The Nicobar Islands find their place across the Indian Ocean, lying between Sumatra to the South and the Andamans to its North. Believed to have been formed by volcanic activity, these islands have existed in isolation from the mainland for years. Hence, flora and fauna are diverse and primarily endemic.
Tropical moist broadleaf trees sketch the Nicobar Islands rainforests. The south-west and the north-east monsoon winds control these rain forests’ average temperature by causing heavy showers for many months. Cyclones and thunderstorms also frequent these islands.
A majority of the mammals are small in size. The Nicobar flying fox, the Nicobar tree shrew, and Miller’s Nicobar rat are the small-sized currently threatened and vulnerable species. Among the larger mammals are the Asian elephants, the spotted deer, and the endemic Nicobar wild pig.
The endemic birds include the Nicobar sparrow hawk, the great Nicobar serpent eagle, the Nicobar parakeet, and the sizeable Nicobar pigeon, closely related to the extinct dodo. The white-sand beaches that border the rainforests serve as nesting sites for green turtles, hawk bills, and leatherbacks.
Picture Credit : Google
