The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Mammals under threat in the State

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Sunday, Oct 12, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Mammals under threat in the State

M. Sai Gopal

Habitat loss and hunting are the main reason, say researchers from across the world

— a file Photo

Wild bison is one of the mammals whose numbers are dwindling in the State

HYDERABAD: The figures are staggering and enough to send alarm bells ringing in the corridors of power. In our State, 60 per cent of the mammals are either endangered or data regarding their upkeep is deficient. Nearly 40 per cent of the mammals in our State are affected by habitat loss and degradation affects.

These disturbing facts were published in the October 10, 2008 issue of ‘Science’ journal, which also highlighted the latest threat to mammals worldwide. The research, done by 40 researchers across the world, was co-authored by conservation biologist and assistant professor in zoology at Osmania University Dr. C. Srinivasulu.

Out of 107 mammal species in the State, nearly 60 mammal species are endangered due to a host of reasons, the study paper says. “Scenario is gloomy and jolting as mammals are declining faster than perceived. Between 1968 and 75, almost all the bison population in the State was wiped out because of foot and mouth disease,” says Dr. Srinivasulu.

The research on mammals, taken-up under the aegis of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), was done over a period of five years with painstaking collaboration and collection of data from all possible sources.

“We assessed 5,487 species of mammals and it revealed that one-quarter i.e. 1,139 species of 4,651 mammals on which data is available are under threat of extinction. Interestingly, this figure of 60 per cent of mammals under threat holds good for all over India,” he says.

Why is this happening? “Habitat loss and hunting are the main threats. Populations of one out of every two mammal species are declining and this trend has to be checked. People do not pay attention to mammals, but in my opinion emphasis should be to gather more information on the data deficient mammals that might me under greater stress or might have simply gone extinct without being noticed,” the researcher says.

The study says funding agencies should encourage survey and moots taking up assessment projects on data deficient species.

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