Coastal and marine biodiversity conservation in India

India’s coastline holds many biological treasures. Handsome mangrove forests of Sundarbans, the world’s largest congregations of nesting turtles in Odisha, beautiful seagrass beds in Palk Bay, enigmatic sea cows in the Gulf of Mannar, majestic yet gentle whale sharks in the Gulf of Kachchh and some of the world’s most beautiful and striking coral reefs are examples of the some of the biological treasures of India’s coastal and marine biodiversity. Besides being store houses of biological diversity, coastal regions are also home to a large human population. However, due to industralisation and urbanization, these ecosystems are under pressure. Global climate change is likely to put them under additional stress. Sustainable development of coastal and marine ecosystems may reduce the pressure on them and also help in preserving biological diversity