Kerala Biodiversity Red list to Be prepared Soon

15 June 2013
Kochi

Kerala will have its own Red List of threatened plants and animals shortly. The Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) and a group of bird enthusiasts have kicked off separate programmes for preparing the conservation status of the flora and fauna, including birds of the State, along the lines of the global conservation status assessments carried out by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The IUCN red list classifies species into extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near threatened and least concern after globally evaluating the threat faced by them.

Last year, 132 species of plants and animals from the country were listed as critically endangered, the most threatened category, in the list. Two plant species, including Euphorbia mayuranthanii, found in Kerala were reported as extinct in the wild.

Ommen V Ommen, chairman, KSBB, said the data generated by agencies like IUCN and independent researchers would be used for the Kerala list. Considering the constraints in carrying out extensive field studies for the purpose, the conservation data available in public domain would be used. Scientific assessments carried out by private research groups and national agencies like Zoological Survey of India, Botanical Survey of India and international agencies would be used, Dr. Ommen said.

Source – http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/soon-a-kerala-red-list-of-threatened-species/article4815253.ece

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