Many endangered species in Kerala

The Union ministry of Environment and Forest published a list of endangered species in India. It is prepared under the rules of ‘red list’ of International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is done to evaluate the risk status of wild species.

Many animal and bird species from the state are under the endangered species. It includes Malabar Civet, Anamalai Flying frog, Green-eyed Bush frog, White-back vulture, Long-billed vulture and eight more frog species.

Malabar Civet is a mammal found in Travancore. E A Jayson, a scientist of the Division of Wildlife Biology of the Kerala Forest Research Institute Peachy said, Civet was last spotted three decades ago at Ilayur near Nilambur, Malappuram. Specimen of one civet is preserved at Kozhikode center of the Zoological survey of India and Calicut University, said Mr. Jayson.

Bird species are also threatened in God’s own country. White-backed vulture and Long-billed vulture which is found in Wayanad and Tholpetty are in the high risk list prepared by the union ministry. Less than 20 of these birds exist in the wild and their population is decreased by 99 percent, said P O Nameer, Associate Professor (Wildlife) Studies of the Kerala Agricultural University.

Ten frog species are vanishing from the state. They are at , Anamalai Flying frog, Green-eyed Bush frog, Chalazodas Bubble Nest frog, Small Bush frog, Kerala Indian frog, Griet Bush frog, Kaikkat’s Bush frog, Mark’s Bush frog, Munnar Bush frog and Replendent shrub frog.

The list includes the species, if their population has declined more than 80 percent over the last three decades. Otherwise restricted geographical range, population of individuals is less than 250 and continuous decline at the rate of 25 percent in three years are also included in the high risk list. If the matured individual is less than 50 and high chance of extinction is there, such species are also categorized as threatened species.