As part of its centenary year celebrations, the Zoological Survey of India will soon dedicate to the public a database of its discoveries and records in its 100 year history, said the ZSI director Dr K Venkataraman. He was speaking at the inauguration of a national training workshop on fauna of Shivalik ecosystem (Uttarakhand) and application of GIS in conservation of fauna, organised jointly by the ZSI and Indian Institute of Remote Sensing at the Forest Research Institute here on Monday.
Addressing the gathering Venkataraman said that biodiversity is not available freely anymore. He said, “We had green revolution, white revolution and even Coca Cola revolution but we need to focus a lot more on the environment. It is estimated that by 2020 there will be shortage of 26 million tonnes of rice,” he said.
Expressing happiness at the ZSI completing 100 years, he opined that in reality the foundations of ZSI were laid centuries ago when ancestors of present day Indians first drew cave paintings of animals. Stating that the UNDP was interested in funding research and conservation works in the Shivalik, he stressed on the need for the ZSI to work on conservation of flora and fauna while also working on public awareness generation.
The State’s principal chief conservator of forests Dr Shrikant Chandola pointed out the unique features of the Shivaliks in Uttarakhand. He informed that this area had among the highest density of Sambar deer in India. The PCCF also expressed concern at the restriction of hyenas and dwindling population of pangolins in the Shivaliks while also pointing out the importance of fauna like the swamp deer, hog deer and bird species.
UCOST director general Rajendra Dobhal said that the council would be willing to fund the training of youth from Uttarakhand on the taxonomy of fauna by the ZSI.