their knowledge helped researchers study arogyapacha, a forest plant.
- An institute developed Jeevani, a herbal product, and licensed production to a company.
- The deal included a licence fee and a 2% sales royalty for the institute.
- The institute agreed to share half its gains with a Kani community trust, set up in 1997.
- The whole 2% royalty did not go to the trust.
- This is a well-known case of benefit sharing. It also raised hard questions about who speaks for the community.
- Source: WIPO, Jeevani case.
What strains the landscape?
- A UNESCO dossier notes poaching, fire, invasive weeds and tourism pressure in parts.
- Risks differ by site.
- Protection must work with local people and their rights.
- Source: UNESCO Western Ghats dossier.
Think it through: why does the Jeevani case matter?
Kani knowledge helped researchers find a useful plant. The institute agreed to share part of the licence fee and royalties. This showed one way to pay knowledge holders. It also raised questions about consent, trust membership and fair sharing.
True or False: The Kani community’s knowledge of the arogyapacha plant led to the herbal product Jeevani.
True or False: The Jeevani project shared part of its licence fee and royalties with a Kani trust.
True or False: About 405 of the reserve’s higher plant species are found nowhere else on Earth.
Quick Q&A
Which two states?
Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Tiger reserve inside?
Kalakad Mundanthurai.
Year India designated it?
2001.
Year UNESCO added it?
2016.
Kani plant?
Arogyapacha.
🎲 Practice: Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve
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