“Only one-fifth fauna species in Meghalaya have been discovered so far”.
“More fauna species in Meghalaya are yet to be discovered”.
This was stated by Meghalaya Chief Wildlife Warden HC Chaudhury.
Speaking at a Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Meghalaya Chief Wildlife Warden HC Chaudhury said that the State is home to many more fauna species, which are yet to be discovered.
“Only 10,000 of the estimated 50,000 fauna species in Meghalaya have been discovered so far,” HC Chaudhury said.
HC Chaudhury said that the Meghalaya Forest and Environment Department is working closely with the ZSI for creation of a more credible GIS-based database of fauna species.
“Once the database with photographs and detailed location of each species is operational, it will be sent to a centralised database to help us keep a tab on growth or decline in numbers,” he said.
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Principal Chief Conservation of Forests BK Lyngwa lauded the ZSI’s efforts in scientific research on fauna species.
BK Lyngwa also released a book titled – Faunal Diversity of Biogeographic Zones of India: North East.
The book contains updated information on faunal diversity in the region.
According to data published in the book, a total of 18,527 fauna species have been discovered in the Northeast so far, which represents 18 per cent of the total known fauna of India.
Meghalaya has 9,853 fauna species, Assam – 9,607, Manipur – 5,036, Nagaland – 3,869, Tripura – 3,605 and Mizoram – 3,020.
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Of the 718 threatened fauna species in the country, 153 are in the Northeast, the book stated.