The near threatened blackbuck is found in Central – Western India (Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Odisha) and Southern India (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu). In Andhra Pradesh, it is the state animal. It is the only living species of the genus Antilope. The horns of the blackbuck are ringed with […]
Taxonomically, both deer and antelopes belong to same order called Artiodactyla or Even-toed ungulates. In the even-toed animals, the weight of the body of the animal is borne by 3rd and 4th toe of the forefeet. Most of the four-footed animals belong to this order. Common examples are cows, goats, sheets, Buffaloes, Pigs, Camels, deers, […]
Convention on Biological Diversity is a legally binding treaty , which came as an outcome of Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 5 June 1992 and entered into force on 29 December 1993. It is commonly known as “Biodiversity Convention“. Objectives It’s objectives are: Conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); Sustainable use of its […]
Humans cannot exist without biodiversity as we use it directly and indirectly in a number of ways. Direct use includes things like food, fibres, medicines and biological control, whilst indirect uses includes ecosystem services such as atmospheric regulation, nutrient cycling and pollination. There are also non-use values of biodiversity, such as option value (for future […]
In November 2015, the Odisha Government has imposed seven-month ban till May, 2016 on fishing along the Puri coast in order to protect the endangered Olive Ridley turtles. Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are listed as “Vulnerable” in the IUCN […]
Indian Government has notified the Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica) as India’s National Aquatic Animal. It is also known as Susu because of the sound it produces when breathing. Population and Distribution The Total population of Ganges River Dolphin is estimated to be around 2000 and they inhabit the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems […]
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was established in 2003 to implement India’s Biological Diversity Act (2002). The NBA is a Statutory, Autonomous Body and it performs facilitative, regulatory and advisory function for the Government of India on issues of conservation, sustainable use of biological resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of […]
Neelakurinji or Strobilanthes kunthiana are inhabitants of Shola forests in Western Ghats. These plants blossom after 12 years exhibiting the gregarious flowering habit. The flowers of Neelakurinji are purple-blue in colour and it is because of these, the Nilgiri hills (blue mountains) got its name. The angiosperm belongs to Acanthaceae family with genus Strobilanthes. The […]