ZSI research plan on edible & fauna

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is gearing up to conduct a research on the possible edible flora and fauna in remote and difficult regions of the country like the north eastern states.

The study is to be carried out to help the Army personnel, who often have to deal with tough situations in remote areas.

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The research, according to the ZSI officials in Kolkata, is to be carried out jointly with the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School that operates under the Army Training Command on behalf of the Integrated headquarters of the ministry of defence. To proceed with the collaborative study a memorandum of understanding is to be signed between the Army and the ZSI on the 110 ZSI Day which is to be commemorated on 30 June. “When the Army personnel are posted in extremely remote areas, they are faced with the problem of availability of food. Our work would be to go there and find out the edible fauna and flora and document the information,” informed the director of ZSI, Dhriti Banerjee. “The study would be done in places that are accessible only by the army. The researchers would collect the nutritional values of various kinds of edible flora in extreme areas like the border areas of Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram and fauna and the report would be handed over to the army,” she added.

On the occasion, the ZSI is to hold a mega event at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre. It is also to host the third edition of the Animal Taxonomic Summit scheduled from 1 to 3 July. Union environment, forest and climate change minister Bhupender Yadav is to preside over the event as chief guest.

According to the director of the ZSI, one of the crucial parts of the mega event would be the release of the ZSI’s iconic publication –Animal Discoveries -2024 comprising more than 600 species.  A 110 hour Hackathon on Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Change with participants from various parts of the country would also be held.

Taking a crucial step, the ZSI would also hold a workshop on the use of traditional knowledge in preserving the flora and fauna. A study on the changes in Chilka Lake over the years would also be unveiled during the event.