It is currently threatened by encroachment by agricultural fields, wildlife poaching, loss of the surrounding forests, and increases in commercial prawn farming.

Predominant species are Manilkara hexandra, Mimusops elengi, Ceylon ebony (Diospyros ebenum), strychnine tree (Strychnos nux-vomica), Eugenia spp., Drypetes sepiaria, and Flacourtia indica.

[4] One study in two remnant sacred groves in this ecoregion recorded 169 angiosperm species, of which the dominant tree species were Albizia amara, A. odoratissima, Borassus flabellifer, Buchanania axillaris, Chloroxylon swietenia, Drypetes sepiaria, Ficus benghalensis, Lannea coromandelica, Lepisanthes tetraphylla, Memecylon umbellatum, Pterospermum suberifolium, and Syzygium cumini.

[5] Puthupet forest (12°05’702”N – 79° 87’ 148” E) is predominantly Memecylon umbellatum, with Pterospermum canescens, Diospyros ebenum, Drypetes sepiaria, Aglaia elaeagnoidea, Pongamia pinnata, Azadirachta indica, Walsura trifoliolata, Calophyllum inophyllum, and Albizia amara.

Most of the ecoregion's forests have been degraded into tropical dry evergreen scrublands, characterized by thorny species such as Ziziphus glaberrima, Dichrostachys cinerea, Catunaregam spinosa, and Carissa spinarum.

[7] Mammals found in this ecoregion include the dhole (Cuon alpinus), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) and Indian spotted chevrotain (Moschiola indica).

[9] Several other temple groves in the area around Puducherry, including Puthupet, Pillaichavadi, Mudaliarchavadi, and Kottakarai, preserve small enclaves of forest.

[10] The Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary protects a 17.26 km2 enclave of dry evergreen forest, as well as tidal wetlands and mangroves.