Indian Hotspots

Dr. C. SivaperumanDr. C. Sivaperuman, is currently a Scientist-D at the Zoological Survey of India, Port Blair. He received his master’s degree in wildlife biology from Bharathidasan University, Tamil Nadu, and his doctorate degree in ecology of wetland birds in the Vembanad-Kole Ramsar site from the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Kerala, and Forest Research Institute, Deemed University, Dehra Dun. He has been extensively involved in field surveys in different parts of the country. He has published more than 200 research papers in national and international journals and newsletters. He also authored/edited more than 25 books published by respected national and international publishers. He has participated in 36th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica during 2016-2017 and carried out studies on the species abundance and distribution of birds and mammals in Antarctica. He has participated and presented research papers at 60 national and international seminars and symposia. He is life member of various scientific societies in India and abroad.Dr. K. VenkataramanDr. Krishnamoorthy Venkataraman, former Director Zoological Survey of India, is presently working as a senior Scientific Consultant at the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Anna University, Chennai. His research areas include coastal and marine biodiversity assessment, coral reef restoration, integrated management of coastal, marine and wetland ecosystems, biodiversity laws and policies. He is an expert on strategy formulation, climate change resilience in management of marine ecosystem, meiofaunal assemblage in Antarctic ecosystem, and training and organizing awareness programmes on faunal resources conservation. He has 37 years of research experience in faunal diversity studies, and has served at Madurai Kamaraj University, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), National Biodiversity Authority, Loss ofEcology Authority and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in various capacities.He was the director of the Zoological Survey of India from 2010 to 2015. At BNHS he worked with internationally renowned Ornithologist, Dr. Salim Ali, in the Management of Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan. He has contributed over 458 publications in the field of marine, wetland, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, of which 41 have been published as books. He is a member of the editorial board of leading scientific journals in India and has reviewed several articles for internationally respected journals and various Government of India committees. He has participated in over 500 national and 50 international meetings, chairing sessions and panel discussions and delivering lead talks.He was the founder member secretary of the National Biodiversity Authority of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India, and coordinated the implementation of the thematic National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan, and the action plan for biophysical monitoring of coral reefs in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve. His input and involvement in the enactment and implementation of Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and establishment of State Biodiversity Boards are worth mentioning. He was instrumental in Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve (GNBR), Andaman and Nicobar Islands becoming recognized in the UNESCO-MAB World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

• Chapter 1. Biodiversity hotspots in India.- Chapter 2. Endemic, endangered and threatened vertebrates in the Indian hotspots.- Chapter 3. Diversity and Conservation of Chiropteran Fauna.- Chapter 4. An overview of the vertebrate diversity of Sriharikota (India's spaceport), Southern India: conservation perspectives.- Chapter 5. Group size and composition of Gaur in relation to environmental factors in Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India.- Chapter 6. Diversity, Distribution and Conservation of Freshwater fishes in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.- Chapter 7. Asian Openbill Stork (Anastomus oscitans); not a ‘Nut-cracker’: A Study from Kole Wetlands of Thrissur, Kerala.- Chapter 8. Avifauna of North West Himalaya.- Chapter 9. Chiropteran faunal diversity in the Tropical Forest Ecosystem of  Agasthiyamali Biosphere Reserve.- Chapter 10. Diversity of bat fauna in states of North-East and around Western Ghats of India with reference to its conservation.- Chapter 11. Statusand distribution of Grizzled Giant Squirrel in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India.- Chapter 12. Habitat use of Nilgiri Tahr Nilgiritragus hylocrius in Western Ghats, India.- Chapter 13. Biology, Ecology and Conservation of Golden Langur, Trachypithecus geei.- Chapter 14. Why are Lion-tailed Macaques rare?.- Chapter 15. Ranging and Spacing Behaviour of Asian elephant (Elephas maximus Linnaeus) in the Tropical Forests of Southern India.- Chapter 16. Role of elephants in the forest ecosystem and its conservation problems in Southern India.- Chapter 17. Influence of ranging and hierarchy on the habitat use pattern by Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) in the Tropical Forests of Southern India.- Chapter 18. Human - Elephant (Elephas maximus) Conflict in Southern India: Spatial Movement Pattern of Asian Elephants outside Reserved Forests of Coimbatore Forest Division.- Chapter 19. Statistical techniques for estimating the abundance of Asiatic Elephants based on dung piles.