Wildlife in Andaman & Nicobar Islands | National Parks & Marine Life

Andaman and Nicobar Island Wildlife

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an archipelago situated at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, represent one of India’s most biologically diverse and ecologically isolated regions. Comprising 572 islands, islets, and rocky outcrops, this Union Territory is characterised by an undulating topography that supports a unique assembly of flora and fauna. The islands fall within two distinct biogeographic zones, exhibiting strong ecological affinities with the Indo-Malayan and Indo-Chinese realms. A tropical coastal climate prevails, nurturing extensive tracts of tropical evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous, and dense mangrove forests that carpet over eighty per cent of the total landmass.

The geographic isolation of the archipelago has fostered an exceptional degree of endemism, making it a critical repository of evolutionary history. The terrestrial and marine ecosystems function as interconnected networks, featuring rich coral reefs, expansive seagrass beds, and complex mangrove estuaries. These habitats support flagship marine species such as the dugong, saltwater crocodile, and globally significant nesting populations of leatherback, hawksbill, and green sea turtles. The islands’ avifauna is equally remarkable, designated as a major Endemic Bird Area, hosting rare species like the Narcondam hornbill, Nicobar megapode, and the Andaman wood pigeon.

Conservation in the region is anchored by a robust Protected Area network, which includes nine National Parks, nearly one hundred Wildlife Sanctuaries, and the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve. Marine protected areas like the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park and Rani Jhansi Marine National Park safeguard fragile coral and seagrass ecosystems from anthropogenic pressures. The territory holds immense significance for ecological research and responsible wildlife tourism, offering highly regulated opportunities for marine exploration, birdwatching, and terrestrial safaris. The preservation of these unique island ecosystems remains a high conservation priority for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Quick Facts Table

Category	Details
State / Union Territory	Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Union Territory)
Capital	Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair)
Area	8,249 sq km
Population	380,581 (2011 Census)
Forest Cover	81.74%
Official Language(s)	Hindi, English
Time Zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
Best Wildlife Season	November to May

State Wildlife Master Table

Attribute	Details
State / Union Territory	Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Capital	Sri Vijaya Puram
Geographic Region	Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea (Archipelago)
Total Area	8,249 sq km
Forest Cover	81.74%
State Animal	Dugong (Dugong dugon)
State Bird	Andaman Wood Pigeon (Columba palumboides)
State Tree	Andaman Padauk (Pterocarpus dalbergioides)
State Flower	Pyinma (Lagerstroemia hypoleuca)
Highest Peak	Saddle Peak (732 m)
Major Rivers	Kalpong River
Major Forest Types	Tropical Evergreen, Semi-evergreen, Moist Deciduous, Littoral, Mangrove
Biodiversity Hotspot	Sundaland (Nicobar group) and Indo-Burma (Andaman group)
UNESCO Natural Sites	None
Biosphere Reserves	Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve
Tiger Reserves	None
Elephant Reserves	None
National Parks	Campbell Bay, Galathea, Mahatma Gandhi Marine, Middle Button Island, Mount Manipur, North Button Island, Rani Jhansi Marine, Saddle Peak, South Button Island
Wildlife Sanctuaries	96 Sanctuaries (including Barren Island, Narcondam Island, Interview Island, Cuthbert Bay, Lohabarrack, Megapode Island)
Conservation Reserves	None
Community Reserves	None
Ramsar Sites	None
Important Bird Areas (IBAs)	Narcondam Island, South Sentinel Island, Tillangchong, Great Nicobar
Major Wildlife Corridors	Not officially specified (Island ecosystems)
Flagship Mammals	Dugong, Andaman Wild Pig, Nicobar Macaque
Flagship Birds	Narcondam Hornbill, Nicobar Megapode, Andaman Wood Pigeon
Endemic Wildlife	Andaman Crake, Nicobar Treeshrew, Andaman Day Gecko
Best Wildlife Destinations	Mahatma Gandhi Marine NP, Saddle Peak NP, Chidiya Tapu
Best Time for Wildlife Tourism	November to May
Nearest International Airports	Veer Savarkar International Airport (Sri Vijaya Puram)
Official Forest Department Website	forest.and.nic.in

