Herpetological Research and Conservation Programme

The Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot has been poorly explored scientifically to evaluate its herpetofauna (Amphibians and Reptiles). Though herpetofauna has been a subject of interest since the British colonial period by few British officials and scientists, it never received the desired attention. The northeast Indian hills and the Eastern Himalayas are considered to have tremendous diversity of herpetofauna. This is understandable through recent works on herpetofauna on the other side of the Indian border, i.e. Myanmar and south China. Being biogeographically similar, the region has many species to report, which are known from Myanmar and south China. Recent studies by few individual scientists have shown that the knowledge on diversity of this group is too low, as several new species have been described or being described. Further, a number of species of herpetofauna have been reported as 'new record' for the country.

The beginning and then…

This programme was initiated in 1997 when Firoz Ahmed, the leader of the HRCP was doing his Postgraduate Dissertation under Gauhati University. Firoz, currently a PhD student under Professor Sushil Dutta, a renowned herpetologist of India, continue to lead this program and the HRCP has achieved significant milestones during the last seven years or so. The program received encouragement through a "Trainees Fellowship" what Firoz received from the Wildlife Conservation and Management Training Program of the Smithsonian Institutions, Washington DC.

Since then the HRCP has grown steadily and has received technical as well as financial support from different institutions and individuals from within the country and abroad. Till now two species 'new to science, have been described and few are in the process of description. Further, a number of species have been recorded for the first time in the country and are being reported. Information of the diversity and distribution of the herpetofauna have been compiled in a database and is growing day by day. Association and collaboration with other institutions and experts are helping in generating more information planning future inventory to cover the gaps and proper conservation action.

Objectives

1. To determine the diversity of the herpetofauna of the region and mapping their distribution using GIS tools.
2. To conduct research on natural history of selected species of conservation concern.
3. To solve the taxonomic problems associated with the group using morphological taxonomy as well as advanced tools like molecular taxonomy.
4. Evaluate the conservation status of the herpetofauna and propose their conservation and management action plan to managers and policymakers.
5. To educate the common people about the role of herpetofauna in the environment and need for their conservation.
6. To build the capacity of a new generation of herpetologists to meet the future challenges in herpetology.

What's inside …

This site reports the activities and achievements of the HRCP of Aaranyak. Please continue and visit again.

Projects completed

1. Inventory and Natural History of Amphibians of Orang National Park, Assam. <link to page>
2. Diversity, Distribution and Conservation Status of Herpetofauna of the Kaziranga National Park, Assam. (more...)
3. Evaluation of Conservation Status and Distribution of Poorly Known Endemic Amphibians of Northeast India.
4. A Preliminary Investigation on the Diversity of Herpetofauna of the Sacred Groves in Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. <link to page>

On Going Projects

Awareness

Regular awareness camps are organized in various parts of the region to educate the students, teachers and common people about amphibians and reptiles particularly the snakes. The snakes receive special attention in all age groups and often taken as theme to teach the people. At the same time message to conserve the other reptiles and amphibians are also send to the participating audience.

Plan For Next Five Years …

1. Continue the Inventory of the Herpetofauna of the region.
2. Collaborate with international and national institutes to explore 'Molecular Systematics' as a tool to study amphibian taxonomy and attempt to solve several taxonomic problems.
3. Implement Community Based Programs for conservation of the globally threatened and rare turtles of the region.
4. Study natural history of the threatened and endemic herpetofauna found in the region.
5. Study biogeography of the herpetofauna of the region.

© Aaranyak 2005, Email: aaranyak@vsnl.net
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