Staff Correspondent
Forest officer says many species vanishing
‘Conservation impossible without local people’s help’
Western Ghats may be declared World Heritage Site
Udupi: Prakash Netalkar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Karkala Wildlife Division, said on Friday that increasing population and deforestation were responsible for the large scale destruction of biodiversity.
He was inaugurating the Biodiversity Awareness Programme for college students organised by the Karnataka Biodiversity Board and the Poornaprajna College, here.
Mr. Netalkar said that many species were vanishing at an alarming rate. “It is necessary to protect whatever biodiversity we have. This is necessary for the survival of the humankind,” he said.
It was difficult to protect biodiversity without the involvement of local people. But the first step in this direction was to create awareness about the importance of biodiversity among the local people.
Western Ghats
Speaking on “Biodiversity in Western Ghats”, member of the Karnataka State Wildlife Board and zoologist N.A. Madhyastha said there were 34 hotspots of biodiversity in the world of which three were in India.
The hotspots in India were the Upper Himalayas, Extreme Himalayas, Burma, Western Ghats and Sri Lanka.
It was likely that the Western Ghats would be declared World Heritage Site in 2010. This would go a long way in saving the biodiversity there.
Nodal Officer of the board M. Jayashanker delivered introductory remarks.
Principal of the College Rajmohan presided over the function.
Poornima, Head, Department of Zoology at the college, proposed a vote of thanks. Member of Mangalore University Senate B.V. Mohan was present.
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