Opinion - Editorials   

Discovering new life

The thrilling discovery of 52 species of animals and plants from the equatorial island of Borneo in just one year is proof that the task of cataloguing all life on earth deserves the highest priority. A treasure trove of species, which includes a miniature fish that lives in highly acidic peat swamps, six Siamese fighting fish, a tree frog with bright green eyes, and 16 new ginger plants, has been found in a mountainous area described as the "heart of Borneo." Indexing biodiversity is a discipline with a deadline. Continuing deforestation, habitat loss, the spread of invasive species, and the annexation of resource-rich areas to feed mass consumption leave insufficient time to classify everything. Harvard biologist E.O.Wilson, who views each species as a masterpiece of evolution, believes that only about 1.5 million species (representing approximately 10 per cent of all life) have been described since Carolus Linnaeus began the process some 250 years ago. According to Professor Wilson's educated guess, the agenda of producing a reasonably comprehensive encyclopaedia of life involves 10 to 20 million species. Several international agencies are working to produce this database with support from governments, conservation-minded philanthropists, and agencies such as the United Nations. The results from Borneo highlight the need to enhance and speed up the process. The Bornean governments of Indonesia and Malaysia and Brunei must be commended for making a commitment to save the 220,000 sq km region, which they share.

The search for new species is a continuing process in tropical countries. In recent years, India has done a decent bit for conservation with the description of the Arunachal macaque, the purple frog of the Western Ghats, and the Bugun babbler in Arunachal Pradesh. These findings remind us that national biodiversity hot spots require full protection and greater research attention. As a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity, India is bound to do its utmost to record and preserve its natural heritage. At the CBD meeting in Curitiba, Brazil, in 2006 India acknowledged the vulnerability of even famous species — isolated populations of Jerdon's courser, the lion, Manipuri deer, Wroughton's free-tailed bat, and the red panda. These and other species thrived before forests were cut down to facilitate colonial expansion and commerce. Today, the forests represent a small part of the land area. Reasonably preserved spaces account for just two to three per cent of the land mass. These forests can be the crucible of fresh discoveries if the Ministry of Environment and Forests adopts a more welcoming approach to research.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Discovering new life
Phasing out Central Sales Tax
Green schools in a greying world
After Saddam, it will be oil
The road to an Indian visa
Corrections and Clarifications
ULFA killings
Grisly killings

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu