The need for coming up with initiatives to control the loss of flora and fauna was highlighted by experts on Sunday-International Day for Biological Diversity at the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB). Experts also encouraged the youth to understand biodiversity in order to protect them.
"A few faunas like cheetahs and Indian gaurs in Madhya Pradesh have completely disappeared in our country," Dr K Sankar, director of the Salim Ali Institute of Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) said. "However, we can take ideas and encouragement from government's initiatives to increase the population of tigers and Indian gaurs by translocation," he said.
He further that India has 2.5 lakh of flowering plants, 4,000 mammals, 9,000 birds and 1 million insects that have existed over 3.5 million years. "We can protect biodiversity only when we understand it," he said.
Speaking about the theme of the Biodiversity Day, director of IFGTB, R S Prashanth, said, "'Mainstreaming bio diversity: Sustaining people and their livelihoods' will be the focus this year as a healthy biodiversity is essential for healthy environment and humans. Increase of urbanization affects the forest biodiversity and natural resources," he said.
"Even now, urban people use more water than people living in villages along forest fringes. Urban people also use more forest resources in the form of medicine," he added. He said India occupies 2% of earth's land mass, 15% of world's population and 8% of cattle in the world.
"A few faunas like cheetahs and Indian gaurs in Madhya Pradesh have completely disappeared in our country," Dr K Sankar, director of the Salim Ali Institute of Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) said. "However, we can take ideas and encouragement from government's initiatives to increase the population of tigers and Indian gaurs by translocation," he said.
He further that India has 2.5 lakh of flowering plants, 4,000 mammals, 9,000 birds and 1 million insects that have existed over 3.5 million years. "We can protect biodiversity only when we understand it," he said.
Speaking about the theme of the Biodiversity Day, director of IFGTB, R S Prashanth, said, "'Mainstreaming bio diversity: Sustaining people and their livelihoods' will be the focus this year as a healthy biodiversity is essential for healthy environment and humans. Increase of urbanization affects the forest biodiversity and natural resources," he said.
"Even now, urban people use more water than people living in villages along forest fringes. Urban people also use more forest resources in the form of medicine," he added. He said India occupies 2% of earth's land mass, 15% of world's population and 8% of cattle in the world.