Latest news with #KarnatakaBiodiversityBoard
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Mangalore University observes International Day for Biological Diversity
Department of Applied Zoology, Mangalore University, in collaboration with the Karnataka Biodiversity Board, organised a programme 'Vaividhya' to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity 2025, on Thursday. The event was aimed at spreading awareness on the importance of biodiversity and to celebrate the vast diversity of life forms on Earth, especially in the context of conservation and sustainable use. Speaking on the occasion, P.L. Dharma, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, stressed the critical role universities and academic institutions will have to play in fostering biodiversity research and conservation through education and community involvement. M.J. Govardhan Singh, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Karnataka Biodiversity Board, spoke on the pressing environmental issues. Various events like spot photography, installation, treasure hunt, documentary, product launch, poster making and quiz were conducted to spread awareness on the need for the conservation of biodiversity, in which over 200 students from various colleges and departments participated. Prizes were distributed to the winners on the occasion, K. S. Sreepada, Chairman of the Department of Applied Zoology, said in a release.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
State insect to heritage sites, Karnataka government dragging feet over major announcements, say activists
Bengaluru: Nearly five years after experts and multiple departments rallied behind declaring the ' Tudave honeybee ' ( Apis cerana ) as Karnataka's official state insect, the govt is yet to act on it. Fuming over the delay, conservationists said the inaction reflected govt apathy toward ecological symbolism and environmental priorities. Karnataka Biodiversity Board (KAB) had recommended to the forest dept in 2020-21 to declare the Tudave honeybee as the state insect after backing from the home and horticulture depts. Green activists and conservationists, led by former KAB chairperson Ananth Hegade Ashisara, met forest, environment and ecology minister Eshwar Khandre last week and sought immediate announcement on these long pending proposals. "It's baffling. The scientific community, the board, and even the then CM BS Yediyurappa had responded positively to the recommendation. And yet, here we are — no formal announcement even after five years," said Ashisara. The proposal to recognise Apis cerana, a native and ecologically vital honeybee species, had the unanimous support of a committee that included experts from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), entomologists from University of Agricultural Sciences, and officials from the horticulture department. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo Often referred to as Asian honey bee, Tudave honeybee is native to south, southeast Asia and is considered as one of the important pollinators, helping in better agricultural yields, besides enhancing forest cover. A state insect tag was also expected to safeguard these honeybees, threatened by various factors. "It is not just the honey bee, which is awaiting official tag but also several fish conservation sites across Karnataka. 11 fish conservation sites were identified, and five years ago, another 15 such sites were identified along the Western Ghats for formal notification, and nothing has been done to date," Ashisara told TOI soon after submitting the memorandum to the minister. He said despite the Biodiversity Act being a powerful weapon to crack down on unregulated exploitation of natural resources, no cases have been registered in the state under the Act. The group also reminded the govt to publish details of the report, prepared by senior IFS officers VV Singh and RK Singh, on trees endemic to Karnataka forests that are on the verge of extinction. Recalling that Karnataka was the first state to declare four sites as biodiversity heritage sites, Ashisara said, "In 2021-22, the board proposed 12 such heritage sites in Malnad, coastal, and North Karnataka regions, including Adinarayana Betta, Antaragange Betta, Sita Ashoka Vana at Sagar Barur, and Kattale Kaanu near Jog Falls. But none of them have been declared as heritage sites to date. In fact, our scientific report on frequent landslides and the carrying capacity of the ecologically fragile Uttara Kannada district is gathering dust in the board. "
