If someone asks you to name Thiruvananthapuram’s official butterfly, would you know the answer? It is the Travancore evening brown. The district also has an official wild animal, the Travancore flying squirrel, and a flower, Drury’s slipper orchid. There is even a place on the list for a microorganism.
These are among the 12 species Thiruvananthapuram has selected as its official representatives of biodiversity. The declaration is part of a five-year conservation plan to protect the district’s natural resources, including the habitats that sustain its wildlife, traditional agricultural varieties, and lesser-known plant species.
“This is only the beginning of the efforts to make Thiruvananthapuram district a biodiversity-rich district. Several long-term projects have been envisioned at the district level,” says Akshaya Anil, district coordinator for Thiruvananthapuram under the Kerala State Biodiversity Board.
“The process took almost six months. The district panchayat’s Biodiversity Management Committee led it, with an expert panel evaluating the proposed species. We also sought public opinion, consolidated the suggestions and sent the list to the Kerala State Biodiversity Board for approval. The final selection was announced at the district’s first biodiversity conclave,” says Akshaya Anil, district coordinator for Thiruvananthapuram under the Kerala State Biodiversity Board.
The list names ‘Njaval’ as the fruit, and Sahyadria denisonii as the fish. White-bellied treepie is the bird, Abraham jamun the tree, ‘Vellayani vazhuthana’ the agricultural crop, ‘arogyapacha’ the medicinal plant, ‘malambuli’ the heritage tree, Wallich’s wild yam the wild tuber, and Beneficial probiotic bacterium the microorganism.
“The list includes rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. ‘Malambuli’, for instance, is found only in Thiruvananthapuram, while the Abraham jamun tree is known as the last surviving specimen of its kind in the city. Many people may not be aware of this. Through the declaration, we hope to raise awareness about these species, improve public understanding of their significance, encourage student engagement in schools, promote further research and, most importantly, strengthen conservation efforts,” says Akshaya.
The species announcement is one of 12 projects identified by the district panchayat following a meeting convened by the biodiversity board in May, on the occasion of International Day for Biological Diversity. District panchayats were asked to prepare five-year plans, and Thiruvananthapuram is now working to put its proposals into action.
The Kavu Kaval project, which focuses on surveying, documenting, conserving and restoring sacred groves, has been identified as one of the initiatives under the plan. The district has earmarked ₹10 lakh for the project, and the planned activities are expected to be carried out this year, Akshaya says.
A district biodiversity register and local biodiversity action plans are also under way. The register will document the district’s biological resources, while the local plans are intended to bring biodiversity considerations into the work of local self-government institutions.
“This year, we aim to complete these projects, but there is plenty more to achieve by 2030,” she says.
The district plans to map lakes, ponds, wetlands and other water-storage areas, monitor water quality, control invasive species and prevent waste dumping. Coastal habitats are another priority. In agricultural areas, proposed measures include seed banks for indigenous crops and recognition for farmers who continue to preserve traditional varieties.
The plans also include butterfly gardens, native fruit-tree collections and biodiversity parks, a climate park, as well as the identification of ecologically significant heritage sites. A proposed biodiversity knowledge centre would house digital galleries, a live gene bank, a medicinal plant collection and a reference library. Schools and colleges are expected to have biodiversity clubs, while another initiative seeks to encourage sustainable construction through green-building certification and audits.
“The goal is to make Thiruvananthapuram Kerala’s first biodiversity district, but that cannot be achieved by the district panchayat alone. All local self-government institutions, departments, organisations and educational institutions must come together and make biodiversity conservation a collective responsibility,” adds Akshaya.