DEHRADUN: Scientists of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have claimed to have spotted a new species of sand fox and five unknown species of dragon flies in the Bhagirathi basin of Uttarakhand while conducting climate change studies in the region recently. WII scientists said that they would now be conducting detailed studies of these species as part of a project which will continue for the next five years. Tapajit Bhattacharya, research scholar of WII confirmed of seeing these species saying that all this could be possible after installing the camera trap in the region. Sand Fox was spotted at Gangotri National Park, while wild ass was spotted in the area after they were seen long ago in Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
Satya Kumar, WII scientist who is heading this program said, "The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) is one of the eight National missions which form the core of India's first National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and is headed by the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change. "NSMHE has six task forces, involving specialized institutions for each task. These institutions are Wildlife Institute of India (micro flora and fauna and wildlife & animal populations), G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (forest resources & plant biodiversity), Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (natural & geological wealth), National Institute of Hydrology (water, ice. snow, including glaciers), Jawaharlal Nehru University (traditional knowledge systems) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (Himalayan agriculture).
Satya Kumar, WII scientist said, "The areas identified for the study under this taskforce are terrestrial ecosystem, aquatic ecosystem, human ecology, and spatial ecology. It also include assessments of animal species, communities diversity, distribution, abundance , wildlife habitats, ecosystems, and ecosystem services. The other factors which are anthropogenic and climate change impacts on wildlife and ecosystems through scenario building and visualization, vulnerability of species/habitats to climate change; and prioritization of species/taxa and sites for monitoring will also be part of the program."
According to Bhattacharya, Impact of climate change assessment study began in Bhagirathi circle at 7000 sq km in March 2015. They are in the process of selecting indicator species for a period of five years for phase I," he said adding that in reptiles ,Asymbiipherus species, in ambhibiaAmolops species, in Lichen Rhizocarpon species and in birds Galliformes species have been selected. He said, the reason the scientists zeroed in on Bhagirathi basin was for its drastic variation in its altitude. The elevation in the entire area of 7000 sq km varies from 500 to 5000 meter. It also offers scope of studying anthropogenic pressure on wildlife as there is only one protected area Gangotri NP while remaining is full of human habitation. The area also offers study on three kinds of region, highly disturbed which include cities such as Devprayag and Tehri, mid disturbed such as Uttarkashi adjancent to forest and undisturbed such as Gangotri NP in the Bhagirathi basin.
