Jharkhand
is very rich in biodiversity and is the part of the Chhotanagpur
Plateau Province of the Deccan Peninsula Biogeographic Zone. The
recorded forest area is 2.36 million hectares which constitutes 29.61 %
of the geographical area of the state. By legal status, Reserve Forests
constitute 18.59%, Protected Forests 81.27% and Unclassed Forests a mere
0.14%.There are three forest types viz., Tropical Moist Deciduous,
Tropical Dry Deciduous, and Subtropical Broadleaved Hill Forests, Sal
(Shorea robusta) being the major forest tree species. The Chhotanagpur
Plateau is very rich in forest resources. The state is very rich in
wildlife resources too.
One National Park and ten Wildlife Sanctuaries are there, devoted to in situ conservation of wildlife. They cover 0.21 million hectares, i.e., 2.63% of the state's total geographical area and 9% of the recorded forest area. In addition, there is one Biological Park, at Chakla (Ormanjhi), one Deer Park at Kalamati and one Crocodile Breeding Centre at Muta, all in Ranchi District, devoted to ex situ conservation of wildlife as well as for serving as centres for sensitizing people for conservation of wildlife resources of the state and the country at large. The state is implementing two national research-cum-conservation projects viz., the Project Tiger since 1973-74 for in situ conservation of the Indian Tiger and the Project Elephant since 1991-92 for conservation of viable populations of wild Asiatic Elephants and their habitats. Under these conservation projects, special management units of the Palamau Tiger Reserve and the Singhbhum Elephant Reserve have been created.
