In a major milestone, India has managed to prepare a comprehensive list of animal species that exist in India. With this, India has become the only country to make a checklist of entire national fauna. The list covers 1,04,561 species.
On the occasion of the 109th Foundation Day of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in Kolkata, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav launched the "Fauna of India Checklist Portal".
During the launch, the Union Environment Minister hailed the achievement and said the first comprehensive document on the faunal species in India will position the country as a global leader in biodiversity documentation.
Emphasising its importance, Yadav said that the faunal checklist will be an invaluable reference for taxonomists, academicians, researchers, conservation managers and policymakers. The document comprises 121 checklists of all known taxa, covering 36 phyla. The list also includes endemic, threatened and scheduled species.
"Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" programme by PM Modi
Bhupender Yadav also mentioned "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" programme, which is being undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was mentioned by him in today’s episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’. He said that India is a global champion in biodiversity conservation, as reflected by the fact that "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" was the first major programme undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after winning a third term at the Centre.
In the first episode of PM Modi’s radio programme during his third term, the PM said that mother is the closest relation to a human being and that he has planted a sapling in her name. He urged people to join him in the initiative and plant a sapling in the name of their mothers
Meanwhile, Bhupender Yadav also highlighted the government's other initiatives, such as the International Big Cat Alliance to preserve biodiversity and species, suggesting that the relocation of cheetahs to India is one such successful project.
(With PTI Inputs)
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