Environment and Ecology Conservation of Lesser-Known Species in Tamil Nadu ▪ March – 3 - World Wildlife Day ▪ theme- 'Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet' ▪ Tamil Nadu Forest Department has launched multiple conservation efforts for species like: ✓ Slender Loris (India’s first sanctuary was created for this species , located in Karur and Dindigul districts). ✓ Dugong (a marine mammal - Thanjavur and Pudukkotai districts/Palk Bay region). ✓ Nilgiri Tahr (Tamil Nadu’s state animal-Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, and Eravikulam National Park). Important Species & Conservation Efforts ▪ Eurasian Otter (Near Threatened – IUCN) ✓ Found along the Tamirabharani River. ✓ Plays a crucial role as a keystone species in maintaining ecosystem balance. ✓ Research by ATREE (Agasthyamalai Community-Based Conservation Centre) highlights their presence. ▪ Freshwater Turtles of the Cauvery River ✓ Cantor’s Giant Softshell Turtle (Pelochelys cantorii). ✓ Leith’s Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia leithii) – Endangered. ▪ Grey Slender Loris & Pangolins in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve ✓ Research led by Keystone Foundation, involving indigenous communities like Urali and Sholiga tribes. ✓ Documented in Ozhudurukka Paradu Mekka – The Hidden Forest Creatures, highlighting threatened nocturnal mammals. Gangetic Dolphins Context : ▪ The first estimate of Gangetic dolphins, the only riverine dolphins in India, has found 6,327 of them in the Ganga and its tributaries. ▪ Acoustic hydrophone method used for the survey. About Gangetic dolphins ✓ Scientific Name: Platanista gangetica ✓ IUCN Red List Status: Endangered ✓ Habitat: Freshwater rivers – Ganga and its tributaries, Brahmaputra and its tributaries, Beas. ✓ Special Feature: Blind, uses echolocation for movement. ✓ National Aquatic Animal of India. ✓ Largest number found in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam. Conservation Initiatives ✓ Project Dolphin (2020) – Part of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). ✓ Wildlife…
