Syllabus: GS3/Environment & Biodiversity
Context
- Kerala has claimed the top spot as the country’s leading state for new faunal discoveries, in a record-breaking year for India’s biodiversity documentation.
Key Findings
- According to the ‘Animal Discoveries: New Species and New Records 2024 Report’ by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), 683 species and subspecies were discovered across India in 2024 (641 in 2023).
- It is the highest ever in a single year since formal documentation began in 2008.
- Of these, 459 are globally new, while 224 are new records for India.
- Kerala accounted for 101 species — including 80 new to science and 21 newly recorded in India, followed by Karnataka (82), Arunachal Pradesh (72), and Tamil Nadu (63).
- Arunachal Pradesh documented 72 discoveries, Meghalaya followed with 42, while West Bengal registered 56.
- The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, long regarded as a cradle of endemic wildlife, contributed 43 new faunal entries to the national register, including 14 new species and 29 new records.
Other Notable Discoveries
- A Snake Species from Himachal Pradesh named Anguiculus Dicaprioi, honoring actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio for his advocacy on climate and biodiversity issues.
- Other Herpetological highlights include two new genera; 37 reptilian species; and Five amphibians, including one representing a new genus.
Botanical (Flora)
- The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) reported 433 new plant taxa, with Kerala again leading the count at 58 discoveries. These include 154 angiosperms; 63 lichens; 156 fungi; 32 algae; and 9 microbial species.
- India’s total documented plant species now stands at 56,177, reinforcing its status as a global biodiversity treasure trove.
Why Does Kerala Stand Out?
- Kerala’s rich ecosystems — ranging from the Western Ghats to coastal wetlands and tropical rainforests — make it a prime location for biodiversity research. The state’s success is attributed to:
- Targeted field surveys;
- Advanced molecular techniques like DNA barcoding;
- Systematic taxonomy efforts by ZSI scientists
| Biodiversity Hotspots in India – India, one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries, is home to four globally recognized biodiversity hotspots, each teeming with endemic species and facing significant ecological threats. – This concept, introduced by Norman Myers and refined by Conservation International, identifies areas of high conservation priority due to their rich biodiversity and vulnerability. These require a region to have: 1. At least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species; 2. Lost 70% or more of its original natural vegetation; Four Biodiversity Hotspots in India – Himalayas: Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam 1. Snow leopard, red panda, Himalayan tahr, rhododendron forests – Indo-Burma: Northeast India (excluding Sikkim), Andaman Islands 1. Hoolock gibbon, golden langur, clouded leopard, orchids – Western Ghats: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat 1. Lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri tahr, Malabar civet – Sundaland: Nicobar Islands 1. Nicobar megapode, saltwater crocodile, coral reefs Why Do These Hotspots Matter? – High Endemism: These regions host species found nowhere else on Earth. – Ecological Services: They regulate water cycles, prevent soil erosion, and buffer climate extremes. – Cultural Significance: Indigenous communities rely on these ecosystems for livelihood and heritage. – Global Conservation Priority: Despite covering just 2.3% of Earth’s land, hotspots support over 50% of endemic plant species. Threats to India’s Biodiversity Hotspots – Deforestation & Habitat Fragmentation; – Climate Change & Glacial Retreat; – Poaching & Illegal Wildlife Trade; – Infrastructure Development & Mining; – Invasive Species & Agricultural Expansion Conservation Efforts – Protected Areas: National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Biosphere Reserves – Legislation: Wildlife Protection Act (1972), Biological Diversity Act (2002) – Community-Based Conservation: Sacred Groves, Joint Forest Management – Global Commitments: Convention on Biological Diversity, SDG 15 (Life on Land) |
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News In Short 19-07-2025
