The nations biological diversity has great economic, aesthetic, and spiritual value.

No one knows exactly as to how many kinds of plants and animals are in existence today. nly a little over !." to !.# million of them have been described by the biologists so far, though the predicted number of them could be $ to$% million. &e are familiar with only a few of them which are found around us. 'ome of these organisms are very big ( as big as )lue &hale and )anyan Tree and some as small as *alaria +arasite. ,n between these two exist millions of diverse forms of plants and animals which differ from each other in shape, si-e, colour, appearance and ways of life. This diverse variety is known as biodiversity. )iodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. )iodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. )iodiversity is the variety of the earths living organism, the genes they contain and the ecosystem they compose. ,t is a key element in the earths biosphere( the capability of the earth and its atmosphere to support life( due to the earths dependency on the maintenance of biodiversity and other non( living ob.ects. /n explicit definition consistent with the interpretation first given in a paper by )ruce /. &ilcox commissioned by the ,nternational 0nion for the 1onservation of Nature and Natural 2esources 3,01N4 for the !5#6 &orld National +arks 1onference. &ilcox7s definition was 8)iological diversity is the variety of life forms...at all levels of biological systems 3i.e., molecular, organism, population, species and ecosystem4... The !556 0nited Nations 9arth 'ummit defined 8biological diversity8 as 8the variability among living organisms from all sources, including, 7inter alia7, terrestrial, marine, and other a:uatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. Thus it has been rightly said that the biodiversity means diverse variety in the nation. ,n 6%%6 governments meeting at the &orld 'ummit on 'ustainable <evelopment agreed to reverse the rate of loss of biodiversity by 6%!% including in the marine world. The 0nited Nations designated 6%!!(6%6% as The 0nited Nations <ecade on )iodiversity.

Etymology
The term biological diversity was used first by wildlife scientist and conservationist 2aymond =. <asmann in the !5># lay book A Different Kind of Country advocating conservation. The term was widely adopted only after more than a decade, when in the !5#%s it came into common usage in science and environmental policy. Thomas ?ove.oy, in the foreword to the book Conservation Biology introduced the term to the scientific community. 0ntil then the term 8natural diversity8 was common, introduced by The 'cience <ivision of The Nature 1onservancy in an important !5"$ study, 8The +reservation of Natural <iversity.8 )y the early !5#%s TN17s 'cience program and its head, 2obert 9. @enkins, ?ove.oy and other leading conservation scientists at the time in /merica advocated the use of 8biological diversity8. The term7s contracted form biodiversity may have been coined by &.A. 2osen in !5#$ while planning the !5#> National Forum on Biological Diversity organi-ed by the National 2esearch 1ouncil 3N214. ,t first appeared in a publication in !5## when entomologist 9. . &ilson used it as the title of the proceeding of that forum. 'ince this period the term has achieved widespread use among biologists, environmentalists, political leaders, and concerned citi-ens. / similar term in the 0nited 'tates is 8natural heritage.8 ,t predates the others and is more accepted by the wider audience interested in conservation. )roader than biodiversity, it includes geology and landforms 3geodiversity4.

Types of biodiversity
,nnumerable number of different varieties of organisms inhabits this earth. These diverse forms of life differ from each other in many ways. There exists a complex relationship between them. To protect the biodiversity, for our own benefit and for the benefit of environment, we must know about the concept of biodiversity. )iological diversity really involves three different hierarchical levels;

!. A9N9T,1 <,B92',TC
Aenetic diversity is the variation of genes within species. ,t is thus the diversity in total genetic information contained in the genes of individuals of all species of organisms. The changes in genetic information are helpful in development of new species. =or example in our country, the physi:ue, color, height and other features of people are :uite different from one other. Cet all belong to the same species, Domo sapiens. This is because of the variation in the structure and functions of genes. Aenetic variation is one of the factors which helped in evolution. ,t is estimated that there are !%,%%%,%%%,%%% different genes distributed across the worlds biota.

6.

'+91,9' <,B92',TC
'pecies diversity means the variety of species found in a given area or region. The species diversity can be seen in natural ecosystems and agricultural ecosystems. 'ome areas, for example, natural undisturbed tropical forest ecosystem have much more diversity than monoculture plantation developed by the forest departments. 'pecies are distinct units of diversity. ,f any species, due to some reason or the other, is lost from the ecosystem, it would affect the stability of the entire ecosystem.

