The Andaman and Nicobar have 556 islets with unique flora and fauna. They are home to some of the richest varieties of flora and fauna, with 86 per cent of the islands covered in primary tropical rainforests. Of the 2000 plus species of plants that grow on the islands, at least 1,300 are exclusive and not found in mainland India. There are around 270 species and sub-species of birds in these two islands of which around 106 have been declared endemic. The Andaman Woodpigeon, Andaman Padauk and Dugong have been declared the state bird, the state tree and state animal, respectively. There are about 96 wildlife sanctuaries, nine national parks and one biosphere reserve in the islands.
The mangrove forests of the Andamans are among the most extensive in India and perhaps the least disturbed. The extensive sea grass meadows in the north are home to the highly endangered Dugong (a gentle, vegetarian heavy-weight marine mammal, that feeds on sea....
