Nature has endowed these islands with a unique and varied animal life both on land as well as in sea. Faunal distribution in these islands is influenced by fauna of both Indo-chinese and Indo-Malayan regions. Large mammals are absent in both Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Geographic isolation of these islands has resulted in high degree of endemism. The surrounding seas are equally rich in marine biodiversity. Endemism is more pronounced in land animals.