'+91,9' 2,1DN9''; the term is used to indicate the total number of

species per unit area.

'+91,9' 9B9N9''; it means the relative abundance or diversity of

species in a given area. ,n nature, both number and kind of species as well as the population of the species vary greatly leading to greater diversity. '+91,9' < *,N/N19; the term is used to indicate which of many species present in a given area is the most dominant and has more than the other species.

E.

91 'C'T9* <,B92',TC

The ecosystem diversity includes diversity at a higher level of organi-ation, i.e. ecosystem. There are ecosystems that occur in deserts, forests, wetlands, ountains, lakes, rivers and other natural landscapes. 9ach ecosystem has different kinds of flora and fauna having different kinds of species which are interlinked with each other adapted to live in different kinds of habitats. There are three main components of ecosystem diversity.

/?+D/ <,B92',TC; it represents the number of species in a given habitat. )9T/ <,B92',TC; the rate of turnover of the species from one habitat to another
within a given geographical area. A/**/ <,B92',TC; this is the rate of turnover or replacement of species between similar habitats in different geographical areas.

IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY
)iodiversity supports ecosystem services including air :uality, climate 3e.g., 1 se:uestration4, water purification, pollination, and prevention of erosion.
6

'ince the stone age, species loss has accelerated above the prior rate, driven by human activity. 9stimates of species loss are at a rate !%%(!%,%%% times as fast as is typical in the fossil record. Non(material benefits include spiritual and aesthetic values, knowledge systems and the value of education.

Agriculture
The reservoir of genetic traits present in wild varieties and traditionally grown landraces is extremely important in improving crop performance. ,mportant crops, such as potato, banana and coffee, are often derived from only a few genetic strains. ,mprovements in crop species over the last 6$% years have been largely due to incorporating genes from wild varieties and species into cultivars. 1rop breeding for beneficial traits has helped to more than double crop production in the last $% years as a result of the Areen 2evolution. / biodiverse environment preserves the genome from which such productive genes are drawn. 1rop diversity aids recovery when the dominant cultivar is attacked by a disease or predator;

The ,rish potato blight of !#F> was a ma.or factor in the deaths of one million people and the emigration of another million. ,t was the result of planting only two potato varieties, both vulnerable to the blight. &hen rice grassy stunt virus struck rice fields from ,ndonesia to ,ndia in the !5"%s, >,6"E varieties were tested for resistance. nly one was resistant, an ,ndian variety, and known to science only since !5>>. This variety formed a hybrid with other varieties and is now widely grown. 1offee rust attacked coffee plantations in 'ri ?anka, )ra-il, and 1entral /merica in !5"%. / resistant variety was found in 9thiopia. /lthough the diseases are themselves a form of biodiversity.

*onoculture was a contributing factor to several agricultural disasters, including the 9uropean wine industry collapse in the late !5th century, and the 0' 'outhern 1orn ?eaf )light epidemic of !5"%. /lthough about #% percent of humans7 food supply comes from .ust 6% kinds of plants, humans use at least F%,%%% species. *any people depend on these species for food, shelter, and clothing. 9arth7s surviving biodiversity provides resources for increasing the range of food and other products suitable for human use, although the present extinction rate shrinks that potential.

