The Andaman & Nicobar Islands is part of two Biodiversity Hotspots i.e., Andaman group is part of Indo-Burma; Nicobar group is part of the Sundaland. The Andaman & Nicobar archipelago is rich in biodiversity and hosts an about 11,000 faunal species under 24 faunal group from Marine and Terrestrial Ecosystem.
The Islands comprises only 0.25% of India’s geographical area but is home to more than 10% of country’s faunal species. Thus, presence of such large number of species in such small area makes A&N Islands one of the richest ecosystems and biodiversity hot spots in India.
The Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) was established at Port Blair on 21st April 1977 under the Sixth Five Year Plan of Government of India. It is one among the 16 Regional Centres of ZSI. The jurisdiction of the centre covered entire Andaman & Nicobar Islands and its territorial waters. The faunal communities of marine and terrestrial ecosystems of these islands are being inventorized by the Centre by conducting exploratory surveys.
Since its inception the ZSI Regional Centre has conducted about 90 research programmes on several faunal groups of this archipelago. The major areas of studies at this Centre are on Taxonomy, Ecology and Zoogeography of Protozoa to Mammalia from marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
ZSI, Port Blair is a nodal centre National Coral Reef Research Institute (NCRRI) for monitoring the coral reef research in Indian waters; Recognized research centre for Ph.D., M.Phil., in Ecology, Taxonomy, and Zoogeography under Pondicherry University, Puducherry; recognized field training centre for Islands Biodiversity by Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) and Tamil Nadu Forest Academy, Coimbatore (TNFA); Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP), MoEF&CC, GOI; training centre under the Accelerate vigyan programme, Science Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science & Technology, GOI; Indian Navy to study the Bird Hazards studies & Flight safety in Naval Air Stations.
The Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, ZSI presently holds 1,70,000 preserved (Dry & Wet) specimens of various faunal group, of which 3500 of 22 faunal group are displayed in its museum for the viewing of researchers, students and general public. The ZSI museum is recently renovated and will be opened by officials of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change soon. Scientists of this centre have reported more than 20 new species to science from different faunal group, which includes Narcondam Tree Shrew, besides about 900 new records to A&N Islands, India and Southeast Asia from this archipelago.
Recently, the Hon’ble Union Home Ministry had inaugurated the National Repository for Island Faunal Diversity, which hosts the voucher specimens of fauna of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and adjacent southeast Asian countries. These voucher specimens form the basis for research on evolution, speciation, distribution, taxonomy, systematics, ecology and evolutionary biology. Besides, this repository building will also be used as museum through LED display of endemic, endangered fauna of this archipelago.
Dr Chandrakasan Sivaperuman, Scientist-E & Officer-in-Charge, Zoological Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre, Port Blair has intensively and extensively carried out faunal exploration from Landfall Island, North Andaman to India Point, Great Nicobar Island as a result, reported more than 70 species of birds as a new distributional record to A&N Islands, India and South Asia. This led to Andaman & Nicobar Islands to receive international attention in the East-Asian Australasian Migratory Flyway.
Dr Sivaperuman also reported many species of Ants, Earthworm, Scorpion, Spiders, Moths, Butterflies, Tree Frog, Freshwater Molluscs, Tree Shrew for the first time from this archipelago. He has successfully participated and conducted research studies in 36th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctic during December 2016 - April 2017 to assess the diversity distribution of Birds and Mammals of Southern Ocean & Antarctica and only representative from Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
He has provided Bird Guide Training through Directorate of Tourism & Department of Environment & Forests, as the outcome of the training few islanders have chosen as Bird Guide/Bird Watching tourism in this island. Conceptualized and bringing “National Coral Reef Research Institute” to the islands, through Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India which would give recognition to the islands not only Nationally but also Globally.
In addition, the ZSI Regional Centre also proposes to develop state-of-the-art Interpretation Centre to showcase marine biodiversity, Live Aquarium, Coral Museum, Souvenir shops/cafeteria, and Wi-Fi hotspot in the establishment. The ministry has sanctioned budget grant for construction of the compound wall, and establishment of NCRRI will be initiated by next financial year.
ZSI, Port Blair has trained 35 local unemployed youths through the certificate course on Para-Taxonomy including People’s Biodiversity Register, Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) under the Skill India Mission during 2017-2019. Presently it is conducting training under the GSDP & Accelerate Vigyan in which more than 45 participants are undergoing Training on Bird Identification and Basic Ornithology. About 25 candidates have registered for the certificate course on Para-Taxonomy including preparation of People’s Biodiversity Register.
As a scientist Dr. Sivaperuman is actively involved in conservation of Biodiversity of the islands by providing technical advice to the agencies who are starting up any development work in the islands in the form of Environmental Impact Assessment, thus keeping development of the island and conservation of biodiversity in balance. He has also served as member in various committees in A&N Administration and other scientific organisations of this island.
Over 100 plus outreach activities have been conducted in the islands through Rajya Sabha TV, local print and mass media, seminars, workshops and webinars for the benefit of students, teachers and general public. The Centre also participated in the Island Tourism Festival in 2018 for the first time in the history of ZSI and had displayed endemic, endangered & threatened animals through LED displays and disseminated information through pamphlets / brochures to the general public.
Several print materials on fauna of the islands were created for the benefit of general public, which are otherwise not accessible to common citizen. The centre under Dr Sivaperuman has published about 300 research papers in various National and International Journals on different aspects of faunal diversity of this island ecosystem. Besides 40 books both National and International of these Avifauna of A & N Islands, a coffee table book was the first pictorial representation of birds, Mesmerizing Fauna of Great Nicobar illustrates the terrestrial and marine faunal diversity of Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve.
Dr Sivaperuman has Established Molecular Systematics Laboratory in ZSI, Port Blair which is aimed to increase our understanding of eco-evolutionary processes of the long-isolated, environmentally diverse and rich biodiversity of this island ecosystem. He has also initiated to creation of ENVIS Centre (Environmental Information System) in ZSI, Port Blair through MoEF&CC, Government of India. Through ENVIS centre the following works will be disseminated, i.e. inventory of authentic information on the Biodiversity of A&N Islands, providing baseline information for the researchers, academicians etc., undertake various application oriented research on biodiversity, awareness workshop, seminar to the school, college students and general public. ENVIS Centre will also be helpful to identify an area to promote eco-tourism and to enhance the revenue of government.