Source: TH
Context: Tamil Nadu has transferred the management of its ₹50 crore Endangered Species Conservation Fund from the defunct SFDA to the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC).
- This aims to fast-track urgent conservation projects for species like Malabar civet and Salim Ali’s fruit bat.
About Advanced Institute of Wildlife Conservation (AIWC):
- What it is: A research and conservation institute under the Tamil Nadu Forest Department providing science-backed solutions for wildlife protection.
- Established in: October 2017, located in Vandalur, Chennai.
- Objective: To promote evidence-based conservation, research, and capacity building for protecting wildlife across Tamil Nadu.
- Core Functions:
- Conduct field-based and captive wildlife research.
- Collaborate with zoological parks and institutions for training and education.
- Offer scientific advisories and facilitate conservation technology deployment.
- Support grant-funded research on threatened species under the new fund.
- Recent Focus: Studying and conserving rare species like Salim Ali’s fruit bat and the Malabar large-spotted civet.
About Malabar Large-Spotted Civet:
- What it is: A critically endangered carnivorous mammal found in the Western Ghats, also known as Viverra civettina.
- IUCN Status: Critically Endangered (CR)
- Physical Traits:
- Weighs around 18–20 lbs and estimated to be 4 feet in length.
- Features include grey fur with dark spots, five white tail rings, and a distinct black dorsal crest.
- Biological Traits:
- Nocturnal and solitary in behavior.
- Females usually bear 2–3 offspring per litter.
- Habitat: Previously in lowland forests, now confined to cashew plantations and fragmented habitats due to deforestation.
- Dietary Habits: Feeds on reptiles, birds, amphibians, fish, small mammals, eggs, and fruits.
