The Natural History Museum (NHM) at Mizoram University in Aizawl has been designated as a repository under the Biodiversity Act, the Union Environment Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
Designated repositories form an important component of India’s biodiversity management framework and are mandated to preserve biological materials including voucher specimens deposited with them in a safe place. It also serves as a legal record of biological resources used in scientific research and commercial projects.
Aizawl Museum is the 21st dedicated repository in India.
The NHM at Mizoram University was designated on June 19 on the recommendation of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), a ministry statement said.
The NHM will preserve specimens of selected plants, including pteridophytes and macrofungi, and animals such as reptiles, amphibians, fish, moths, beetles and butterflies, officials said.
“It will also serve as the designated repository for specimens of newly discovered species from the region. These documented collections will enhance species identification, traceability and scientific research while protecting India’s biological resources for their long-term conservation. They will also support future ecological restoration in case of habitat loss, natural disasters or species decline,” an official said.
Established in 2022, NHM is under the University of Mizoram and is known for its unique location within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
Mizoram and the wider north-eastern region harbor more than 7,500 species of flowering plants and over 2,000 animal species, the ministry said, adding that the repository will also support the documentation and conservation of unique endemic species of the region.
Even before they are classified, more than 500 specimens, including herbal leaves, have already been preserved at the institution, officials added.
