Conservation of Biodiversity

PPT By:-Vineet Dahiya

Species under threat in different

parts of India.

Himalayan Region

Himalayan Region• Plants:- Of the estimated 10,000 species of plants in the

Himalaya hotspot, about 3,160 are endangered. Birds:- Nearly 980 birds have been recorded in the hotspot,

but only 15 are endemic. The Critically Endangered Himalayan quail represents an endemic genus in the region, although it has not been recorded with certainty since 1876, despite reports of possible sightings around Nainital in 2003.

• Mammals:- About 300 mammal species have been recorded in the

Himalayas, including a dozen that are endemic to the hotspot. Among the endemic species are the golden langur, restricted to a small area in the Eastern Himalaya, the Himalayan tahr and the pygmy hog , which has its stronghold in the Manas National Park.

Reptiles:- Although there has been little systematic study of reptiles and

amphibians in the Himalaya hotspot, at least 175 reptiles have been documented, of which nearly 50 are endemic. There is just one endemic genus, represented by a single species, the lizard Mictopholis austeniana, known only from the holotype. Other genera are well represented, and have many endemic species. These include Oligodon, Cyrtodactylus, and Japalura.

North- east India

North- east India• The Northeast India represents the transitional zone

between the Indian, Indo-Malayan and Indo-Chinese biogeography regions and is the geographical ‘gateway’ for much of India’s flora and fauna. As a consequence, the area is one of the richest in biological values, high in endemism and holds a large number of rare species that are now under serious threat. Hotspots are areas that are extremely rich in species, have high endemism and are under constant threat due to human pressure (having lost 70% of their original habitat). The Northeast is among the 34 Hot Spots of the world, identified in India, the other being the Western Ghats.

• Mammals:- There appears to be a dearth of exploration and research concerning

the fauna of Northeast India. The remoteness of the region, difficult terrain as well as the severe hunting pressures exerted by the people around their immediate surroundings in many parts of the region make it extremely difficult to document the fauna of the region. Primates India sustains eleven species of primates, if we follow the recent revisions in primate taxonomy.

• Bats and rodents Inventories, especially for bats and rodents, are wanting from

Northeast India. Though, with about 65 species, bats dominate the mammalian fauna of Northeast India, reliable information available on them is sparse. The Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat recorded from the Barapede cave in North Kanara district of Karnataka was believed to be a narrow endemic. However, now it has now been reported from Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya in Northeast India, and also from Cambodia.

Semi –arid zone

Western Ghats

Western Ghats• The hill ranges of the Western Ghats, a global biodiversity hotspot, extend

along the west coast of India from the river Tapti in the north to the southern tip of India. Their positioning makes the Western Ghats biologically rich and biogeographically unique - a veritable treasure house of biodiversity. Though covering an area of 180,000 square kilometers, or just under 6% of the land area of India, the Western Ghats contain more than 30% of all plant, fish, herpeto-fauna, bird, and mammal species found in India. Many species are endemic, such as the Nilgiri tahr and the Lion-tailed macaque, in fact 50% of India’s amphibians and 67% of fish species are endemic to this region. The region has a spectacular assemblage of large mammals - around 30% of the world’s Asian elephant population and 17% of the world’s existing tigers call this area their home. Protection for these is extended through several nationally significant wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves, and national parks.

Deccan Plateau

Ganges

Ganges• The Ganges is an important source sustaining biodiversity on this

planet. One of the important species of fish is Gangetic Dolphin is found in the Ganges and conserved in a Sanctuary called Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary located in dynamic environment of the Ganges. According to Prof (s) Sunil K. Choudhary, Brian D. Smith, Subhasis Dey, Sushant Dey and Satya Prakash from Vikramshila Biodiversity Research and Education Centre, T.M. Bhagalpur, University, Bhagalpur Bihar (India) : - “Establishing an effective wildlife sanctuary is a challenging task. This is especially true in a dynamic environment such as the Ganges River, where flood cycles cause massive changes in the landscape, both seasonally and annually. The challenge is also great because resources within the Sanctuary support one of the world’s most economically impoverished human populations.”

Efforts by :-Vineet