Breathtaking ‘Sky Islands’ Showcase Evolution in Action - 1

These mountain tops peeking out of the clouds are known as "sky islands." Similar to oceanic islands, they are separated by air rather than water.

The Nilgiri tahr is a hoofed mammal endemic to the sky islands in the Western Ghats.

Nyctibatrachus minimus is one of the smallest known frogs of India. Found in the high elevation Shola forest, a full-grown adult is smaller than a thumbnail.

Raorchestes manohari is a habitat specialist that prefers bamboo forests.

Raorchestes signatus is another endemic frog of the Western Ghats. One of its peculiar characteristics is its brown eyes with radiating golden stripes. These starry eyes are present only in females.

Rhacophorus lateralis is a tree frog restricted to two small areas of the southern Western Ghats. It has been listed as an endangered species and is at risk of losing its habitat.

The Malabar torrent toad, Ghatophryne ornata, is seen around fast-flowing streams. It is also an endangered species in the region.

The blue-eyed frog, Raorchestes luteolus, is nocturnal. Male frogs can be heard calling at dusk.

The montane Shola environments have very high water-retention capabilities–all major rivers in south India originate in this landscape.

Drosera burmannii is a small, compact species of carnivorous plant with a very wide distribution across the habitat. Here it has caught an ant using its sticky sundew tentacle.

Arisaema leschenaultii is an endemic plant of the high elevation sky islands. It is commonly called a Kerala cobra lily because of its resemblance to the animal.

The sky islands are home to a unique forest-grassland complex called the Shola.

The horseshoe pit viper, Trimeresurus strigatus, is a venomous snake restricted mainly to one hilly region in the Western Ghats. It feeds on small frogs and lizard species found in the Shola grasslands.

Bibron's coral snake, Calliophis bibroni, is one of the rarest snakes in the Western Ghats. This snake is a burrower and occasionally comes to the surface for mating and foraging. When disturbed, it flattens its whole body and coils up its tail in an aggressive display.

The lion-tailed macaque, Macaca silenus, ranks among the rarest and most threatened primates globally due to habitat loss.

The Western Ghats are one of the eight "hottest hot-spots" of biological diversity in the world.

The songbird Sholicola albiventris sings a unique song during the courtship ritual in a dark understory environment.

Montecincla fairbanki is also known as the Kerala laughingthrush.

Fireflies signal an oncoming monsoon in the Western Ghats.