When did the Western Ghats formation begin?

The Western Ghats formation began approximately 150-160 million years ago during the breakup of the Gondwana supercontinent, when the Indian plate started its northeastward drift.

What role did the Réunion hotspot play in Western Ghats formation?

Around 66 million years ago, the Indian plate passed over the Réunion mantle plume, triggering massive Deccan Traps volcanism that buried the region under kilometers of basalt, creating the plateau whose western edge became the Ghats escarpment.

Why are the Western Ghats a biodiversity hotspot?

The Western Ghats host exceptional endemism (37% plants, 65% amphibians) due to complex topography from geological formation, climatic gradients from orographic rainfall, and sky island isolation on high peaks driving allopatric speciation.