Lok Sabha Question No. 3124 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-05
Subject: Invasive Animal Species
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: SAUGATA ROY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 3124

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.01.2018

## Invasive Animal Species

## 3124. PROF. SAUGATA ROY:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether the Zoological Survey of India compiles list of alien invasive animal species;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken to check attack on of such species on biodiversity of the country;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  noticed  that  certain  types  of  invasive  fish  species  are destroying fish populations in the wetlands of Kolkata; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken to protect the fish population of wetlands of Kolkata?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a)  &  (b)  Yes  Madam,  the  ZSI  under  the  MoEF&CC,  Govt.  of  India  has  listed  157  animal species including 99 marine species as invasive. This includes 31 species of insects, 03 species of  molluscs,  19  species  of  freshwater  fishes,  01  species  of  reptile,  02  species  of  birds  and  02 species of mammals.
- (c) As  per  the  published  sources  of  information  and  ZSI  report  (Raut  and  Ghose,  1984, Technical Monograph No.11, ZSI), the Giant African Snail (Achatinafulica) has been reported in different parts of the country as one of the invasive species. ZSI has published a monograph on pestiferous land snails of India in which information on the African Giant Snail has been covered extensively  (Raut  and  Ghose,  1984,  Technical  Monograph  No.11,  ZSI).  The  various  methods suggested  for  checking  the  ever  increasing  snail  population  include  (i)  Chemical  control  (by using  Aromax,  Calcium  arcenata,  Common  salt,  Copper  sulphate,  D.D.T.,  Diazinon,  Endrin, Fenitrothion,  Metaldehyde,  Mixture  of  2,  4-D  and  2,4,5-T  (2:1),  Sevin  and  Simazine),  (ii) Biological  control  (introduction  of  native  species  of  Helminths,  Nematodes,  Arthropods, Millipedes, Mollusca, Birds Mammals), (iii) Physical control (by Handpicking method) and (iv) Miscellaneous  (Destruction  of  garbage  and  house  refuse,  Cleaning  of  the  gardens,  Barriers, Culture of Aeronomas bacterium and introduction as virulent strain).
- (d) & (e) Yes Madam, as per the report of Wetlands International-South Asia, the presence of invasive  exotic  fish  species  of  catfish  Clariusguripinus  and  Pangasiussutchi  in  East  Kolkata wetland in Kolkata poses great threat to the native diversity. The Zoological Survey of India has recorded  five  Alien  species  in  the  wetlands  of  Kolkata,  viz.,  Cyprinuscarpio  (Common  carp),

Oreochromisniloticus (Nile tilapia), Pangasianodonhypophthalmus (Suchipangas), Clariasgariepinus(Afican catfish) and Pterygoplichthyspardalis (Amazon sailfin catfish). One of the major threats to the fish culture also comes from an invasive species of fish of the genus of the  catfish  family;  the  Crocodile  fish  (Cymbacephalusbeauforti)  which  is  found  in  tropical America has invaded the East Kolkata wetland. They compete with the native species for the food  and  also  feed  on  rotting  items  which  is  the  main  food  source  for  native  fishes  of  East Kolkata wetland.

The  East  Kolkata  Wetlands  is  one  of  the  26  Ramsar  Sites  of  India.  It  is  also  one  of  the  115 identified  wetlands  which  are  funded  under  the  NPCA  (National  Plan  for  Conservation  of Aquatic  Ecosystems)  Scheme.  So  far,  an  amount  of  Rs.  2.39  crore  has  been  released  to Government of West Bengal for undertaking various conservation activities like canal renovation work,  de-siltation,  weed  removal,  capacity  building,  zoning  regulation,  water  management, biodiversity conservation, fisheries development, livelihood improvement, education & awareness etc.

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