In a significant move to protect high-altitude biodiversity, the Desert Regional Centre of the Zoological Survey of India has established a comprehensive field survey roadmap across Arunachal Pradesh. The initiative is part of a high-priority research project titled ‘Assessing ecosystems for the conservation and management of Himalayan wild pollinators – Action for long-term monitoring assessments of Himalayan bumblebees towards biodiversity conservation.’
The project, sponsored and funded by the National Mission on Himalayan Studies, aims to evaluate the distribution, status, and critical ecological roles of wild pollinators, specifically bumblebees, to establish permanent, long-term monitoring networks across fragile Himalayan ecosystems till 2029. The project will focus on assessing the conservation and management of Himalayan wild pollinators, with a particular emphasis on bumblebees.
A ZSI field team, led by research associate Dr Muzafar Riyaz, recently conducted a weeklong operation in Arunachal Pradesh, engaging in strategic consultations with local divisional forest officers to coordinate logistics and align conservation goals. The team successfully identified and mapped out survey locations across more than 10 key sites spanning six districts in the state.
The project operates under the expert scientific guidance and mentorship of principal investigator Dr Rifat H Raina, Scientist-E at DRC, ZSI Jodhpur. In addition to the technical mapping efforts, the team also spearheaded dedicated capacity-building and outreach programmes to foster local stewardship. A specialised workshop was organised at the divisional forest office in Ziro to sensitise forest personnel to sustainable forest management and pollinator-friendly ecosystem practices.
An educational awareness programme was also hosted at Danyi Kunya Higher Secondary School in Ziro, Lower Subansiri district, where Dr Riyaz interacted with Class 11 and 12 biology students, introducing them to wild pollinator conservation and the ecological significance of bumblebees in maintaining Himalayan flora.
The project’s findings will contribute significantly to the conservation and management of Himalayan wild pollinators, ultimately supporting the long-term preservation of fragile Himalayan ecosystems.
