Editing Maharashtra (section)

==Flora and fauna==
[[File:Tara in Tadoba Tiger Reserve AJTJ P1090339.jpg|right|thumb|A Bengal tiger in [[Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve]]]]
The state has three crucial biogeographic zones, namely [[Western Ghats]], [[Deccan Plateau]], and the [[Western Coastal Plains|West coast]]. The Ghats nurture endemic species, Deccan Plateau provides for vast mountain ranges and grasslands while the coast is home to littoral and swamp forests. Flora of Maharashtra is heterogeneous in composition. In 2012 the recorded thick forest area in the state was {{cvt|61939|sqkm|sqmi}} which was about 20.13% of the state's geographical area.<ref name="forest percentile">{{cite web |title=The State's forest cover |url=http://www.mahaforest.nic.in/internal.php?id=23 |website=Wildlife Conservation Trust, Mumbai |publisher=[[Government of Maharashtra]] |access-date=13 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314005839/http://mahaforest.nic.in/internal.php?id=23 |archive-date=14 March 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> There are three main Public Forestry Institutions (PFIs) in the Maharashtra state: the [[Maharashtra Forest Department]] (MFD), the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) and the Directorate of Social Forestry (SFD).<ref name=Forestry>{{cite web |title=Forest department |url=http://mahaforest.nic.in/index.php |website=Forest Management system |publisher=[[Government of Maharashtra]] |access-date=13 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313214004/http://mahaforest.nic.in/index.php |archive-date=13 March 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board, constituted by the Government of Maharashtra in January 2012 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, is the nodal body for the conservation of biodiversity within and outside forest areas in the State.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mahaforest.nic.in/fckimagefile/Notification__.pdf |title=Formation of the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board |website=Maharashtra Forest Department |access-date=29 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819042126/http://www.mahaforest.nic.in/fckimagefile/Notification__.pdf |archive-date=19 August 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://maharashtrabiodiversityboard.gov.in/about-us/ |title=About Us {{!}} Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board |website=Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board |access-date=29 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214182309/http://maharashtrabiodiversityboard.gov.in/about-us/ |archive-date=14 December 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Maharashtra is ranked second among the [[States and union territories of India|Indian states]] in terms of the recorded forest area. Recorded Forest Area (RFA) in the state is {{cvt|61579|sqmi|km2|0}} of which {{cvt|49546|sqmi|km2|0}} is reserved forests, {{cvt|6733|sqmi|km2|0}} is protected forest and {{cvt|5300|sqmi|km2|0}} is unclassed forests. Based on the interpretation of IRS [[Resourcesat-2]] LISS III satellite data of the period Oct 2017 to Jan 2018, the State has {{cvt|8720.53|sqmi|km2|0}} under Very Dense Forest(VDF), {{cvt|20572.35|sqmi|km2|0}} under Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) and {{cvt|21484.68|sqmi|km2|0}} under Open Forest (OF). According to the [[Harry George Champion|Champion and Seth classification]], Maharashtra has five types of forests:<ref>{{cite web |title=Forest Types |url=http://www.mahaforest.nic.in/internal.php?lang_eng_mar=Eng&id=29 |website=Maharashtra Forest |publisher=Government of Maharashtra |access-date=7 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408010424/http://www.mahaforest.nic.in/internal.php?lang_eng_mar=Eng&id=29 |archive-date=8 April 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

* Southern Tropical Semi-Evergreen forests: These are found in the western ghats at a height of {{Convert|400-1000|m|abbr=on}}. [[Memecylon umbellatum|Anjani]], [[Terminalia chebula|Hirda]], [[Terminalia paniculata|Kinjal]], and [[Mango]] are predominant tree species found here.
* Southern Tropical Moist Deciduous forests: These are a mix of Moist [[Teak]] bearing forests ([[Melghat]]) and Moist Mixed deciduous forests (Vidarbha and Thane district). Commercially important Teak, [[Dalbergia sissoo|Shishum]], and [[Bambusa tulda|bamboo]] are found here. In addition to evergreen Teak, some of the other tree species found in this type of forest include [[Jambul]], [[Ain]], and [[Dalbergia latifolia|Shisam]].<ref name=wildlife>{{cite web |title=The Melghat Forests |url=http://www.shvoong.com/social-sciences/sociology/2306693-melghat-forests-dhakna-kolkaz-wildlife/ |publisher=Dhakna –Kolkaz wildlife sanctuary |access-date=7 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307165038/http://www.shvoong.com/social-sciences/sociology/2306693-melghat-forests-dhakna-kolkaz-wildlife/ |archive-date=7 March 2014 |url-status=live}}.</ref>
* Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous forests: these occupy a major part of the state. Southern Tropical Thorn forests are found in the low rainfall regions of [[Marathwada]], [[Vidarbha]], [[Khandesh]], and Western Maharashtra. At present, these forests are heavily degraded. [[Babul (tree)|Babul]], [[Ziziphus mauritiana|Bor]], and [[Butea monosperma|Palas]] are some of the tree species found here.
* [[Littoral zone|Littoral]] and [[Swamp forest|Swamp]] forests are mainly found in the Creeks of [[Sindhudurg]] and Thane districts of the coastal Konkan region. The state harbours significant mangrove, coastal and marine biodiversity, with {{cvt|304|km2}} of the area under mangrove cover as per the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) of the Forest survey India in the coastal districts of the state.

The most common animal species present in the state are monkeys, wild pigs, [[tiger]], [[leopard]], [[gaur]], [[sloth bear]], [[sambar (deer)|sambar]], [[blackbuck|four-horned antelope]], [[chital]], [[barking deer]], [[mouse deer]], [[small Indian civet]], [[golden jackal]], [[jungle cat]], and [[hare]].<ref name="fauna">{{cite web |title=Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary |url=http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/mtdc/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/TouristDelight/Sanctuaries/Sanctuaries.aspx?strpage=NagziraSanctuaries.html |publisher=[[Government of Maharashtra]] |access-date=7 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019125010/http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/mtdc/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/TouristDelight/Sanctuaries/Sanctuaries.aspx?strpage=NagziraSanctuaries.html |archive-date=19 October 2013}}</ref> Other animals found in this state include reptiles such as [[lizard]]s, scorpions and snake species such as [[cobra]]s and [[Bungarus|kraits]].<ref name="biodiversity">{{cite web |title=Flora And Fauna of Maharashtra |url=http://www.discoveredindia.com/maharashtra/land-of-rocks/flora-and-fauna-of-maharashtra.htm |publisher=Discovered India |access-date=6 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307161252/http://www.discoveredindia.com/maharashtra/land-of-rocks/flora-and-fauna-of-maharashtra.htm |archive-date=7 March 2014 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> The state provides legal protection to its [[tiger]] population through six dedicated [[Tiger reserves of India|tiger reserves]] under the precincts of the [[National Tiger Conservation Authority]].

The state's {{Convert|720|km|abbr=on}} of sea coastline of the [[Arabian Sea]] marks the presence of various types of fish and marine animals. The [[Zoological Survey of India]] (ZSI) found 1527 marine animal species, including [[Mollusca|molluscs]] with 581 species, many [[crustacean]] species including crabs, shrimps, and lobsters, 289 fish species, and 141 species types of [[annelid]]s (sea worms).<ref>{{Cite news |title=Study identifies 1,527 species of marine fauna in state. |work=[[Times of India]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/study-identifies-1527-species-of-marine-fauna-in-state/articleshow/12063502.cms |access-date=3 February 2022 |archive-date=2 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302130838/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/study-identifies-1527-species-of-marine-fauna-in-state/articleshow/12063502.cms |url-status=live }}</ref>