Now Reading: Thiruvananthapuram zoo to protect rare Arara nut-tree
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Thiruvananthapuram zoo to protect rare Arara nut-tree
The Thiruvananthapuram zoo has decided to take steps to protect a rare Arara nut-tree (Joannesia princeps) on its grounds. The Hindu reports that the tree, endemic to Brazil, is the only one…
The Story in Brief
The Thiruvananthapuram zoo has decided to take steps to protect a rare Arara nut-tree (Joannesia princeps) on its grounds. The Hindu reports that the tree, endemic to Brazil, is the only one known in Kerala. It was recently identified by the Kerala Forest Research Institute after being mistaken for a rubber tree for years.
The tree shows bark damage, cracks, and dead tissue, exacerbated by nutrient-rich soil from the adjacent hog deer enclosure. Experts recommend tree surgery, pruning, and germplasm conservation. A younger Arara nut-tree, about five to eight years old, stands nearby.
The Indian Opinion
It is easy to mock the zoo for mistaking this rare tree for a rubber tree. But given sparse archives and the tree's obscurity, the quick correction and expert intervention deserve credit. Many Indian botanical collections suffer from similar neglect. The real question is whether the zoo will now digitise its records to prevent such lapses in the future.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
