Environment and Ecology Blue-Cheeked Bee-Eater (Merops persicus) Breeding Discovery ▪ Confirmed to breed in Peninsular India for the first time (Previously known as a passage migrant and winter visitor in India and Breeding regions: Nile Delta (Egypt), Pakistan, Iran). ▪ Location: Saltpans of Aandivilai, near Manakudy Mangroves, Kanniyakumari district, Tamil Nadu Characteristics of the Blue-Cheeked Bee-Eater ▪ Scientific Name: Merops persicus. ▪ Appearance (Vibrant green plumage, Distinctive blue cheek patch, Elegant tail streamers enhance its graceful look) COP16 (Convention on Biological Diversity) ▪ Held in Rome, Italy.from February 25-27, 2025. ▪ Objective: Secure financial and policy commitments to protect biodiversity Key Agenda Items ▪ Launch of the Cali Fund to ensure fair financial benefits from Digital Sequence Information (DSI) ▪ Support for Indigenous communities and biodiversity conservation ▪ Finalizing decisions under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to halt biodiversity loss and restore ecosystems by 2030
