ZSI to Celebrate its Annual Day & Animal Taxonomy Summit–2024

26 June 2024: The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is celebrating its 109th ZSI day on June 30, 2024. Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Shri Bhupender Yadav will be the Chief Guest of the ZSI Day on June 30 . He will also declare the opening of Animal Taxonomy Summit-2024 organised by ZSI. Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State, MoEFCC, will be the Guest of Honour. Director General of Forests and Special Secretary, MoEFCC, Jitendra Kumar will also grace the occasion and address the gathering.

Addressing the curtain raiser press conference on the event at Kolkata Press Club on Wednesday, ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee highlighted the ‘Animal Taxonomic Summit–2024’ scheduled during July 1–3, 2024; and launch of the ‘Fauna of India Checklist Portal’ and two books on annual animal and plant discoveries.

She informed that the Animal Taxonomic Summit–2024 is aimed at underlining the role of taxonomy in biodiversity conservation, where over 300 research papers will be presented and 40 institutional heads from India and global experts will participate.

She said that the ‘Fauna of India Checklist Portal’ will be the world’s first complete checklist of fauna, making India the first nation to prepare the complete list of fauna documented from a country. ‘Animal Discoveries– 2023’ comprising more than 600 new animal species and new records from India and ‘Plant Discoveries’ comprising more than 300 new plant species and new records from the country published by the scientists, faculties, and researchers from India. Other important releases will be the ‘Current Status of faunal diversity in Lakshadweep’,‘Fauna of India–109 barcodes’, ‘Catalogue of Hoverflies’, ‘Catalogue of Muscidae’, ‘Avifaunal Diversity of Important Bird Areas of Goa’ and ‘Handbook on Moths and Butterflies of Western Ghats’& ‘Flora of India Series’. First ever ‘Barcode Atlas of Indian Fishes’-a joint publication by the ICAR-NBFGR, Lucknow & ZSI, Kolkata and ‘ROAR – CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF PROJECT TIGER’, a book written by SHILADITYA CHAUDHURY & KETAN SENGUPTA will also be released.

The Minister of State will launch ‘International Society of Zoology (ISZ)’ which will enhance the ability of individuals and institutions to contribute to the global understanding and protection of biodiversity.

The event will include messages for the exploration and protection of our faunal resources, importance and safeguard of our environment and contributions of ZSI therein. More than 10 MoUs will be exchanged between ZSI & universities (viz. Vidyasagar University, Berhampur University, Madurai Kamraj University etc.), ZSI & national institutes (ICAR-NBFGR, ICAR-NBAIR, ICAR-Central Institute, ICAR-CIFA, BITS, Pillani, Goa) and ZSI & Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS), Africa for better coordination and benefits to masses. A cultural programme to highlight environmental issues and its effort to reach out to the citizens will be showcased by the ZSI.

Animal Taxonomic Summit–2024 is the second summit being organised by ZSI. During the summit, deliberations will be held under three broad themes, 1) Taxonomy, Systematics and Evolution, 2) Ecology and Animal Behaviour; 3) Biodiversity and Conservation. More than 350 delegates from four countries, including Natural History Museum London will participate in ATS 24. The three-day ATS–24 will witness more than 20 plenary/ lead lectures of eminent speakers/ experts from India as well as abroad and 142 oral/poster presentations.The summit will be concluded on 3rd July . The recommendations of the summit will be conveyed to the Government of India related to biodiversity conservation.

The ZSI established on July 1, 1916 at Kolkata as a premier research institution, presently functioning under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The ZSI is documenting the faunal resources of India by survey and exploration leading to the advancement of knowledge on the exceptionally rich faunal diversity of the country. (Source: PIB)