Indian Golden Oriole
Troides minos
Chestnut-tailed Starling
Kigeliaafricana
The first rapid assessment survey of Indian species carried out at the the Indian Institute of Management - Kozhikode (IIMK) by the Malabar Natural History Society (MNHS) has found that the campus is home to 668 species of flora and fauna.
The survey recorded 350 plant species, 189 invertebrates, 19 amphibians, 22 reptiles, 69 birds, and 19 mammalian species. It also revealed that the IIMK was a microcosm of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, renowned for its unique ecological features, ranging from lush rainforests to coastal habitats, harbouring an array of endemic species, according to a press release here on Tuesday.
IIMK Director Prof. Debashis Chatterjee and Sathyan Meppayur, secretary, MNHS, jointly released the ‘Biodiversity@IIM Kozhikode’ report recently. The collaboration between the IIMK and MNHS was initiated by the institute’s Campus Green Initiative Committee (CGIC) and student’s sustainability club Ekology.
The exercise unveiled numerous rare and endemic plant species on the IIMK campus, ranging from Holigarna Arnottiana endemic to the Southern Western Ghats, to Bismarckia Nobilis from Madagascar, Kigelia Africana from Africa, and Acacia Auriculiformis from Australia, among others. Some other interesting finds include noteworthy species such as Papilio Buddha Malabar Banded Peacock, which is the State butterfly of Kerala — legally protected under Schedule II of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972) — along with its larval host plant Zanthoxylum Rhetsa (Indian Prickly Ash). The second largest butterfly in India, Troides minos, the Southern Birdwing, which is also the State butterfly of Karnataka, was also documented in the survey.
A total of 22 species of reptiles belonging to two orders and 14 families were recorded. Family Colubridae, with seven species, has the most species followed by Family Gekkonidae with three species and Family Scincidae and Elapidae with two species.
A total of 19 species of amphibians were also recorded in the campus area of IIMK. Seventeen out of the total 19 amphibians recorded belong to the Order Anura, and two species were Caecilians of Uraeotyphlus genus from the Order Gymnophiona.
A total of 19 species of mammals were recorded on the campus during the study based on direct sightings and indirect evidences. Among the species recorded, 12 are protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Act 2022.
The survey recorded a total of 69 bird species, which represented a diverse range of avian families and included both resident and migratory birds, the release said.
