Updated:
October 03, 2018 00:50 IST
A baby hippo taking a dip in a pool under the watchful eyes of its
mother on a sultry afternoon at the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in
Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
Expressing concern over dwindling biodiversity, environmentalists stress on ecological balance
It was a day of learning and fun for the students as the Indira
Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP) organised several educating programmes,
apart from an essay writing competition, as part of the the Wildlife
Week celebrations that began here on Tuesday.
The zoo authorities
conducted an essay writing competition in which around 100 students from
20 schools and seven colleges participated.
A wildlife photography exhibition was organised to mark the occasion in which 42 students took part.
Zoo curator C. Selvam inaugurated the event and addressed the gathering.
Film screened
As
part of the week, Paryavarana Margadarsi Vaisakhi, a NGO, screened a
film on wildlife protection for students at Seventh day Adventist School
at MVP Colony. Addressing the students, G. Sushma of PMV said wildlife
plays an important role in balancing the ecosystem, apart from providing
stability to the natural processes.
She stressed on maintaining
the ecological balance, saying that every human, animal, plant and
marine species has a role to play in it.
Deforestation
Citing
a survey conducted by the UN, environmental activist J.V. Ratnam said
that the earth was losing 170 lakh hectors of forest area per year.
“As
per the survey, more than 50 % of wild animals’ habitats have already
been destroyed in 110 countries around the world. We are losing wild
animals living areas at the rate of 64% in Asia, 94% in Bangladesh, 95%
in Honkog, 85% in Srilanka, and 80% in India. According to the survey
conducted in 2000, nearly 210 animal species are in the danger zone,” he
pointed out.
Delving further into the subject, he pointed out
that so far, 210 species, 86 mammals, 70 birds, 25 reptiles, three
amphibians, three fish species, two molluscs and 21 invertebrates are
listed as endangered species.
“Among the endangered species are
Bengal fox, Asiatic cheetah, Asiatic lion, Indian elephant, Indian
rhinoceros and marble kite,” he said.
School principal A.
Vijayanadh said the term ‘wildlife‘ not only denotes wild animals but
also takes into account of all the life forms including birds, insects,
plants, fungi, and even microscopic organisms.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/its-a-learn-and-fun-day-as-wildlife-week-begins/article25106432.ece
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