Talk on Biodiversity conservation at SJC

In alignment with the World Habitat Day celebrations, the Department of Zoology at St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Jakhama, organized a talk themed “Biodiversity conservation programs in Nagaland” on October 3.

The guest speaker, Chief Conservator of Forest (Environment, Biodiversity and Research), Supongnukshi Ao, accentuated the balance between wildlife conservation and human habitats in urban settings.

Pointing out the unique conservation strategies of Nagaland, he drew attention to the state’s declining forest cover, from 13,719 sq.km in 2005 to 12,251.14 sq.km in 2021. He elaborated on Nagaland’s unique wildlife feats like the tallest rhododendron and the hot chilli, which have secured positions in the Guinness records. He further discussed conservation regulations, the significance of the Amur Falcon conservation, and highlighted the challenges, such as unsustainable farming and loss of forest cover.

Emphasizing the role of communities in conservation, he shared that a higher percentage of conservation efforts are at the community level before the forest department.

The program was moderated by Vaphinuo Tsükrü, of 5th-semester (Zoology Dept.) while assistant professor, department of Zoology Bendangsangla, delivered welcome note. The event concluded with a slogan writing competition at the Zoology laboratory.