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Lab in AP to conserve endangered species

Our Bureau

HYDERABAD, Sept. 17

The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), located at Hyderabad is setting up LaCONES -- a Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species at Attapur near the Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad, in partnership with the Department of Environme nt and Forests, Andhra Pradesh and the Nehru Zoo.

The Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Mr T.R. Baalu, who laid the foundation for the laboratory, said the Environment Ministry in consultation with the Department of Biotechnology would help in funding the project with additional resources.

The LaCONES was designed as a national programme to tackle the problem of preservation of endangered species by biotechnological intervention for conservation as well as propagation of endangered species such as lions, tigers and leopards among other an imals.

Molecular biology techniques, such as multi-locus DNA fingerprinting, micro-satellite analysis and mitochondrial D-loop analysis have already been developed, standardised and employed to monitor the genetic variation in lions, tigers and leopards.

This CCMB effort is a culmination of the initiative to preserve bio-diversity and conservation of wildlife.

This was taken up by CCMB along with the Department of Biotechnology of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Central Zoo Authority of India of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The dwindling forests and destruction of habitats lead to fragmentation of wildlife and inbreeding of animals. This results in reduction in their biodiversity leading to sterility and extinction. Several species in the world become extinct each day, acc ording to reports.

Extinction threatens 11 per cent of birds, 25 per cent of mammals and 34 per cent of fish species. Given the present trends, many rare or endangered vertebrate species will soon become extinct despite efforts to maintain biodiversity via habitat and wil dlife conservation. This initiative is part of the strategy to tackle these problems by using innovative techniques and interventions.

The laboratory is being set up at a cost of Rs 9.50 crore, with the first phase set to involve investment of Rs 5.75 crore. The State Government has allotted a five-acre site at Attapur. This lab will have the facility to handle events related to the bio logy of conservation of the endangered species.