SHOLAS

   A special type of mountain forests found in western ghats regions of kerala and Karnataka and some parts of tamilnadu. These are small patches of evergreen  located along the valleys of upper mountain. The mountain slopes are covered with short grasses. 

The presence of shoal forest makes the western ghats, the ecological hotspot of india. Sholas are known as forest associated with the streamlets. 

Scientifically, shoals are tropical montane forests situated in the higher mountain tracts of western ghats.  They are continuation of the west coastal tropic wet evergreen forests in the higher altitudes. 

Shola forests have high ecological significance in protecting the head waters of rivers. They have the capability of holding up water received by precipitation like a sponge way and thus preventing the rapid run off. 

India has more than 89000 of animal species. The country has more than 1200 species of fish which account for nearly 12% of worlds stock,  It also shares between 5-8% of the world’s amphibians, reptiles and mammals. According to decrease in the forest cover , number of wild animal have been extinct and the large species are under the treat of extinction. 

Some of the highly endangered animals of western ghats are 

1) Tiger, 

2) Leopard, 

3) Rusty spotted cat, 

4) Ruddy Mongoose, 

5) Striped necked mongoose, 

6) Nilgiri Marten 

7) Nilgiri Thar 

8) Clawless Otter 

9) Malabar civets 

10) Lion tailed macaque 

11) Hyena  

12) Black buck 

13) Pangolin 

14) Black napped hare 

15) Grizzled squirrel 

16) Slender Lorris 

17) Wild dog 

18) Malabar giant squirrel.

Endangered birds :

 1)Great Indian Hornbill

 2) Malabar Pied Hornbill

 3) Ceylon Frogmouth

4) Vultures

5)  Black-breasted quails

6)  Blue breasted quails

7) Three toed kingfisher

8) Blue bearded bee-eater

9) Broad billed roller bird

10) Wryneck

11)Rufous wood pecker

12)Hair crested drongo

13)Houbro bustard

14)Lesser florican

15)Woodcock

16)Alexandrine parakeet

17)Red faced malkoha

18)Peninsular bay owl

19)Great eared hightjar

20)Indian edible swifnet

21)Malabar Trogan

22)Shama

23)Yellow throated bulbul

24)Black and orange fly catcher

25)Nilgiri pipit