Natural Resources in Meghalaya

Minerals

Meghalaya is a storehouse of minerals. The major minerals that are present in the state are Coal, Limestone, Clay and Sillimanite. Other minerals include Phospherite, Glass-Sand, Granite, Quartz & Feldspar, Gypsum, Base Metal, Gold, Uranium and Iron-Ores. Coal and Limestone are also exported to Bangladesh, earning a good amount of foreign exchange.

Forests

The total estimated forest area in the state is 8510 sq. km. The State contains areas of very beautiful scenery with evergreen forests. The forests of Meghalaya can broadly be grouped under the tropical type and the temperate type, mainly based on the altitude, rainfall and dominant species Composition.

The various types of forests found in Meghalaya are Tropical moist and dry deciduous forests, Tropical Forests, Tropical evergreen forests, Tropical semi-evergreen forests, Grass and Savannas, Temperate Forests and Sacred Groves.

Flora

Meghalaya is blessed with a rich, varied, dense, widespread, exotic and cultivated flora. Nature, in its generous abundance, had given Meghalaya a unique type of vegetation, ranging from tropical and sub-tropical to temperate or near temperate.

Both tropical and temperate vegetation is done in Meghalaya.
The famous plants of Meghalaya are its Botanical Wonder, Orchids, Decor Plants, Money Spinning Plants, Lac and Gum plants.
Meghalaya is also famous for its honey production.

Fauna

Meghalaya has a rich and interesting plethora of fauna.
It is said that about 50% of the total number of mammals found in the entire Indian sub-continent can also be found in Meghalaya and its adjoining states in the North-East. The mammals, such as Tupaia, Rhizomys, Cannomys, Chiropodomys, Micromys etc occur only in Meghalaya and its adjacent areas.

Some of the most interesting animals found in Meghalaya are the Hoolock - the only tailless ape in India, Golden Cat, Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat, Large Indian Civet, Binturong or Bear Cat Himalayan, Black Bear, Barking Deer and Pangolin.

In the forests of Meghalaya, especially in lower altitudes, multifarious species of birds can be seen in abundance. Some of the common birds are: Hoopoe, Long tailed Broadbill, Scarlet Minivet, Burmese Roller, Blue-throated Barbet, Red-vented Bulbul, Himalayan Black Bulbul, Himalayan Whistling Thrush, Spotted Forktail, Black-breasted Kalij Pheasant, Red Jungle Fowl, and Mynas like Jungle Mynas, Hill Mynas etc and Turtle-dove.

Reptile population in Meghalaya includes lizards and snakes, poisonous and non-poisonous. Important ones are: Indian Cobra, King cobra, Coral Snake, Vipers, Python, Blind Snake, Copperhead, Red-necked Kulback and Green Tree Racer.

Besides mammals, birds and reptiles, Meghalaya has a number of amphibians and fishes and insects. Amphibians like frogs, toads etc. and fishes like rohu, mrigal, kalibaus, puti and many more of hill stream adaptation are found abundantly in Meghalaya. Among the insect population, ants, flies, bees, beetles are common.

Meghalaya's butterflies are famous all over the world for their beauty, among which are Blue Peacock, the Karserhed, the Orange Oak Leaf, the Dipper, and the Bhutan Glory.