Context:
New plant species ‘Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii’ has been discovered in Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii:
- A newly discovered plant species discovered from the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Species is named to honor Dr. Sudhansu Sekhar Dash, a renowned botanist
- Spread over mainly the northeastern and eastern Himalayan states.
Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary:
- Located in – Arunachal Pradesh
- State capital Itanagar is located inside the sanctuary.
- Lies in Eastern Himalayas Endemic Bird Area.
- Major streams – Poma, Pam, Pachin, Neorochi and Chingke.
- Habitat – Mixed evergreen to semi-evergreen forests.
- Also been recognized as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International
- Fauna – Asian Elephant, Hornbills, Tiger, Asiatic Black Bear etc.
- Also popular for having different species of orchids.
- Threats – Hunting, unorganized urbanization/ settlement, encroachment
Source: India Today
Previous Year Question
Which one of the following protected areas is well-known for the conservation of a sub-species of the Indian swamp deer (Barasingha) that thrives well on hard ground and is exclusively graminivorous?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]
(a) Kanha National Park
(b) Manas National Park
(c) Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
(d) Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary
Answer: (a)
