Why is India considered a mega biodiversity country?

India is considered a mega biodiversity country because it possesses a wide range of ecosystems, climatic conditions, and geographical features that support an exceptionally high diversity of species. It is one of the 17 mega diverse countries in the world, hosting nearly 8 percent of global biodiversity despite having only about 2.4 percent of the world’s land area. India has diverse habitats such as the Himalayas, Western Ghats, deserts, wetlands, and coastal regions, which support a large number of endemic and rare species. The presence of four global biodiversity hotspots within its territory further highlights its ecological richness. This high level of diversity makes India critically important for global biodiversity conservation.