West Bengal Biodiversity Board

Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHS) are declared by the Government of West Bengal as per sub section (1) of section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and sub-rule (2) of rule 20 of the West Bengal Biological Diversity Rules, 2005. So far 10 Biodiversity Heritage Sites have been declared viz. Dhotrey Medicinal Plant Conservation Area (Darjeeling), Tonglu Medicinal Plant Conservation Area (Darjeeling), Chilkigarh Kanak Durga Sacred Grove (Jhargram), Baneswar Shiva Dighi (Coochbehar), Char Balidanga (Nadia), Namthing Pokhari (Darjeeling), Amkhoi Wood Fossil Park (Birbhum), State Horticulture Research and Development Station (Nadia), Birampur to Baguran Jalpai inter-tidal coastal zone (Purba Medinipur), Haldir Char (Purba Medinipur).

Dhotrey Medicinal Plant Conservation Area

Dhotrey BHS, in Darjeeling District is a Medicinal Plant Conservation Area spreading over an area of 180 ha, which harbours a number of rare medicinal plants like Taxus wallichiana, Panax pseudo-ginseng, Swertia chirayita etc.

Notification

Notified vide no. 716-EN/T-II-7/003-ii/2003, dated 20th March 2015 -

GPS Coordinates:

Latitude - 27.06358 N
Longitude - 88.11344 E (Centroid)

Tonglu Medicinal Plant Conservation Area

Tonglu Medicinal Plant Conservation Area, in Darjeeling District is a Medicinal Plant Conservation Area spreading over an area of 230 ha, which is the habitat of a number of rare medicinal plants like Aconitum spp., Actinidia strigosa, Berberis spicatum, Holboellia latifolia, Panax pseudo-ginseng, Picrorhiza kurroa, Podophyllum hexandrum, Swertia chirayita, Thalictrum foliosum etc.

Notification

Notified vide no. 716-EN/T-II-7/003-ii/2003, dated 20th March 2015 -

GPS Coordinates

Latitude - 27.037860N
Longitude - 88.082850E (Centroid)

Chilkigarh Kanak Durga BHS

Chilkigarh Kanak Durga BHS, in Jamboni Block, Jhargram District spreading over an area of 55.9 Acre, and it is an important Sacred Grove rich in biodiversity, including some rare medicinal plants like Strychnos nux-vomica, Holarrhena pubescens, Rauvolfia serpentina etc.

Notification

Notified vide no. 926/EN/T-II-7/003-ii/2003, dated 16th April 2018 -

GPS Coordinates

Latitude - 22.452750N
Longitude - 86.882110E (Centroid)

Baneswar Shiv Dighi

Baneswar Shiva Dighi BHS, in Coochbehar II Block, Coochbehar District, is an important habitat of critically endangered Black Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia nigricans).

Notification

notified vide no. 880-EN/T-II-7/003-ii/2003, dated 3rd July 2020 -

GPS Coordinates

Latitude - 26.39825° N
Longitude - 89.49815° E (Centroid)

Char Balidanga BHS

Char Balidanga BHS, under Gobra Gram Panchayat of Kaliganj Development Block, Nadia district having two islands in the river Hooghly having approx. 0.47 km2 (115.8 acre) with tropical riverine vegetation admixed with tall grasses and trees and some swampy flat lands covered with algal mats periodically inundated with tidal ebbs. It is the habitat of nearly 100 species of birds both migratory and resident, along with Golden Monitor Lizards – Schedule I Part A, IUCN-EN (Varanus flavescens), Smooth Coated Otter – Scheduled I Part A, IUCN-VU (Lutrogale perspicillata), Golden Jackel Schedule I Part A (Canis aureus), Bengal Fox - Scheduled I Part A (Vulpes bengalensis), Mongoose - Scheduled IV Appendix III (Herpestes edwardsii), Small Indian Civet – Schedule I Part A (Viverricula indica), Fishing Cat - Scheduled I Part A, IUCN-VU (Prionailurus viverrinus) and members of rodents, amphibians, snakes and lizards.

