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{{Short description|Ecoregion of India}}
{{Infobox ecoregion
|name = Northern dry deciduous forests
{{Coord|21|45|56|N|84|52|05|E|display=title}}
|image = Kanger valley National park.jpg
|image_size =
|image_alt =
|caption = [[Kanger Valley National Park]]
|map = Ecoregion IM0208.png
|map_size =
|map_alt =
|map_caption = Ecoregion territory (in purple)
|ecozone = [[Indomalayan realm|Indomalayan]]
|biome = [[tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests]]
|animals =
|bird_species =
|mammal_species =
|border = [[Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests]]
|area = 58154
|country = [[India]]
|state1 = [[Odisha]]
|state2 = [[Chhattisgarh]]
|state3 = [[Andhra Pradesh]]
|region_type = States
|elevation =
|geology =
|seas =
|rivers =
|climate =
|soil =
|conservation = critical/endangered
|global200 =
|habitat_loss =
|habitat_loss_ref =
|coordinates =
|protected = 1,604 km2 (3
|protected_ref = )<ref name="doi.org">Eric Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, Pages 534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b. [https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/bix014]</ref>
|embedded =
}}

The '''Northern dry deciduous forests''', presently known as the '''North Deccan dry deciduous forests''',<ref name="doi.org" /> is a [[tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest|tropical dry broadleaf forest]] [[ecoregion]] of east-central [[India]].

==Geography==
It covers an area of {{convert|58,200|km2|sqmi|sp=us}}, mostly in western [[Odisha]] state, with portions in neighboring [[Chhattisgarh]]. The region extends northeast–southwest in the dry western [[rain shadow]] of the [[Eastern Ghats]] range, which block the moisture-laden [[monsoon]] winds from the [[Bay of Bengal]] to the east. It is surrounded by the more humid [[Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests]] ecoregion.

The ecoregion lies mostly in the middle basin of the [[Mahanadi|Mahanadi River]] and its tributary the [[Tel River|Tel]]. The southern portion of the ecoregion lies in the upper basin of the [[Indravati River]], a tributary of the [[Godavari]].

==Flora==
The original vegetation was a multi-storied forest of mostly dry-season deciduous trees, dominated by [[Shorea robusta|sal]] (''Shorea robusta''). Little of the original forest remains. [[Teak]] (''Tectona grandis''), which favors drier conditions, is more common in the remaining forests. Frequent fires, intensive grazing, and over-harvesting trees for firewood and fodder has reduced other areas to open scrubland or savanna. Much of the ecoregion has been converted to agriculture or pasture.<ref name = wwf>{{WWF ecoregion|name=Northern dry-deciduous forests|id=im0208}}</ref>

==Fauna==
The ecoregion has 68 native mammal species. Threatened mammals include the [[tiger]] (''Panthera tigris''), [[dhole]] (''Cuon alpinus''), [[sloth bear]] (''Melursus ursinus''), and [[chousingha]] (''Tetracerus quadricornis'').<ref name = wwf/>

There are 261 bird species in the ecoregion. They include the [[Indian grey hornbill]] (''Ocyceros birostris'') and [[Oriental pied hornbill]] (''Anthracoceros albirostris'').<ref name = wwf/>

==Conservation==
A 1997 assessment found that more than three-quarters of the ecoregion's natural habitat had been cleared or degraded. Four protected areas encompassed about 2.5 percent of the ecoregion's area.<ref>Wikramanayake, Eric; Eric Dinerstein; Colby J. Loucks; et al. (2002). ''Terrestrial Ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific: a Conservation Assessment.'' Island Press; [[Washington, DC]]. pp. 321-322</ref> A 2017 assessment estimated that 1,604 km2, or 3%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Another 12% is forested but unprotected.<ref name="doi.org">Eric Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, Pages 534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b. [https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/bix014]</ref>

* [[Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary]], [[Odisha]] (340 km2)
* [[Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary]], [[Raigarh district]], Chhattisgarh (290 km2)
* [[Kanger Ghati National Park]], Chhattisgarh (230 km2)
* [[Sunabeda Tiger Reserve]], [[Nuapada district]], Odisha (591 km2)

==See also==
*[[List of ecoregions in India]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{WWF ecoregion|name=Northern dry deciduous forests|id=im0208}}
* {{commons-inline}}

[[Category:Northern dry deciduous forests| ]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of India]]
[[Category:Indomalayan ecoregions]]
[[Category:Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests]]

Northern dry deciduous forests - Revision history

Alihaiderhussain: creating new page w/ infobox