Tamil Nadu Launches Rs 50 Crore Fund to Save Endangered Species
Tamil Nadu's unique landscapes, a global biodiversity hotspot, are home to several endangered species. The state government has established the Tamil Nadu Endangered Species Conservation Fund (TNESCF) with a Rs 50 crore corpus to protect these species. The fund will focus on four lesser-known endangered species: Lion-Tailed Macaque, Madras Hedgehog, Striped Hyena, and Hump-Headed Mahseer.
TNESCF received an initial seed grant of Rs 5 crore to support species recovery, habitat restoration, and community-based conservation projects. The fund aims to combat threats such as habitat loss, poaching, road mortality, pollution, and invasive species. The management of TNESCF has been shifted from the State Forest Development Agency (SFDA) to the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC), Vandalur. The Executive Committee, headed by the Additional Chief Secretary (Environment, Climate Change and Forests), will oversee day-to-day operations and approve project proposals. The committees managing TNESCF will also mobilise additional resources from the public and private sectors to scale up conservation finance in the State. The Governing Committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary and including senior officials and conservation experts like Rohini Nilekani, Mallika Srinivasan, J K Patterson Edward, S Balachandran, and K Jayakumar, will steer and guide the fund's strategic direction.
The Tamil Nadu government's initiative to protect endangered species through the TNESCF is a significant step towards preserving the state's biodiversity. By focusing on lesser-known species and involving various stakeholders, the fund aims to address the pressing threats these species face and restore their habitats.