Protected Areas Summary Table

Note: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands host a total of 96 Wildlife Sanctuaries, predominantly comprising small, uninhabited islets. The table below details all National Parks and the most ecologically significant Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Protected Area	Category	District	Area (sq km)	Year Established	Famous For
Campbell Bay National Park	National Park	Nicobar	426.23	1992	Nicobar Macaque, Megapode, Giant Robber Crab
Galathea National Park	National Park	Nicobar	110.00	1992	Leatherback Sea Turtles, Endemic Avifauna
Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park	National Park	South Andaman	281.50	1983	Coral Reefs, Dugong, Sea Turtles
Middle Button Island National Park	National Park	Middle Andaman	0.44	1987	Coral Reefs, Marine Life
Mount Manipur (formerly Mount Harriet) National Park	National Park	South Andaman	46.62	1987	Andaman Wild Pig, Endemic Birds, Butterflies
North Button Island National Park	National Park	Middle Andaman	0.44	1987	Marine Life, Dugong
Rani Jhansi Marine National Park	National Park	Ritchie’s Archipelago	256.14	1996	Coral Reefs, Mangroves, Saltwater Crocodiles
Saddle Peak National Park	National Park	North Andaman	32.54	1979	Andaman Hill Myna, Tropical Evergreen Forests
South Button Island National Park	National Park	South Andaman	0.03	1987	Shallow Water Coral Reefs, Marine Biodiversity
Barren Island Wildlife Sanctuary	Wildlife Sanctuary	North & Middle Andaman	8.10	1977	Active Volcano Ecosystem, Feral Goats
Cuthbert Bay Wildlife Sanctuary	Wildlife Sanctuary	North & Middle Andaman	5.82	1997	Olive Ridley and Leatherback Turtle Nesting
Interview Island Wildlife Sanctuary	Wildlife Sanctuary	North & Middle Andaman	133.00	1985	Feral Elephants, Coastal Avifauna
Lohabarrack Wildlife Sanctuary	Wildlife Sanctuary	South Andaman	22.21	1983	Saltwater Crocodiles, Mangrove Ecosystems
Megapode Island Wildlife Sanctuary	Wildlife Sanctuary	Nicobar	0.12	1985	Nicobar Megapode
Narcondam Island Wildlife Sanctuary	Wildlife Sanctuary	North & Middle Andaman	6.81	1977	Narcondam Hornbill (Strictly Endemic)
South Sentinel Island Wildlife Sanctuary	Wildlife Sanctuary	South Andaman	1.61	1977	Robber Crabs, Green Sea Turtles
Tillangchong Island Wildlife Sanctuary	Wildlife Sanctuary	Nicobar	16.83	1985	Nicobar Megapode, Endemic Avifauna

Wildlife Highlights

Top Mammals: Dugong, Andaman Wild Pig, Nicobar Macaque, Nicobar Treeshrew, Feral Elephants (Interview Island).
Top Birds: Narcondam Hornbill, Nicobar Megapode, Andaman Wood Pigeon, Andaman Crake, Nicobar Pigeon, Andaman Masked Owl.
Reptiles & Amphibians: Saltwater Crocodile, Leatherback Sea Turtle, Green Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Andaman Day Gecko, Andaman Water Monitor.
Endemic Species: Narcondam Hornbill, Nicobar Megapode, Andaman Wild Pig, Andaman Teal, Nicobar Treeshrew.
Flagship Flora: Andaman Padauk, Gurjan, Pyinma, Giant Bamboo, diverse Mangrove species (Rhizophora and Avicennia).
Best Wildlife Experiences: Scuba Diving and Snorkelling (Mahatma Gandhi Marine NP), Birdwatching (Chidiya Tapu), Trekking (Saddle Peak), Glass-bottom Boat Safari, Mangrove Boat Cruises.

Conservation Challenges

Climate Change Impacts: Rising sea surface temperatures causing frequent coral bleaching events, and sea-level rise threatening vital coastal turtle nesting beaches.
Invasive Species: The introduction of feral dogs, cats, and elephants (on Interview Island) poses a severe threat to endemic ground-nesting birds and native vegetation.
Habitat Fragmentation: Infrastructure development, including port expansions and tourism facilities, increasing pressure on littoral and mangrove ecosystems.
Marine Pollution: Accumulation of marine debris and plastic pollution impacting coral reefs and posing ingestion hazards to sea turtles.
Illegal Extraction: Incidents of poaching targeting marine resources, such as sea cucumbers and shark fins, often by foreign fishing vessels traversing the international maritime boundary.
Tourism Pressure: Unregulated tourist activities in specific pockets leading to coral degradation and disturbance of marine fauna.

Responsible Wildlife Tourism

Respect Marine Life: Maintain a respectful distance from dugongs, sea turtles, and other marine fauna. Never touch, chase, or crowd aquatic wildlife.
Protect Coral Reefs: Avoid standing on, touching, or kicking coral reefs while snorkelling or scuba diving, as corals are fragile living organisms.
Adhere to Permits: Strictly follow forest department regulations and ensure all necessary tribal area and protected area permits are obtained prior to travel.
Eliminate Single-Use Plastics: The islands have strict regulations against single-use plastics; carry reusable water bottles and ensure zero littering.
Avoid Feeding Wildlife: Do not feed fish during boat tours or feral animals on the islands, as this disrupts natural foraging behaviours and pollutes the water.
Use Certified Operators: Engage only with authorised guides and certified dive operators who adhere to established ecological guidelines.

Did You Know?

South Button Island National Park is the smallest National Park in India, encompassing an area of just 0.03 square kilometres, yet it protects a highly biodiverse shallow-water coral reef ecosystem.
The Barren Island Wildlife Sanctuary encompasses India’s only confirmed active volcano.
The Narcondam Hornbill is a globally threatened species found nowhere else on Earth except on the tiny, 6.8 square kilometre Narcondam Island.
The Robber Crab (or Coconut Crab), recognised as the largest land-living arthropod in the world, is found on South Sentinel and the Nicobar islands and is known to climb trees to harvest coconuts.
Interview Island hosts a unique population of feral elephants, which are the descendants of working elephants abandoned by a timber company in the 1950s.
Rather than incubating its eggs with body heat, the Nicobar Megapode builds massive mound nests of sand and rotting vegetation, relying on the heat generated by decomposition to incubate the eggs.
The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago serves as a critical nesting ground for four globally significant species of marine turtles: the Leatherback, Green, Hawksbill, and Olive Ridley.

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