Kannur man saves rare mangrove from extinction

Fisherman Parayil Rajan, known as Kandal Rajan, has spent over 40 years protecting Kannur's mangroves. His latest focus is the rare Kannampotti variety (Excoecaria agallocha), which he fears will vanish from the district. Rajan has collected seeds from scattered locations and raised them in a nursery at his home in Thavam.

The nursery has produced more than 2,000 seedlings. Rajan says the variety now survives only in a handful of spots in the Kannur region. His work has turned one plant into a stock of 2,000, giving the rare mangrove a chance to survive.

The Hindu reports that Rajan's conservation mission continues as he monitors the seedlings and works to restore the mangrove's presence in the local tidal landscape.