Human health
)iodiversity7s relevance to human health is becoming an international political issue, as scientific evidence builds on the global health implications of biodiversity loss. This issue is closely linked with the issue of climate change, as many of the anticipated health risks of climate change are associated with changes in biodiversity 3e.g. changes in populations and distribution of disease vectors, scarcity of fresh water, impacts on agricultural biodiversity and food resources etc.4 This is because the species most likely to disappear are those that buffer against infectious disease transmission, while surviving species tend to be the ones that increase disease transmission, such as that of &est Nile Birus, ?yme disease and Dantavirus, according to a study done co(authored by =elicia Geesing, and ecologist at )ard 1ollege, and <rew Darvell, researcher for the /tkinson 1enter for a 'ustainable =uture 3/1'=4 at 1ornell 0niversity. 'ome of the health issues influenced by biodiversity include dietary health and nutrition security, infectious disease, medical science and medicinal resources, social and psychological health. )iodiversity is also known to have an important role in reducing disaster risk, and in post(disaster relief and recovery efforts. )iodiversity provides critical support for drug discovery and the availability of medicinal resources. / significant proportion of drugs are derived, directly or indirectly, from biological sources; at least $%H of the pharmaceutical compounds on the 0' market are derived from plants, animals, and micro(organisms, while about #%H of the world population depends on medicines from nature 3used in either modern or traditional medical practice4 for primary healthcare. nly a tiny fraction of wild species has been investigated for medical potential. )iodiversity has been critical to advances throughout the field of bionics. 9vidence from market analysis and biodiversity science indicates that the decline in output from the pharmaceutical sector since the mid(!5#%s can be attributed to a move away from natural product exploration 38bioprospecting84 in favor of genomics and synthetic chemistryI meanwhile, natural products have a long history of supporting significant economic and health innovation. *arine ecosystems are particularly important, although inappropriate bioprospecting can increase biodiversity loss, as well as violating the laws of the communities and states from which the resources are taken. Digher biodiversity also limits the spread of infectious diseases as many different species act as buffers to them.

Business and industry

*any industrial materials derive directly from biological sources. These include building materials, fibers, dyes, rubber and oil. )iodiversity is also important to the security of resources such as water, timber, paper, fiber, and food. /s a result, biodiversity loss is a significant risk factor in business development and a threat to long term economic sustainability.

Leisure, cultural and aesthetic value

)iodiversity enriches leisure activities such as hiking, birdwatching or natural history study. )iodiversity inspires musicians, painters, sculptors, writers and other artists. *any cultures view themselves as an integral part of the natural world which re:uires them to respect other living organisms. +opular activities such as gardening, fishkeeping and specimen collecting strongly depend on biodiversity. The number of species involved in such pursuits is in the tens of thousands, though the ma.orities do not enter commerce. The relationships between the original natural areas of these often exotic animals and plants and commercial collectors, suppliers, breeders, propagators and those who promote their understanding and en.oyment are complex and poorly understood. The general public responds well to exposure to rare and unusual organisms, reflecting their inherent value. +hilosophically it could be argued that biodiversity has intrinsic aesthetic and spiritual value to mankind in and of itself. This idea can be used as a counterweight to the notion that tropical forests and other ecological realms are only worthy of conservation because of the services they provide.

Ecological services
No longer do we have to .ustify the existence of humid tropical forests on the feeble grounds that they might carry plants with with drugs that cure human disease. Aaia theory forces us to see that they offer much more than this. Through their capacity to evapotranspirate vast volumes of water vapor, they serve to keep the planet cool by wearing a sunshade of white reflecting cloud. Their replacement by cropland could precipitate a disaster that is global in scale )iodiversity supports many ecosystem services that are often not readily visible. ,t plays a part in regulating the chemistry of our atmosphere and water supply. )iodiversity is directly involved in water purification, recycling nutrients and providing fertile soils. 9xperiments with controlled environments have shown that humans cannot easily build ecosystems to support human needsI for example insect pollination cannot be mimicked, and that activity alone represents tens of billions of dollars in ecosystem services per year to humankind. <aisyworld simulations, supported by evidence from scientific studies, has proven the positive co(relation of biodiversity with ecosystem stability, protecting against disruption by extreme weather or human exploitation.

THREATS
@ared <iamond describes an 89vil Juartet8 of habitat destruction, overkill, introduced species, and secondary extinctions. 9dward . &ilson prefers the acronym D,++ , standing for habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, human over population, and over(harvesting. The most authoritative classification in use today is ,01Ns

1lassification of <irect Threats which has been adopted by ma.or international conservation organi-ations such as the 0' Nature 1onservancy, the &orld &ildlife =und, 1onservation ,nternational, and )irdlife ,nternational.

