31-Mar-2019: Eurasian Lynx present in the Kashmir Valley
The Eurasian Lynx, found currently only in Ladakh and some parts of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, may have found its way into the Kashmir Valley.
A media report on March 28, 2019, quoted forest officials sharing a picture of an animal looking very much like the lynx from the Dobjan forest area in Shopian district of South Kashmir. The report further noted that “the Eurasian Lynx or Ee in Ladakhi is one of the medium-sized wild cats which roam the high and cold snow-covered mountains of Ladakh.
The cat is agile and strong and is high adapted to the thin air atmosphere of Ladakh.” If confirmed, the lynx would be the third smaller cat species reported from the Kashmir Valley. The other two include the Jungle Cat and the Leopard Cat.
13-Feb-2019: Crying Keelback
Sometime in 2011, Guwahati-based reptile expert Jayaditya Purkayastha was shown a photograph of a snake with a mark just below its eyes. He was in the outskirts of the Basar town located in what is now Arunachal Pradesh’s Lepa-Rada district. A month before, Purkayastha had distributed cameras among the locals for this very purpose to photograph snakes they spotted.
It was only several years later —in 2017 — that Purkayastha started studying the snake with the black spot below its eyes. Now, in scientific journal Zootaxa, the finding has been recorded as the Hebius lacrima or the Crying Keelback named for the mark below its eyes, that gives the illusion that it is crying.
The genus Hebius is represented by 44 species worldwide out of which six species are from Northeast India. There are 3,709 species of snakes globally. Purkayastha has been working in this field since 2006, and credited with the discovery of many new species of frogs and lizards.
The Crying Keelback has a set of characteristics that together make it different from other species in the Habeas genus: the mark under its eyes, the interrupted pale head stripe, among others.
The species was found in a rice field along a hill slope: an area where jhum or shifting cultivation was cleared. It is common for lizards and snakes to occupy habitats where jhum or slash-and-burn cultivation is practiced. Once the area is burnt, these species come out. Many times, because they live in the thicket, we do not even realise these species exist.
16-Jan-2019: Two new species of moss rose discovered in south India
The southern peninsular region of India is a biodiversity hotspot. Several new species of animals, plants and insects have been discovered in this region in the past. This year two new species of Portulaca, commonly known as moss rose, have been added to this list.
The two new species were discovered from Badami hills in Bagalkot district of Karnataka by botanists from the Shivaji University in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. The species have been named Portulaca badamica and Portulaca lakshminarasimhaniana.
Portulaca badamica is named after the site of its discovery that is, the Badami hills, while the second new species—Portulaca lakshminarasimhaniana—honours Pakshirajan Lakshminarashimhan, who is the head of the Botanical Survey of India, western regional circle in Pune, for his significant contribution to plant taxonomy.
Portulaca originated in South America and Africa and has more than 100 species worldwide. From India, six species of Portulaca were earlier known and now there is addition of two new species.
At present, both the new species of Portulaca grow in sandy soil accumulated on rocky plateaus of Badami and Guledgudda taluks of Bagalkot district. They are restricted in distribution and are facing constant anthropogenic threat due to human activities such as grazing pressure and construction.
Portulaca badamica is listed under the data deficient category and Portulaca lakshminarasimhaniana is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which is the global authority on the status of the natural world and measures needed to safeguard it.
Apart from Portulaca species, Badami hills are home to many rare plants such as Barleria stocksii, Iphigenia mysorensis, Eleiotis rottlerii, Alysicarpus gamblei and Commiphora berryi. Hence, conservation measures in these hills like declaring Badami hills as a protected area are important because scientists believe that any species lost due to human negligence can be lost forever.
The new species of Portulaca were discovered from interior areas of the deciduous forests of Badami hills, which could be one of the reasons that these species were undiscovered till date. The other reason that these plants remained unknown for so long could be their short life cycle. Portulaca completes its life cycle in two-three months during the rainy season, which is why these were missed by botanists all through these years.
Interestingly, both these species have been known to tribals and locals for decades. They call it ‘Naaligede’ and regularly use them as vegetables in their diet. Owing to their capability to flourish in dry environments, these plants can also be of great significance in crop improvement.
They can be used to study genes that confer resistance to drought. By transferring these drought-resistant genes to other crops through modern biotechnology methods, important crops can be made resistant to water scarce or dry and harsh environments.