Notification

Notified vide no. 505-EN/T-II-7/003-ii/2003, dated 10th March 2023 -

Char Balidanga Island 1

Latitude - 23.61451° N
Longitude - 88.21307° E

Char Balidanga Island 2

Latitude - 23.61184° N
Longitude - 88.21753° E

Namthing Pokhari BHS

Namthing Pokhari BHS, is a Himalayan natural wetland (pond) with traditional belief & taboos, covering an area of 11.91 Acre in Selpu Khasmahal, J.L. No. 62, Sittong III Gram Panchayat, Kurseong Block, Darjeeling. It offers refuge to Himalayan Salamander (Tylototriton himalayanus Khatiwada, Wang, Ghimire, Vasudevan, Paudel, Jiang, 2015) which is an evolutionary significant species originated during early-to-middle Miocene; endemic to Indo-Nepal Himalayan region; listed under Appendix II of CITES and Vulnerable as per IUCN with decreasing population trend.

Notification

Notified vide no. 506-EN/T-II-7/003-ii/2003, dated 10th March 2023 -

GPS Coordinates:

Latitude - 26.92813° N
Longitude - 88.39837° E

Amkhoi Wood Fossil Park BHS

Amkhoi Wood Fossil Park BHS, near Ilambazar, Birbhum with an area of 10 ha area has unique geological and paleo-botanical features and is the first Wood Fossil Park of West Bengal. It has diversified well preserved angiosperm wood fossils dating back to Jurassic age. Besides, the site harbours a number of age-old trees, which harbour different kinds of fauna, including many Scheduled species.

Notification

notified vide no. 507-EN/T-II-7/003-ii/2003, dated 10th March 2023 -

GPS Coordinates

Latitude - 23.62169° N
Longitude - 89.49815° E (Centroid)

State Horticulture Research and Development Station BHS

State Horticulture Research and Development Station BHS, in Deypara G.P., Krishnagar I Block, Nadia having the campus area of 97.88 Acres hosts heritage of indigenous horticultural germplasm of orchard trees. It includes more than fifty varieties of Mango, seven varieties of Guava, five varieties each of Lime, Litchi, Water apple and Kul. Besides horticultural crops, the campus nurtures several indigenous and medicinal plants, further it provides good habitat for various avian fauna, butterflies and other insects.

Notification

Notified vide no. 508-EN/T-II-7/003-ii/2003, dated 10th March 2023 -

GPS Coordinates:

Latitude - 23.39315° N
Longitude - 88.47191°E

Birampur - Baguran Jalpai BHS

Birampur - Baguran Jalpai BHS, in Contai I Block, Purba Medinipur having stretch of nearly 7.3 km harbours the habitats of Red Crabs. This intertidal zone (from low tide mark upto high tide mark during spring tide) also provides niche for other crab species like Dotilla and many littoral fauna. The dunes and coastal scrubs of the said stretch also provide habitats to many wild animals listed under Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Some of these are Monitor Lizard, Mongoose, Golden Jackle, Jungle Cat etc. The habitat of Red Crab associated with other littoral faunal components is very significant for coastal resilience through stabilizing the sandy beach.

Notification

Notified vide no. 910-EN/T-II-7/003-ii/2003, dated 16th May, 2023 -

Baguran Jalpai

Latitude - 21.6960° N
Longitude - 87.7615° E

Birampur

Latitude - 21.7149° N
Longitude - 87.8237° E

Haldir Char BHS

Haldir Char BHS, within the river Haldi near Teropekhaya village, Mahishadal Block, Purba Medinipur having an area of 6.44 ha with a perimeter of 1.05 km has naturally developed river island which is populated with reeds which check the erosion at the island edge. The inside of the island is populated by different mangroves species like Avicennia marina, A. officinalis, Sonneratia apetala, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Aegiceras corniculatum, etc, and several mangrove associates like Derris scandens, Thespesia populnea, Cryptocoryne ciliata, Acanthus ilicifolius, Clerodendrum inerme, Dolichos sp. etc. It also provides shelter to birds like Open Bill Stork, Little Cormorant, Indian Cormorant, Egret, Night Heron, Pond Heron, etc.