Habitat destruction
<eforestation and increased road(building in the /ma-on 2ainforest are a significant concern because of increased human encroachment upon wild areas, increased resource extraction and further threats to biodiversity. Dabitat destruction has played a key role in extinctions, especially related to tropical forest destruction. =actors contributing to habitat loss are; overpopulation, deforestation, pollution 3air pollution, water pollution, soil contamination4 and global warming or climate change. Dabitat si-e and numbers of species are systematically related. +hysically larger species and those living at lower latitudes or in forests or oceans are more sensitive to reduction in habitat area. 1onversion to 8trivial8 standardi-ed ecosystems 3e.g., monoculture following deforestation4 effectively destroys habitat for the more diverse species that preceded the conversion. ,n some countries lack of property rights or lax lawKregulatory enforcement necessarily leads to biodiversity loss 3degradation costs having to be supported by the community4. / 6%%" study conducted by the National 'cience =oundation found that biodiversity and genetic diversity are codependentLthat diversity among species re:uires diversity within a species, and vice versa. 8,f any one type is removed from the system, the cycle can break down, and the community becomes dominated by a single species.8 /t present, the most threatened ecosystems are found in fresh water, according to the *illennium 9cosystem /ssessment 6%%$, which was confirmed by the 8=reshwater /nimal <iversity /ssessment8, organi-ed by the biodiversity platform, and the =rench ,nstitut de recherche pour le dMveloppement 3*NDN+4. 1o(extinctions are a form of habitat destruction. 1o(extinction occurs when the extinction or decline in one accompanies the other, such as in plants and beetles.

Introduced and invasive s ecies

)arriers such as large rivers, seas, oceans, mountains and deserts encourage diversity by enabling independent evolution on either side of the barrier. ,nvasive species occur when those barriers are blurred. &ithout barriers such species occupy new niches, substantially reducing diversity. 2epeatedly humans have helped these species circumvent these barriers, introducing them for food and other purposes. This has occurred on a time scale much shorter than the eons that historically have been re:uired for a species to extend its range. Not all introduced species are invasive, nor all invasive species deliberately introduced. ,n cases such as the -ebra mussel, invasion of 0' waterways was unintentional. ,n other cases, such as mongooses in Dawaii, the introduction is deliberate but ineffective 3nocturnal rats were not vulnerable to the diurnal mongoose4. ,n other cases, such as oil palms in ,ndonesia and *alaysia, the

introduction produces substantial economic benefits, but the benefits are accompanied by costly unintended conse:uences. =inally, an introduced species may unintentionally in.ure a species that depends on the species it replaces. ,n )elgium, +runus spinosa from 9astern 9urope leafs much sooner than its &est 9uropean counterparts, disrupting the feeding habits of the Thecla betulae butterfly 3which feeds on the leaves4. ,ntroducing new species often leaves endemic and other local species unable to compete with the exotic species and unable to survive. The exotic organisms may be predators, parasites, or may simply outcompete indigenous species for nutrients, water and light. /t present, several countries have already imported so many exotic species, particularly agricultural and ornamental plants, that the own indigenous faunaKflora may be outnumbered.

Genetic pollution
9ndemic species can be threatened with extinction through the process of genetic pollution, i.e. uncontrolled hybridi-ation, introgression and genetic swamping. Aenetic pollution leads to homogeni-ation or replacement of local genomes as a result of either a numerical andKor fitness advantage of an introduced species. Dybridi-ation and introgression are side(effects of introduction and invasion. These phenomena can be especially detrimental to rare species that come into contact with more abundant ones. The abundant species can interbreed with the rare species, swamping its gene pool. This problem is not always apparent from morphological 3outward appearance4 observations alone. 'ome degree of gene flow is normal adaptation, and not all gene and genotype constellations can be preserved. Dowever, hybridi-ation with or without introgression may, nevertheless, threaten a rare species7 existence.

Overe! "oitation
verexploitation occurs when a resource is consumed at an unsustainable rate. This occurs on land in the form of overhunting, excessive logging, poor soil conservation in agriculture and the illegal wildlife trade. @oe &alston, director of the &ildlife 1onservation 'ocietys /sian programs, called the latter the 8single largest threat8 to biodiversity in /sia. The international trade of endangered species is second in si-e only to drug trafficking. /bout 6$H of world fisheries are now overfished to the point where their current biomass is less than the level that maximi-es their sustainable yield. The overkill hypothesis explains why earlier megafaunal extinctions occurred within a relatively short period of time. This can be connected with human migration.

