Biosphere Reserves are legally protected areas, where the biodiversity of such an area is protected and conserved without disturbing the tribal life and human settlements in that area. The Indian government has established 18 biosphere reserves in the country. Of the total 18 Biosphere reserves in India, 12 are part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme.
List of Biosphere Reserves in India
| Sl No | Established Year | Name | States/UT | Key Fauna |
| 1 | 1986 | Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve | Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka | Nilgiri tahr, tiger, lion-tailed macaque |
| 2 | 1988 | Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve | Uttarakhand | Snow leopard, Himalayan black bear |
| 3 | 1989 | Gulf of Mannar | Tamil Nadu | Dugong |
| 4 | 1988 | Nokrek | Meghalaya | Red panda |
| 5 | 1989 | Sundarbans | West Bengal | Royal Bengal tiger |
| 6 | 1989 | Manas | Assam | Asiatic elephant, tiger, Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur, pygmy hog |
| 7 | 1994 | Simlipal | Odisha | Gaur, Royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant |
| 8 | 1998 | Dihang-Dibang | Arunachal Pradesh | Mishmi takin, musk deer |
| 9 | 1999 | Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve | Madhya Pradesh | Giant squirrel, flying squirrel |
| 10 | 2005 | Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve | Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh | Four-horned antelope, Indian wild dog, sarus crane, white-rumped vulture, sacred grove bush frog |
| 11 | 2008 | Great Rann of Kutch | Gujarat | Indian wild ass |
| 12 | 2009 | Cold Desert | Himachal Pradesh | Snow leopard |
| 13 | 2000 | Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim | Snow leopard, red panda |
| 14 | 2001 | Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | Nilgiri tahr, Asian elephant |
| 15 | 1989 | Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Saltwater crocodile |
| 16 | 1997 | Dibru-Saikhowa | Assam | White-winged wood duck, water buffalo, black-breasted parrotbill, tiger, capped langur |
| 17 | 2010 | Seshachalam Hills | Andhra Pradesh | Slender loris |
| 18 | 2011 | Panna | Madhya Pradesh | Bengal Tiger, Siyah Gosh, Jungle Cat |
Of the above 18 Biosphere Reserves 12 of them are are part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in India
| Sno | Name | States/ UT | Recognized Year |
| 1 | Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve | Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka | 2000 |
| 2 | Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve | Tamil Nadu | 2001 |
| 3 | Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve | West Bengal | 2001 |
| 4 | Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve | Uttarakhand | 2004 |
| 5 | Nokrek Biosphere Reserve | Meghalaya | 2009 |
| 6 | Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve | Madhya Pradesh | 2009 |
| 7 | Simlipal Biosphere Reserve | Odisha | 2009 |
| 8 | Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 2013 |
| 9 | Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve | Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh | 2012 |
| 10 | Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve | Kerala and Tamil Nadu | 2016 |
| 11 | Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim | 2018 |
| 12 | Panna National Park | Madhya Pradesh | 2020 |
Biosphere Reserves in India Map
