# Genome study flags shrinking breeding population of Arunachali mithun 2026-08-13T18:17:34+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet India's first whole-genome study of the Arunachali mithun, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, reveals a long-term decline in the animal's effective breeding population. The ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun has identified a distinct population from Arunachal Pradesh's Siang region, proposed as the 'Siangmi' breed, potentially the world's second recognised mithun breed after the Nagami. The study shows moderate genetic variation but warns that current observational management is insufficient. It calls for evidence-based practices like animal identification and parentage verification. Arunachal Pradesh hosts 70% of India's nearly 384,000 mithuns, but many owners now keep single-digit herds. The 20th Livestock Census (2019) found the remaining animals in Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. ## Coverage - india.mongabay.com Tags: Arunachal Pradesh, ICAR, Livestock genetics, Mithun conservation, Northeast India, Siangmi breed Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/genome-study-flags-shrinking-breeding-population-of-arunachali-mithun/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/genome-study-flags-shrinking-breeding-population-of-arunachali-mithun/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.