H#bridi$ation% &enetic o""ution'erosion and (ood securit#

,n agriculture and animal husbandry, the Areen 2evolution populari-ed the use of conventional hybridi-ation to increase yield. ften hybridi-ed breeds originated in developed countries and were further hybridi-ed with local varieties in the developing

world to create high yield strains resistant to local climate and diseases. ?ocal governments and industry have been pushing hybridi-ation. =ormerly huge gene pools of various wild and indigenous breeds have collapsed causing widespread genetic erosion and genetic pollution. This has resulted in loss of genetic diversity and biodiversity as a whole. 3A* organisms4 have genetic material altered by genetic engineering procedures such as recombinant <N/ technology. A* crops have become a common source for genetic pollution, not only of wild varieties but also domesticated varieties derived from classical hybridi-ation. Aenetic erosion coupled with genetic pollution may be destroying uni:ue genotypes, thereby creating a hidden crisis which could result in a severe threat to our food security. <iverse genetic material could cease to exist which would impact our ability to further hybridi-e food crops and livestock against more resistant diseases and climatic changes.

C"i)ate C*an&e
Alobal warming is also considered to be a ma.or threat to global biodiversity. =or example coral reefs (which are biodiversity hotspots( will be lost in 6% to F% years if global warming continues at the current trend. ,n 6%%F, an international collaborative study on four continents estimated that !% percent of species would become extinct by 6%$% because of global warming. 8&e need to limit climate change or we wind up with a lot of species in trouble, possibly extinct,8 said <r. ?ee Dannah, a co(author of the paper and chief climate change biologist at the 1enter for /pplied )iodiversity 'cience at 1onservation ,nternational.

Over o u"ation
=rom !5$% to 6%%$, world population increased from 6.$ billion to >.$ billion and is forecast to reach a plateau of more than 5 billion during the 6!st century. 'ir <avid Ging, former chief scientific adviser to the 0G government, told a parliamentary in:uiry; 8,t is self(evident that the massive growth in the human population through the 6%th century has had more impact on biodiversity than any other single factor. CON E!"AT#ON 'teps to conserve biodiversity;( !. ,ncrease reserve areas, both under wetlands and forests. 6. Geep our rivers and water bodies clean. E. 9very individual should plant and adopt a tree. F. 0se water and other natural resources .udicially. $. ,ncrease communication, education and public awareness.

>. 1reate opportunities for rural enterprises based on biodiversity. ". 2emote eco(friendly and sustainable development. 1onservation biology matured in the mid(6%th century as ecologists, naturalists, and other scientists began to research and address issues pertaining to global biodiversity declines. The conservation ethic advocates management of natural resources for the purpose of sustaining biodiversity in species, ecosystems, the evolutionary process, and human culture and society. 1onservation biology is reforming around strategic plans to protect biodiversity. +reserving global biodiversity is a priority in strategic conservation plans that are designed to engage public policy and concerns affecting local, regional and global scales of communities, ecosystems, and cultures. /ction plans identify ways of sustaining human well(being, employing natural capital, market capital, and ecosystem services.

$rotection and restoration techni%ues

9xotic species removal allows less competitive species to recover their ecological niches. 9xotic species that have become a pest can be identified taxonomically 3e.g. with <igital /utomated ,dentification 'ystem 3</,'C4, using the barcode of life. 2emoval is practical only given large groups of individuals due to the economic cost. nce the preservation of the remaining native species in an area is assured. 8missing8 species can be identified and reintroduced using databases such as the Encyclopedia of Life and the Alobal )iodiversity ,nformation =acility.

)iodiversity banking places a monetary value on biodiversity. ne example is the /ustralian Native Begetation *anagement =ramework. Aene banks are collections of specimens and genetic material. 'ome banks intend to reintroduce banked species to the ecosystem 3e.g. via tree nurseries4. 2educing and better targeting of pesticides allows more species to survive in agricultural and urbani-ed areas. ?ocation(specific approaches are less useful for protecting migratory species. ne approach is to create wildlife corridors that correspond to the animals7 movements. National and other boundaries can complicate corridor creation.

,ndia to launch biodiversity management initiative

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) India will launch a Rs.130 crore initiati e with the !orld "an#$or %etter &ana'e&ent o$ (rotected areas %y &a#in' (eo(le sta#eholders, )n iron&ent Minister *aira& Ra&esh said Monday. Addressin' the Sta#eholders+ ,onsultation on the ,on ention on "iolo'ical Di ersity held here, Ra&esh said the initiati e would %e launched in the Rann o$ -utch in .u/arat and a wildli$e sanctuary in 0i&achal 1radesh.

