First-ever Biodiversity Index for Chennai
▪ Conducted by ICLEI South Asia, Tamil Nadu Forest Department, and Greater Chennai
Corporation (GCC).
▪ Known as the City Biodiversity Index (CBI) or Singapore Index, developed with the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat.
▪ Chennai scored 38 out of a possible 72 points.
▪ Guindy National Park and Pallikaranai Marsh (Ramsar site) identified as biodiversity hotspots.But only 5.02% of land is under legal protection.
▪ Launched by Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on August 25
▪ The index evaluated Chennai across 23 indicators grouped into three components — native
biodiversity, ecosystem services, and biodiversity governance and management.
▪ CBI would be developed for five more cities in Tamil Nadu.
Anamalai Tiger Reserve is home to 8 species of fireflies
▪ A recent study conducted by the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC) in
Vandalur has identified eight species of fireflies in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in the
Western Ghats.
▪ This is the first systematic study of fireflies in Tamil Nadu that included genetic analysis.
▪ The findings highlight the importance of minimizing light pollution around forest and wildlife
areas, as fireflies can serve as an indicator species for the effects of light pollution on wildlife.
Eight species of fireflies identified:
✓ Abscondita perplexa
✓ Abscondita terminalis
✓ Asymmetricata humeralis
✓ Curtos (three species)
✓ Lamprigera sp.
✓ Pyrocoelia sp.
