New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Saturday hailed the discovery of two new species of Lichen moths by country’s lepidopterists.

In a social media post, headlined ‘A milestone in Indian taxonomy!’, Yadav said, “In a remarkable development, Zoological Survey of India has announced the discovery of two new species of Lichen moths.”

“The discovery of Caulocera Hollowayi and Asura Buxa are vital contribution to the documentation of India’s moth biodiversity. Research into evolutionarily significant and lesser-known groups like Lepidoptera is essential for understanding ecosystem functioning and air pollution indicator species of Indian Himalaya,” said Yadav.

He said this success underscores the necessity of sustained taxonomic efforts in biodiversity hotspots like the Himalayas.

On Friday, Yadav said that Project Great Indian Bustard (GIB) has entered the fourth year of its captive breeding programme with the hatching of two new chicks at the Conservation Breeding Centre of Rajasthan this week, taking the tally of birds in captivity to 70.

The Minister said that under the environmentally-sensitive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is well on track to make the project a great success.

Yadav shared this development in a post on social media platform X, describing it as another milestone achieved under Project GIB.

The Minister said the two chicks hatched at the Conservation Breeding Centre in Rajasthan this week, one from natural mating and the other from artificial insemination.

Calling it an important milestone for the species’ conservation efforts, Yadav said some of this year’s captive-bred chicks will be soft released in the wild, marking a new challenging beginning for the project.

He also congratulated the forest officials of the Rajasthan Forest Department for the achievement.

Earlier, Yadav stressed the importance of the balanced and sustainable use of natural resources.

He noted that ancient Indian traditions have long guided society towards harmony with nature.

He cautioned that uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources could lead to a serious imbalance in the ecological system.

Yadav further stated that India has consistently raised this issue at the global level and continues to play a proactive role in advancing environmental responsibility.

The Minister observed that over the past few years, the Indian Institute of Forest Management has demonstrated outstanding performance, and its students have been securing excellent placement opportunities.

–IANS

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