ZSI records 683 faunal discoveries in its 110th year
Times of India | 1 July 2025
Kolkata: Southern India continues to lead in biodiversity richness of the country as was evident from Zoological Survey of India's flagship publication, Animal Discoveries-2024, which documents 683 new faunal discoveries from across the country, 459 of the species being new and 224 newly recorded in India. Among them, Kerala emerged as the top contributor with 101 discoveries (80 new species and 21 new records), followed by Karnataka (82), Arunachal Pradesh (72), Tamil Nadu (63) and Bengal (56). In contrast, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana and Telangana reported the lowest number of species. Bhupender Yadav, Union minister of environment, forest and climate change, unveiled the publication.
"ZSI's 110th Foundation Day was celebrated with a series of releases and collaborations, underscoring India's growing leadership. ZSI also released Version 2.0 of the Checklist of Fauna of India, an inventory comprising 1,05,244 species and subspecies," said Yadav. The updated checklist, compiled by a team of more than 185 experts, led by ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee, spans 121 taxonomic groups, from protists to mammals. "Insects — particularly beetles, moths, flies, and bees — dominate the diversity, while among vertebrates, fish is the most represented group. The list, updated annually, is set to go digital, ensuring accessibility for researchers and policymakers," said Banerjee.
ZSI also signed two MoUs—one with Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) to research on edible and medically important animal species in the Himalayas and the other with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for institutionalisation of a National Red Listing of Indian Flora and Fauna, in partnership with the Wildlife Trust of India and the Botanical Survey of India.
The 110th celebrations coincide with the third Animal Taxonomy Summit (ATS–2025), hosted by ZSI from June 30 to July 3. With over 500 delegates from countries, including the US, UK, Denmark and Ghana, the summit is focused on three key themes—taxonomy, systematics and faunal diversity & conservation. The grand finale of the 110-Hour Hackathon on biodiversity conservation and climate change, organised by the ZSI, concluded with the Ladakh University team, representing the High Altitude Regional Centre, Solan, winning the first prize of Rs 1 lakh.