There is still a lot to be learned about our world. Just last year, the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) announced that they had uncovered close to 600 new flora and fauna species. It is the same, year after year, which proves that we are not close to fully understanding our world and everything that lives on it. Here are four animals that were discovered in 2019 on Indian soil.
Wild Life is Stronger than Industrialization and Urbanization
Even though India’s economy has been flourishing over the last decade and industrialization keeps growing, nature still reigns as it creates new species constantly. The conflict between urbanization and wild life does not stop new life to grow, and that is good news for the future of our planet. These four animals to discover in India are a good example of the continuity and growth of life on earth.
The Impressed Tortoise (Manouria impressa)
This reptile could be found previously in the hilly forests of Yazali, in Arunachal Pradesh, but now it has also found a home in India. This tortoise, with distinctive orange, golden and brown markings on its shell, is the 29th species that is known to live inside the country, in the wild. The IUCN has labeled it as vulnerable, so the fact it is expanding its territory is good news for the species, which hopefully will thrive in its new environment.
New Vine Snakes (Proahaetulla antique)
Researchers at the Institute of Science in Bengaluru have discovered a new species of vine snakes that belong to an ancient lineage, dating all the way back 26 million years ago. It was discovered in the Agasthyamalai hills of the southern Western Ghats, where so many different species of animals and flora prosper. These particular vine snakes tend to live on trees, and they are mildly venomous.
Two New Frogs (Sphaerotheca Magadha and Mysticellus franki)
The Magadha Burrowing Frog (Sphaerotheca magadha) is the first frog to be discovered in Jharkhand and Bihar, a land mainly used for farming. This proves that new species can be discovered in places where men also live. It was first seen in the Chotanagpur Plateau region. It takes its name after the ancient kingdom of Magadha from southern Bihar.
This frog, which is part of the narrow-mouthed family called Microhylidae, was discovered by Sinali Garg, a student under the supervision of her teacher SD Biju. It was located in the Western Ghats, after three years of exploration in the region.
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