The criteria for determining hot spots are 1. Number of endemic species.
2. Degree of threat which is measured in terms of habitat loss.
There are 25 hot spots in the world out of which two are in India. They are Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas.

(ii) Ex situ conservation. It means maintenance ans protection of biodiversity at an off site location. It is the process of protecting an endangered species of plant or animal outside its natural habitat either in gardens by farmers, botanical garden or storing seeds, genes, pollen, tissue culture etc.