In this guide
Maharashtra is one of India's most industrialised and urbanised states, yet it holds some of the country's most important tiger habitats, a stretch of the Western Ghats recognised by UNESCO, and — uniquely — a national park within a megacity. For MPSC, protected areas are a favourite source of Prelims questions, and conservation issues are regular Mains themes.
Forest cover and types
According to the India State of Forest Report (Forest Survey of India), forest cover in Maharashtra is a modest share of its geographical area — below the national average — but the state has a large absolute forest area. Forests are unevenly distributed:
- Highest forest cover: Gadchiroli, followed by other eastern Vidarbha districts (Chandrapur, Gondia) and the northern Satpura districts (Nandurbar, Amravati — Melghat).
- Low forest cover: Marathwada and much of western Maharashtra's plateau.
| Forest type | Where | Characteristic trees |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical semi-evergreen and evergreen | Western Ghats (Sahyadri) slopes, high-rainfall areas | Diverse evergreen species; rich in endemics |
| Tropical moist deciduous | Eastern Vidarbha, parts of the Sahyadri | Teak, bamboo, sal (in the far east) |
| Tropical dry deciduous | Much of the plateau, Satpuras | Teak, tendu, ain, mahua, palas |
| Tropical thorn / scrub | Rain shadow areas | Babul, khair, scrub |
| Mangroves (littoral and swamp) | Konkan creeks and estuaries | Avicennia, Rhizophora and others |
Tendu leaves (used to roll bidis), bamboo and mahua are important minor forest produce for tribal livelihoods, especially in Gadchiroli and Chandrapur.
Tiger reserves
Maharashtra has six tiger reserves:
| Tiger reserve | District(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Melghat | Amravati | Among the first nine tiger reserves under Project Tiger (1973–74); in the Satpura (Gawilgarh) hills |
| Tadoba–Andhari | Chandrapur | Maharashtra's oldest national park (Tadoba); one of India's best-known tiger reserves |
| Pench | Nagpur | Adjoins Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh |
| Sahyadri | Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri | Covers Koyna wildlife sanctuary and Chandoli national park; the only tiger reserve in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra |
| Nawegaon–Nagzira | Gondia, Bhandara | Important corridor landscape |
| Bor | Wardha | One of the smallest tiger reserves in India |
The central Indian landscape — linking Tadoba, Pench, Nawegaon–Nagzira, Bor and Melghat with Madhya Pradesh — depends on wildlife corridors, many of which are fragmented by roads, mines and farmland.
National parks
Maharashtra's national parks include:
- Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Borivali, Mumbai) — a large protected forest inside a city; home to leopards and the ancient Kanheri caves;
- Tadoba (Chandrapur);
- Pench (Nagpur);
- Gugamal (Amravati, in Melghat);
- Navegaon (Gondia);
- Chandoli (Sangli–Kolhapur–Satara–Ratnagiri).
Important wildlife sanctuaries
| Sanctuary | District | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Bhimashankar | Pune | Indian giant squirrel (Shekru), the state animal; source of the Bhima |
| Koyna | Satara | Part of Sahyadri Tiger Reserve |
| Radhanagari | Kolhapur | Indian bison (gaur); part of the Western Ghats World Heritage listing |
| Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary | Solapur–Ahilyanagar (Nannaj) | Grassland bird on the brink of extinction |
| Karnala | Raigad | Bird sanctuary near Mumbai |
| Phansad | Raigad | Coastal forest |
| Mayureshwar | Pune | Grassland; chinkara |
| Tansa | Thane/Palghar | Forest around Mumbai's water supply lakes |
| Tipeshwar | Yavatmal | Tigers dispersing from other reserves |
| Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary | Thane/Mumbai | Lesser and greater flamingos |
Ramsar sites
Maharashtra's Ramsar wetlands of international importance include:
- Nandur Madhameshwar (Nashik) — the state's first Ramsar site (2019), a bird sanctuary at the confluence of the Godavari and Kadva;
- Lonar Lake (Buldhana) — a meteorite crater lake (2020);
- Thane Creek (2022).
Check the latest list on the Ramsar or MoEFCC website, as new sites are added regularly.
Mangroves
The Konkan creeks, particularly around Mumbai, Thane and Raigad, have significant mangrove forests. Maharashtra created a dedicated Mangrove Cell in its Forest Department, and mangroves on government land have been declared protected forests. Mangroves:
- protect the coast from storm surges and erosion;
- act as nurseries for fish;
- absorb carbon.
They face threats from reclamation, construction and debris dumping.
The Western Ghats
The Sahyadri is part of the Western Ghats, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots and a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 2012). In Maharashtra, the listing includes areas such as Kaas plateau, Koyna, Chandoli and Radhanagari.
The debate over protecting the Ghats — the Gadgil report (2011) versus the Kasturirangan report (2013) on eco-sensitive areas — is a frequent Mains theme. See our guide on the Western Ghats in Maharashtra.
State symbols
| Symbol | Species |
|---|---|
| State animal | Indian giant squirrel (Shekru) |
| State bird | Yellow-footed green pigeon (Harial) |
| State tree | Mango |
| State flower | Jarul (Pride of India) |
| State butterfly | Blue Mormon |
Conservation issues
- Human–wildlife conflict: particularly around Tadoba and Chandrapur (tiger attacks and retaliatory killings), and leopard conflict in the sugarcane belt of Junnar (Pune) and around Mumbai.
- Corridor fragmentation: highways, railways and mining in central India.
- Mining: coal in Chandrapur; iron ore in Gadchiroli (for example, the Surjagarh hills) — balancing development with tribal rights and forests.
- Great Indian Bustard decline: loss of grasslands, power lines.
- Forest rights: implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 — Mendha–Lekha in Gadchiroli was one of the first villages in India to receive community forest rights, including rights over bamboo.
Practice
Prelims-style:
- Which Maharashtra tiger reserve was among the first nine under Project Tiger?
- Which tiger reserve includes Koyna and Chandoli?
- What is the state animal of Maharashtra, and where is it protected?
- Which was Maharashtra's first Ramsar site?
- What was notable about Mendha–Lekha?
Mains-style:
- "Human–wildlife conflict around Tadoba reflects a larger conflict between conservation and livelihoods." Discuss.
- Examine the role of mangroves in protecting Mumbai.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Maharashtra Public Service Commission website .
Get the next MPSC guide by email
New guides every week. No spam, unsubscribe any time.