!ildli$e sanctuaries, %io2reser es and national (ar#s are listed as (rotected areas. 3he 'o ern&ent+s decision to &o e out (eo(le $ro& (rotected areas, es(ecially ti'er reser es, has drawn (rotests. 4It will %e a new &odel o$ &ana'in' %iodi ersity as it &a#es local (eo(le sta#eholders in %iodi ersity conser ation. !hene er access to local co&&unity is choc#ed in (rotected areas, it creates %arrier and (eo(le are u( in ar&s,+ said Ra&esh. 3he &inister said the country needs to de&onstrate a $riendlier a((roach towards %iodi ersity conser ation and its sustaina%ility. 43here is a %i' challen'e $or India which no%ody else has 5 to %alance the de&o'ra(hic (ressure and de elo(&ent challen'e. !e ha e di$$erent sta#eholders and they ha e to %e reconciled in a &anner that %iodi ersity is (rotected and interests o$ local (eo(le are also (rotected,+ he said. Ra&esh also called $or a (aradi'& shi$t in $orest &ana'e&ent in the country. 4!e can+t %e treatin' our tri%als as interlo(ers and ha e to 'i e the& sta#e in de elo(&ent. 3he tradition o$ co&&and and control won+t %eacce(ta%le to (eo(le and they ha e to &ade sta#e holders,+ he added.

,ndias news on biodiversity

Auwahati; The biodiversity of the Northeast may be affected on large(scale owing to the impact of climate change, according to a study. The study, sponsored by the Tata 9nergy and 2esource ,nstitute 3T92,4, has warned that change in temperature and :uantum and intensity of rainfall coupled with extreme weather condition would have a long(term impact, particularly on the structure and composition of forests in the region. The impact is likely to be more severe in areas where other pressures are deemed to be high, including stability of the natural systems affected due to socio(economic pressures such as encroachment on forest areas, over(gra-ing, felling of trees for .hum cultivation, etc. &ith the impact not being uniform across the region, it is expected to be higher in certain areas and on certain communities because of various factors. They include physio(geographic and topographic features, degree of association with climate(sensitive environments and ecosystems, socio( economic, political and cultural characteristics of the region and communities, the study pointed out. The study seeks to understand the factors that determine the vulnerability of the Northeast in terms of the effect of the climatic change and identify measures to reduce the impact. The study asserted that despite its rich natural resources, the region lagged behind others in terms of social and economic development. 1omprising eight states ( /runachal +radesh, /ssam, *anipur, *eghalaya, *i-oram, Nagaland, 'ikkim and Tripura, the area is uni:ue due to its rich forest resources that account for nearly 6$ per cent of the total forest cover in

,ndia and covers nearly >>.# per cent of its geographical area, much higher than the national average of 6! per cent. &ith a total population of about E# million 3E.# per cent of the country7s total population4, the region has observed changes in its demographic and socio( economic profile which have acted as important drivers for the alteration in its resource base. The last three decades have witnessed intense land use change with increase in the demand for urbanisation, gra-ing, agricultural land and settlements, increased demand for fodder, fuel wood and timber production. ,t is estimated that approximately E% per cent of the total forest cover in the region is under pressure due to these factors, the T92, study said. )esides pressures from natural ha-ards such as floods, forest fires and landslides, the study pointed out, seismic activity further exposed the region to the threats. ?ack of effective early warning systems and disaster management systems further intensify the impact of natural ha-ards, it pointed out. The incidence of poverty is high with the percentage of population living below the poverty line as high as E6 per cent, much higher than the all ,ndia average of 6!.> per cent. Though it is sparsely populated with an overall density of !F5 persons per s: km compared to the country7s average E!E per s: km 3census, 6%%!4, the region has, however, recorded a high population growth with the decadal growth higher than the national level of 6!.$ per cent.

