India Adds 683 Faunal Species and 433 Flora Taxa to National Biodiversity Records in 2024.
Environment
In June 2025, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), led by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, released the ‘Annual Biodiversity Report 2024’ in Kolkata, West Bengal, announcing the addition of 683 faunal and 433 floral species to India’s biodiversity database.
- The discoveries were published in two national biodiversity compendiums — “Animal Discoveries 2024” by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and “Plant Discoveries 2024” by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), both headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal. These reports are critical in tracking India’s ecological wealth and scientific advancements.
- Out of the 683 faunal species added, 459 were new species, while 224 were new records—species not previously recorded in India but known elsewhere. This includes amphibians, reptiles, fishes, birds, and invertebrates, marking a significant expansion of India's known animal diversity.
- The 433 new flora taxa comprise 410 new plant species and 23 new intraspecific taxa such as varieties and subspecies. These include discoveries from mountain ecosystems, coastal zones, and bio-rich tropical forests—contributing to sustainable biodiversity management.
Main Point :- (i) Among the faunal discoveries, the highest number came from Karnataka (101 species), followed by Arunachal Pradesh (72 species). These findings reaffirm the ecological richness of the Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats—both identified as global biodiversity hotspots by IUCN.
(ii) In terms of floral diversity, Kerala led with 58 new plant discoveries, followed by Maharashtra with 45 and Uttarakhand with 40 species. The Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, continue to be a key zone for endemic and medicinal plant research.
(iii) Union Minister Bhupender Yadav emphasized that such biodiversity records support India's commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and are aligned with Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) and SDG 15 (Life on Land), aimed at protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of ecosystems.
About Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)
Director : Dhriti Banerjee
Headquarters : Kolkata (West Bengal, WB)
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