- The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has recently published a report titled ‘Faunal Diversity of Biogeographic Zones: Islands of India’.
- It has for the first time come up with a database of all faunal species found on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- The documentation proves that the islands, comprising only 0.25% of India’s geographical area, are home to more than 10% of the country’s fauna species.
- 10 species of marine fauna found on the islands,
- The dugong/sea cow, and
- The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin
are both classified as Vulnerable under the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species.
- Totally 46 terrestrial mammalian species were found there. They have been categorised according to the IUCN.
- 3 species have been categorised as Critically Endangered
- Andaman shrew (Crocidura andamanensis),
- Jenkin’s shrew (C. jenkinsi) and
- Nicobar shrew (C. nicobarica).
- 5 species are listed as Endangered
- 9 species as Vulnerable, and
- 1 species as Near Threatened.
- Another unique feature of the islands’ ecosystem is that 555 species of scleractinian corals (hard or stony corals) are found in the island.