The Gangetic plains are at alluvial regions lying the south of the grand tributaries. The Vinilliyat escarpment and the northern and eastern outliers of the Chhotanagpur plateau for the southern boundary of this zone, while the Himalayas are toward the north. It covers about 10 percent of the total geographical area in India. It in a flat alluvial region lying to the North and South of the Ganga River and a major tributaries and in the foothills of the Himalayas.

The plains are divided into two provinces Upper Gangetic Plains and Lower Gangetic Plains. Largest rivers of this zone are Ganga, Ghaghara, Brahmaputra, and Yamuna, with the delta of these rivers is located at the head of the Bay of Bengal. The plain is formed by floodplain bluffs, minor natural levees and hollows known as spill patterns. There is a clear west east moisture gradient, with less than 500 mm rainfall in the western part of the plain, whereas the eastern part receives more than 5000 mm of rainfall.

The most important species of this region include rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis), elephant (Elephas maximus). Buffalo (Bhalus bubalis), swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli), hog ders (Axis porcimus), gangetic Jolphin (Platanista gangetica), and hispid hare (Carprolegus bopidus).

The Zoological Survey of India is publishing a volume entitled "faunal Diversity of Biogeographic Zones of India Gangetic Plains" which documents 14.6.30 species from the Indian Gangetic Plains.

It has been the constant endeavour of Zoological Survey of India, ever since its establishment in 1916. Conducting ecosystem-based faunal explorations in the country for research, scientific documentation, and providing baseline information on Indian faunal wealth to aid conservation strategies framed by Government of India.

The publication will be useful not only to the students and researchers but also to the biodiversity conservation managers, planners, and policymakers. I congratulate all authors for their relentless efforts in the publication of this scientific document.