Important for GS Prelims: ENVIRONMENT
About
- Established: 1 July 1916. It originated from the Zoological Section of the Indian Museum, Kolkata (1875).
- Ministry: Functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India.
- Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal.
- Regional Presence: Has 16 Regional Centres across India.
Objectives
- Conducts survey, exploration, inventorying, and monitoring of India’s faunal diversity.
- Maintains the National Zoological Collections (NZC), the country’s largest repository of animal specimens.
- Undertakes taxonomic, systematic, ecological, and conservation research on Indian fauna.
- Publishes Fauna of India, Fauna of States, and other scientific publications.
- Reviews the status of threatened, endemic, and rare animal species.
- Provides wildlife forensic, DNA barcoding, identification, and advisory services.
Key Functions
- Documents and discovers new animal species.
- Assists in biodiversity conservation and wildlife management.
- Supports implementation of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 through scientific identification and research.
- Maintains digital databases on Indian faunal diversity and supports environmental impact assessments.
Conclusion
- The Zoological Survey of India is India’s premier institution for the exploration, documentation, taxonomy, and conservation of the country’s faunal diversity.
| This concept has been elaborately discussed in the following article: India: A Global Lepidoptera Hotspot – ZSI Publishes First Comprehensive Catalogue |