Although India occupies only 2.4% of the world’s total land mass, its diverse geographic and climatic conditions have given rise to four biodiversity hotspots. This land mass is enriched with 7–8% of the global documented species with more than 45,500 plant and 91,000 animal species being recorded1. The continental drift which resulted in mass exchange of species between the Gondwanan and Laurasian land masses is considered to have contributed to this diversity that India enjoys.

A confluence of three different geological origins, North East (NE) of India has an abundant range of ecological habitats. The region is known as a geographic gateway for much of the country’s rich biodiversity and is a part of two biodiversity hotspots in the world, the Himalaya and Indo-Burman2. Contributing to this is the wide range of geographic, climatic, cultural and economic diversity. This region occupies 7.7% of India’s total land area and 65% of its total biodiversity with a significant level of endemism in plant and animal species. An estimated 50% of Indian flowering plants are endemic to this region and several reports suggest that about 1350 plant species with medicinal properties, 665 species of consumable plants and 899 plant species with additional usage occur in this region3. Besides, 72% of the country’s orchid biodiversity resides in the states of NE India, of which 14.29% species are endemic to this region4. The faunal diversity is equally rich with 818 species of birds of which 23 are endemic, more than 300 species of edible insects and 146 species of amphibians with 53 endemics5–7.