Wildlife of
West Bengal

Montane temperate broadleaf and mixed forests in the Darjeeling Himalaya (oak-laurel-rhododendron belts) and higher elevation conifer stands (fir/hemlock/spruce elements locally) on cooler slopes and ridgelines.

Patchy but significant in the northern hill districts (Darjeeling/Singalila-Neora Valley belt), generally above the subtropical zone.

Alpine shrublands and meadows near the highest ridges along the Darjeeling-Sikkim border (e.g., Singalila Ridge), with short growing seasons, high winds, and strong frost/snow influence.

Small, highest-elevation pockets on ridge tops and upper slopes in the extreme north.

Very moist evergreen to semi-evergreen forests in the humid Himalayan foothills and north Bengal (high rainfall areas), including dense, multi-layered canopies with lianas and rich understories in protected tracts.

Localized in the wetter foothill/duar tracts and ravines of north Bengal; limited extent compared with plains agriculture.

Moist-to-dry deciduous forests (notably sal-dominated stands) in the western and south-western parts (lateritic plateau fringe), with pronounced dry-season leaf drop and frequent human use/fragmentation.

Mainly in western West Bengal (Purulia-Bankura-Jhargram belt and adjoining tracts); now highly fragmented.

Terai-Duar alluvial floodplain grasslands by Himalayan foothills and rivers are kept by seasonal floods, sediment, and past grazing and fire. WWF calls this Terai-Duar savanna in the Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas and Shrublands biome.

Narrow, linear belts along northern West Bengal's Himalayan foothill floodplains and riverine tracts; much converted to agriculture/settlement, with remaining patches mainly in protected areas and floodplain remnants.

Large river networks (Ganga/Hooghly, Teesta, Damodar, Subarnarekha and distributaries), braided channels in the north, extensive floodplains with oxbows, beels, and human-made ponds supporting fisheries and waterbirds.

Widespread across the plains and delta; dominant ecological driver over much of the state.

Deltaic marshes and swamps, floodplain beels, peatier high-rainfall pockets, and globally significant human-influenced wetlands (e.g., East Kolkata Wetlands); includes tidal wetlands grading into mangroves.

Extensive in the lower Gangetic plain and especially the southern delta; also scattered throughout floodplains statewide.

Coastal and nearshore Bay of Bengal systems including tidal flats, sandy beaches, estuarine plumes, and shallow continental shelf waters supporting fisheries and migratory species.

Along the southern coast (Purba Medinipur-South 24 Parganas) and offshore waters.

Darjeeling Himalayan terrain with steep elevational gradients, deep valleys, and ridgelines (e.g., Singalila), driving sharp habitat zonation over short distances.

Protected forest blocks occur in the north (foothill to montane) and west (deciduous), functioning as key biodiversity refuges amid dense settlement.

Sal (Shorea robusta) and associated deciduous communities in western districts; often interspersed with villages, fuelwood extraction zones, and secondary regrowth.

Higher-elevation conifer stands mixed with temperate broadleaf elements in the northern hills, typically on cooler aspects and upper slopes.

Humid evergreen/semi-evergreen foothill forests in north Bengal with high epiphyte/liana loads and strong monsoon seasonality.

Terai/Duar tall grasses and riverine alluvial grass patches; critical for ground-nesting birds and as river-buffer habitat where intact.

Lateritic and degraded forest margins in the west and scrubby successional habitats on disturbed slopes and fallows.

Major rivers and distributaries (Hooghly-Bhagirathi system, Teesta, Damodar, etc.) with braided reaches in the north and tidally influenced channels in the south.

Natural oxbow lakes/beels and larger wetland-lake complexes (seasonally varying) that support fisheries and large congregations of waterbirds.

Dense networks of village ponds and aquaculture tanks across the plains and delta; important for amphibians, fish, and peri-urban biodiversity.

Floodplain marshes, beels, and urban-linked wetlands (notably East Kolkata Wetlands) with high productivity and strong human management.

Freshwater swampy tracts and waterlogged floodplain pockets; also transitional zones landward of tidal wetlands in the delta.

Seasonally inundated marshlands in floodplains and delta margins; key for migratory and resident waterbirds.

Small, localized peatier/semi-peat wet pockets in high-rainfall hill/foothill settings (limited and scattered), distinct from extensive delta marshes.

Sundarbans mangrove forests with tidal creeks and mudflats; salt-tolerant tree assemblages adapted to cyclones and tidal inundation.

Hooghly-Matla-Bidyadhari estuarine network and tidal channels of the delta, mixing freshwater and marine influence and supporting rich fisheries.

Low-lying deltaic coast with tidal flats, embankments, cyclone exposure, and strong sediment dynamics.

Sandy beach systems (e.g., Digha-Shankarpur sector) with dunes and heavy recreation pressure in places.

Very limited; most of the coastline is sandy/muddy-deltaic, with only minor hard-substrate stretches near engineered or localized outcrops.

Nearshore Bay of Bengal waters used by pelagic fish and migratory species; strongly influenced by monsoon-driven productivity and river discharge.

Shallow continental shelf and soft-sediment benthic habitats offshore of the delta and coastal districts, supporting demersal fisheries.

Large urban footprints (notably Kolkata and its industrial corridor) with fragmented green spaces and significant wetland/river interfaces.

Rapidly expanding peri-urban mosaics around Kolkata and other cities, mixing wetlands, agriculture, and built-up areas.

Intensively cultivated alluvial plains (rice-dominated with jute, vegetables, etc.), forming the dominant land cover across central/southern districts.

Tea plantations in the Darjeeling hills and Dooars, creating managed habitats adjacent to remnant forests and river corridors.