&elhi 'oo trades blac(buc(s for pythons

N9& <9?D,; ,n two days, the National Noological +ark will have a pair of pythons for the snake house. They are on their way from the Nandan Ban Noo in 2aipur, 1hhattisgarh, which is getting 6% blackbuck L !% males and !% females L from <elhi in return. ,t may seem like an unfair exchange but the <elhi -oo authorities are only too happy to let some of the blackbuck go. They have over a hundred now. The veterinary officer, <r +aneer 'elvam, says the blackbuck population has grown to the level of being unmanageable. ,ncluded in 'chedule(, of the &ildlife 3+rotection4 /ct, the species, which is endangered in the wild due to poaching and loss of habitat, has been proliferating in the -oos. 8There is a practical problem with the blackbuck. /lmost all -oos have them and exchange programmes are difficult,8 he says. The <elhi -oo itself has about !6% blackbucks and there is a minimum of 6% births in a year. /s vasectomy or castration is not an option, the -oo authorities are hoping to control the population by segregating the males from the females. 8&e have segregated about 6% males and keep them in a separate area,8 +aneer 'elvam. De hopes that with a number of males cooling their ardour in a separate enclosure for the last three months, the number of births per year will come down.

'elvam would rather have more of the swamp deer and chowsingha. They had two births of the first and one of the chowsingha last year. The populations of barking deer and sangai deer are under control

)estern *hats sites get help from +nesco

+0N9; The &orld Deritage 1ommittee has decided to allow the ministry of environment and forests 3*o9=4 to provide additional information pertaining to governance and co(ordination mechanisms of the E5 sites in &estern Ahats for the inclusion in the list of 0N9'1 world heritage sites. / meeting held in +aris recently concluded that there was no need to submit a revised nomination dossier, which was sought by the ,nternational 0nion for 1onservation of Nature 3,01N4. The final decision about inclusion in the list will be made in the E>th session in )angkok in @une(@uly next year. The E5 sites are from Garnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gerala and four from *aharashtra ( Gas +lateau, Goyna &ildlife 'anctuary, 1handoli National +ark and 2adhanagari wildlife sanctuary, *aharashtra. /ll the sites are biologically rich from the point of conservation of biodiversity. The ,01N members had visited the &estern Ahats, including those in *aharashtra, last year and submitted a report for analysis before nominating them as world heritage sites. )ut the ,01N wanted the report of the &estern Ahats 9cology 9xpert +anel 3&A99+4 constituted by the *o9= to be finalised.

9xperts from the &estern Ahats Natural Deritage *anagement 1ommittee 3&AND*14 had expressed concern that it would be too late when the &A99+ report would be finalised by @une E% and that the &orld Deritage 1ommittee meeting 3@une !5(654 would be over, making it difficult for inclusion in the list. They had written to 0nesco that it would not be a fair .udgement and tried to make them understand that both the &A99+ and &AND*1 were different. They pointed out that the &A99+ will recommend measures and assist the government in the preservation and conservation of environmentally sensitive and ecologically significant region of western ghats while the heritage management committee proposal pertains to parks and sanctuaries and elevating their status. ,01N7s decision was contested in the &orld Deritage 1ommittee. 8The ,01N had recommended to the 0nesco &orld Deritage 1ommittee to 7defer7 consideration of ,ndia7s proposal, which meant that fresh nomination proposal had to be prepared, ,01N technical evaluation mission would have had to revisit the sites and submit a revised nomination dossier. ,n short, the

entire process of inscription of E5 sites would have had to be started from the beginning,8a statement issued by the *o9= on *onday said. 8Dowever ,ndia7s official delegation from the forest department and &ildlife ,nstitute of ,ndia, which attended the @une !5 meeting, submitted ,ndia7s brief against the ,01N recommendation on 7deferral7 and highlighted the strengths of ,ndia7s proposal.

)ased on the strength of response offered by them, the &orld Deritage 1ommittee decided to amend the decision of 7deferral7 to 7referral7,8the *o9= statement said. ,ndia7s brief was strongly supported by 9gypt, )ra-il, /ustralia, )ahrain, )arbados, 1ambodia, 1hina, @ordan, Nigeria, 2ussia and 'outh /frica, the statement said. 8/ustralia formally moved a proposal to the committee seeking amendment of ,01N7s 7deferral7 decision8. The *o9= will submit additional information, based on which the &orld Deritage 1ommittee will take a decision to inscribe all E5 sites of the &estern Ahats on the &orld Deritage ?ist in its E>th session in )angkok in @une(@uly next year.