The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is a biosphere reserve in the Nilgiri Mountains of the Western Ghats in South India . It is the largest protected forest area in India, spreading across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve , set up in 1986, is located in the Western Ghats and Nilgiri ranges of South India. This was the first biosphere reserve established in India under the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme. UNESCO declared it as a World Heritage Site in 2012. The Nilgiri hills are considered to be ancient. Geological evidence suggests that they are approximately 2 billion years old. Topographically the area is diverse as it ranges from low lying valleys to mountains over 2000 m ... It is located in the Nilgiri Mountains of the Western Ghats. It encompasses parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. It was the first biosphere reserve in India, established in 1986. The total area of the reserve is 5,520 sq. km. It is the largest protected forest area in India. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve have the distinction of being the first biosphere reserve in India situated in parts of Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
