19 new species of flora and fauna in Sikkim

GANGTOK: Sikkim continues to maintain its pole position as the country's richest state in terms of bio-diversity with the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) saying that 19 new species of flora and fauna has been found in the state in the last 10 years.

Of the 353 species of flora and fauna discovered in the eastern Himalayan range between 1998 and 2008, Sikkim has generated 19 species comprising plants and fish, the WWF said in its report.

The WWF surveyers also discovered 21 new species of orchids in the range of which five have been found in Sikkim, the report said.

The new variety orchid - coelogune pantlingii (pure white) - has been found in several parts of Sikkim, it said adding of 14 fish varieties found Sikkim has contributed three varieties - Pseudopoda abnormis, Pseudopoda hingstoni and Pseudopoda minor.

Meanwhile, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), carrying out a survey work in Sikkim for the proposed integrated forest development programme to be funded by the agency, has complimented the state for being a reserve of a number of flora and fauna which are not found in other parts of the world.