India Releases the First Comprehensive Fauna Checklist Covering Over 1 Lakh Species

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav reveals a detailed faunal checklist on the 109th foundation day of the Zoological Survey of India’s in Kolkata.

A significant milestone was marked on this Sunday in the Indian biodiversity documentation as Union Minister Bhupender Yadav revealed the country’s first detailed fauna’s checklist, covering about 1,04,561 species of animals. The checklist, which was published by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) on the 109^th foundation day in Kolkata, is set to be a valuable resource for taxonomists, researchers, academicians, conservation managers, and policymakers.

The ceremony also included the launch of a dedicated portal for the detailed checklist, demonstrating India’s dedication to preserving its rich biodiversity. The checklist includes 121 categories covering all known taxa across 36 phyla, with a focus on threatened and scheduled species.

Minister Yadav highlighted the utility of the checklist, stating, "It will be an invaluable reference covering diverse faunal groups, including avian species, where 1,358 species of birds under 26 orders and 114 families have been documented."

In addition to the checklist, Minister Yadav issued and released the 'Animal Discoveries: 2023' publication by ZSI, featuring 641 new animal species and records from India. The event also included 'Plant Discoveries—2023' by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), highlighting 339 newly discovered plant species and records published by researchers and scientists.

The release of this detailed fauna checklist highlights India’s dedication to biodiversity conservation and scientific records maintenance, setting its role to preserve wildlife with safety measures.