Species In News- 31st May 2025

Moringa

In News: PKM-1 Moringa, a high-yielding variety developed in Tamil Nadu, has revolutionized moringa cultivation, making India the world’s leading producer and exporter, supplying about 80% of the $9.5 billion global demand.

About Moringa Plant

Moringa (Moringa oleifera), commonly known as drumstick, is a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions for its nutritional, medicinal, and economic value.

Nutritional and Medicinal Value

• Nutritional powerhouse: Moringa leaves, pods, and seeds are rich in vitamins (A, C, E), minerals (calcium, potassium, iron), and essential amino acids.
• Health benefits: It possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. It is used to combat malnutrition, especially in developing countries.

Economic Significance

• Global demand: The global moringa market is estimated at $9.5 billion, with India contributing about 80% of the supply.
• High-yielding varieties: Tamil Nadu’s PKM-1 and PKM-2 varieties have boosted productivity and export potential.
• Export potential: Moringa products (fresh pods, powder, oil) are exported to the USA, Europe, and Africa.

Role in Food Security and Nutrition

• Malnutrition alleviation: Moringa is promoted in Africa and Asia to address micronutrient deficiencies.
• Mid-day meal schemes: Its inclusion in school meals can improve child nutrition.

Kakapo

In News: A team of conservationists, zoologists, and veterinary medicine specialists from Justus Liebig University Giessen (Germany), New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, Kakapo Recovery, and the University of Otago has successfully used artificial insemination to breed wild endangered parrots—the kakapo—in New Zealand

About

The kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) is a critically endangered, nocturnal, flightless parrot endemic to New Zealand, renowned for its unique evolutionary traits and the extraordinary conservation efforts to save it.

Key Features

• Endemic Status: Found only in New Zealand, currently restricted to a few predator-free offshore islands such as Codfish Island/Whenua Hou, Anchor Island, and Little Barrier Island.
• Physical Traits: The kākāpō is the world’s heaviest parrot, with moss-green plumage, an owl-like facial disk, and robust legs. It is nocturnal and cannot fly, but is an excellent climber.
• Behavior: It is a lek breeder—males gather and call (“boom”) to attract females. The species is solitary and long-lived, with some individuals living over 60 years.

Conservation Status

• Population: As of 2024, only about 242–244 individuals remain, all of which are named, tagged, and closely monitored.
• Threats: Major threats include predation by introduced mammals (stoats, rats, cats), disease, genetic inbreeding, and infertility.
• Conservation Efforts: The Kākāpō Recovery Programme, launched in 1995, has been pivotal. Intensive management includes translocating all kākāpō to predator-free islands, artificial insemination, genetic management, and continuous health monitoring. The use of radio and GPS transmitters allows rangers to track every individual.

Dugong

In News: India’s dugongs (Dugong dugon), often called “farmers of the sea,” are a flagship marine mammal species and the only herbivorous mammal found exclusively in the country’s coastal waters. Once widespread, their population has plummeted to an estimated 200 individuals, with their range now restricted mainly to the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Gulf of Kutch, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. 

• Dugongs are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List globally and ‘Regionally Endangered’ in India, and they receive the highest legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. 
• Dugongs play a crucial ecological role by maintaining healthy seagrass beds, which are vital for marine biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and stabilizing coastal ecosystems. 
• However, their survival is threatened by habitat loss due to seagrass degradation (caused by pollution, coastal development, and destructive fishing practices), accidental entanglement in fishing nets, boat strikes, illegal hunting, and their naturally slow reproductive rate—females mature only after 9–10 years and give birth every 3–5 years. 
• Recognizing their ecological significance and precarious status, India has made dugong conservation a priority. 
• The government has established the country’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay, Tamil Nadu, and constituted a national Task Force for Dugong Conservation to implement research, habitat protection, community engagement, and international cooperation under the UNEP/CMS Dugong MoU.
• Conservation strategies focus on habitat restoration, reducing direct and indirect mortality, strengthening legal frameworks, and raising public awareness. 
• As dugongs are indicators of ocean health and coastal ecosystem integrity, their protection is essential not only for biodiversity but also for the well-being of India’s coastal communities and future marine resilience.

Clownfish

In News: A recent study has revealed that adult clownfish (Amphiprion percula) have a remarkable ability to shrink their body length in response to extreme heat stress caused by marine heatwaves.

About

Clownfish (family Pomacentridae, genus Amphiprion) are iconic coral reef fish, globally recognized for their symbiotic relationship with sea anemones. They play a vital ecological role in reef ecosystems and have become important model organisms for studying marine biology and environmental adaptation.

Significance of Shrinking

• Adaptive Strategy: Shrinking helps clownfish conserve energy, as smaller bodies require less food and resources—an advantage when environmental conditions are harsh and food is scarce.
• Social Coordination: The study also found that clownfish pairs that shrank together had higher survival rates, highlighting the importance of social cooperation in adaptation.
• First-of-its-kind Evidence: This is the first documented case of a coral reef fish shrinking in response to environmental and social stress, suggesting a new dimension to how marine species may cope with climate change.

Ecological and Conservation Relevance

• Indicator Species: Clownfish are sensitive to changes in ocean temperature and coral health, making them important indicators of reef ecosystem resilience.
• Threats: Besides climate-induced heatwaves, clownfish face threats from coral bleaching, habitat loss, and the aquarium trade.
• Broader Implications: The ability to shrink may be a short-term adaptation; long-term impacts on reproduction, growth, and population dynamics remain uncertain as marine heatwaves intensify.

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