GREAT NICOBAR

Subject : Geography

Context : NITI Aayog vision for Great Nicobar ignores tribal, ecological concerns.

Concept :

Great Nicobar Group of Islands

Geography: They are located around 1,300 km southeast of the Indian subcontinent, across the Bay of Bengal and are home to the two most primitive tribes namely- Nicobarese & Shompens.
Species found: It is a habitat for diverse creatures including the giant robber crab, a megapode bird, the crab-eating macaque, and is also a nesting ground for leatherback sea turtles.
Ecology: The island harbors a wide spectrum of ecosystems from tropical wet evergreen forests, mountain ranges, and coastal plains. These islands also host the growth of coral reefs (the existence of which is threatened by the plastic debris & marine litter).
The island includes the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve (GNBR) which has been declared as one of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO.
The reserve comprises of the Galathea National Park and the Campbell Bay National Park.
The Sundalands which is one of the four biodiversity hotspots in India includes the Nicobar group of Islands.