Extinct tree found after 180 years in Kollam grove
Madhuca diplostemon
- Madhuca diplostemon, is a threatened species of the Western Ghats.
- A tree species, long believed extinct, has been rediscovered after a gap of more than 180 years from a sacred grove in Kollam district.
- Madhuca diplostemon (family Sapotaceae), a threatened species of the Western Ghats whose specimen was first collected in 1835.
- Only one mature tree has been found so far, which makes this remarkable rediscovery extremely valuable from a scientific, environmental and conservation point of view.
- The lone mature tree was located at the Koonayil Ayiravilli Siva Temple at Paravur, Kollam. Locally, it was erroneously believed to be the common Attilippa.
- Since the species is represented only by one specimen in a single locality, it is eligible to be categorised ‘Critically Endangered’ by the IUCN.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/extinct-tree-found-after-180-years-in-kollam-grove/article32760018.ece?homepage=true
Housing projects pose threat to Suchindram Theroor Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu
Suchindram Theroor Bird Sanctuary
- Located in kaniyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, it offers a habitat for native and migratory birds.
- The Suchindram Theroor Birds Sanctuary is a protected area comprising the Suchindram Kulam wetlands and the Theroor Kulam wetlands.
- Being at the extreme southern tip of India, this area underlies the southernmost continental range of the Central Asian Flyway.
- However, with real estate sharks in the process of converting some wetlands into housing plots, the bird habitat has come under threat.