Why has India a rich heritage …

India has rich heritage of flora and fauna because of the following factors
(a) It has a very large geographical area which includes the mountains, the Northern plains, plateaus and also islands.
(b) India has a varied climate from very dry to monsoon type and temperature ranges from very hot to cold and very cold, which is suitable for different kinds of flora and fauna.  
(c) India has different types of soil like alluvial soil, red soil and black soil suitable for different plant types.  
(d) India is blessed with perenial rivers which sustain aquatic life apart from supporting different kinds of flora and fauna.
(e) The mountains and plains are capable of supporting and sustaining different kinds of plants and trees and provide an environment and habitat for various kinds of animal species.  
India is one of the twelve mega biodiversity countries of the world. It has about 47,000 plant species. It stands at the tenth place in the world and fourth in Asia in plant diversity. It has 89,000 species of animals as well as a rich variety of fish. It has about 15,000 flowering plants and ferns. India is blessed with different types of soils, climatic conditions and physical features and thus, it is suitable for supporting different species of flora and fauna making it a biodiversity hot spot.