Page 24 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

22  INTRODUCING INDIA

Landscape and Wildlife

India has an extraordinary diversity of landscapes
and vegetation, supporting a rich variety of wildlife.
The country is bounded on the north by the majestic
Himalayas. Along their foothills, sweeping the breadth
of Central India, are the fertile, densely populated
Indo-Gangetic Plains, while the arid Thar Desert covers
much of Western India. South of the Gangetic Plains
is the Deccan Plateau, flanked by the hills of the The Himalayan landscape
Eastern and Western Ghats. India’s 7,517-km features snowcapped peaks,
(4,671-mile) long coastline borders on the Arabian glacial streams and pine-
Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. covered slopes (see pp68–9).

The Arid West The Gangetic Plains
The Thar Desert and the semi-arid scrublands The rich alluvial soil of these vast plains, which
adjoining it support a surprising variety of flora stretch across India from the northwest to the
and fauna. The sand dunes of Rajasthan give east, has been cultivated for thousands of years.
way further west to the barren salt-flats and Today, rice, as well as wheat, sugarcane and
marshes of the Rann of Kutch. pulses are grown here.
Blackbucks are Asian elephants
among the swiftest number only 31,000
animals, covering in comparison to a
up to 80 km quarter of a million
(50 miles) per hour. African elephants,
making this smaller
species the more
endangered one.
Asiatic lions, once
found all over northern
India, are now seen only Painted storks
in the Gir Sanctuary in migrate to lakes and
Gujarat (see p427). swamps during
their breeding
season, between
July and October.

Wild boars are
Crested serpent eagles common in most
are large raptors with a deciduous forests in
distinctive pattern of India. The males have
black and white bands tusks and can be
on their underwings. very aggressive.

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Feature template “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1.3)
Date 18th October 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm