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