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L. Kapoor and S. Usha
4.1 Hotspots
Among the 35 biodiversity hotspots in the world 4 are present in India namely,
Western Ghats in India being the part of Western Ghats-Sri Lanka global hotspot,
Nicobar Islands being the part of the Sundaland hotspot, North-eastern region of India
which includes parts of Assam and Meghalaya as part of Indo-Burma hotspot, and
the Eastern Himalayas encompassing the North-eastern Himalayas of India, Nepal
and Bhutan. The Eastern Himalayas, and the Western Ghats comprise the mountain
ecosystem of India. They are rich in their geographical, sociological, cultural and
bio-physical heritage and diversity. These ecosystems have a high percentage of
endemism as in vascular plants alone endemic species range between 32 and 40%.
Further, in Western Ghats more than 50% endemic species have been observed for
reptiles, fish and amphibians. More than 950 species of birds have been identified
in the Himalayan region. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity, The India
Initiative (TEEB-TII), (MOEFCC 2015) has been working towards involvement of
local communities in computation of ecosystem services in the Western Ghats. The
conservation, and rehabilitation of the Himalayan hotspot is promoted by the National
Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystems.
4.2 Extinction of Species
Efforts have been made in restoration of threatened species through varied strategies
and recovery programmes which includes reintroducing the endangered species into
their natural habitat with restrictions on trade and exhibition. Furthermore, India, as
a CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) Party, plays
an active role in the prohibition of international trade of threatened wild species
and various policies and initiatives have been employed in management of menace
from encroaching alien species. The threatened plant species which includes pitcher
plants, mangroves, orchids, endemic tree species, gymnosperms, RET plants, bulbous plants, ferns and medicinal plants have been restored. An initiative by the DBT
(Department of Biotechnology) has been on prevention of extinction and conservation of plants falling under the threatened category by optimising the tools from
biotechnology. Also, organizations like (MFF) Mangroves For the Future (IUCN)
aims to protect the coast lines and marine ecosystems. In addition, the IDWH (Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat) and MIKE (Monitoring the Illegal Killing
of Elephants) has been working successfully on protection and monitoring of tigers
and elephants along with 17 other faunal species which includes Great Indian bustard, Asian wild buffalo, dugong, Asiatic lion, brow-antlered deer, white nest swiftlet,
hangul, Gangetic river dolphin, Indian rhino, Jerdon’s courser, marine turtles, Malabar civet, ibex, snow leopard, Nicobar megapode, vulture and swamp deer. The
current trends reveal an increase in the population of these species along with the
L. Kapoor and S. Usha
4.1 Hotspots
Among the 35 biodiversity hotspots in the world 4 are present in India namely,
Western Ghats in India being the part of Western Ghats-Sri Lanka global hotspot,
Nicobar Islands being the part of the Sundaland hotspot, North-eastern region of India
which includes parts of Assam and Meghalaya as part of Indo-Burma hotspot, and
the Eastern Himalayas encompassing the North-eastern Himalayas of India, Nepal
and Bhutan. The Eastern Himalayas, and the Western Ghats comprise the mountain
ecosystem of India. They are rich in their geographical, sociological, cultural and
bio-physical heritage and diversity. These ecosystems have a high percentage of
endemism as in vascular plants alone endemic species range between 32 and 40%.
Further, in Western Ghats more than 50% endemic species have been observed for
reptiles, fish and amphibians. More than 950 species of birds have been identified
in the Himalayan region. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity, The India
Initiative (TEEB-TII), (MOEFCC 2015) has been working towards involvement of
local communities in computation of ecosystem services in the Western Ghats. The
conservation, and rehabilitation of the Himalayan hotspot is promoted by the National
Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystems.
4.2 Extinction of Species
Efforts have been made in restoration of threatened species through varied strategies
and recovery programmes which includes reintroducing the endangered species into
their natural habitat with restrictions on trade and exhibition. Furthermore, India, as
a CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) Party, plays
an active role in the prohibition of international trade of threatened wild species
and various policies and initiatives have been employed in management of menace
from encroaching alien species. The threatened plant species which includes pitcher
plants, mangroves, orchids, endemic tree species, gymnosperms, RET plants, bulbous plants, ferns and medicinal plants have been restored. An initiative by the DBT
(Department of Biotechnology) has been on prevention of extinction and conservation of plants falling under the threatened category by optimising the tools from
biotechnology. Also, organizations like (MFF) Mangroves For the Future (IUCN)
aims to protect the coast lines and marine ecosystems. In addition, the IDWH (Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat) and MIKE (Monitoring the Illegal Killing
of Elephants) has been working successfully on protection and monitoring of tigers
and elephants along with 17 other faunal species which includes Great Indian bustard, Asian wild buffalo, dugong, Asiatic lion, brow-antlered deer, white nest swiftlet,
hangul, Gangetic river dolphin, Indian rhino, Jerdon’s courser, marine turtles, Malabar civet, ibex, snow leopard, Nicobar megapode, vulture and swamp deer. The
current trends reveal an increase in the population of these species along with the