| Sanction Date: | 11.12.2025 | |||
| Project Category | Category I | |||
| Year | 2025-2026 | |||
| Project Duration | 3 Years | |||
| BTA : | BCM | |||
| Project Site/ State/ Districts/ Villages Covered: |
Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) |
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| Organization/ Implementation Agency: | Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Desert Regional Centre (DRC), Pali Road, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342016 | |||
| Project Partners: | S.No. | Name | ||
| 1. | Dr Paul Williams, Principal Researcher Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom | |||
| Lead Proponent: |
Dr Rifat Hussain Raina |
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| Project Brief Description: | The Himalaya, a biodiverse and ecologically sensitive region supporting over 51 million people, depends on bumblebee pollination for forest regeneration, ecosystem stability, high-value agriculture, and sustainable tourism. Populations face threats from habitat loss, climate change, and pesticides, yet data on diversity and conservation status are lacking. This project will generate baseline ecological, distributional, and molecular data, inform IUCN Red List assessments, and support evidence-based conservation, aligning with CBD Target 2 and SDGs 2 and 15 to maintain ecosystem resilience and secure Himalayan livelihoods. The project aims to assess bumblebee diversity and ecosystem health across the Indian Himalaya to support conservation and sustainable development. Key objectives include documenting species diversity, mapping geographic and habitat distribution, evaluating IUCN threat status, building a genetic reference library, studying foraging and nesting ecology, mapping floral resources, and analyzing ecological and anthropogenic pressures. | |||
| Beneficiaries/ Stakeholders: |
• Local Communities & Farmers: Enhanced pollination improves crop yield, quality, food security, and income from eco-tourism, beekeeping, and forest resources. |
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| Activity Chart (For 3 years) | ||||
| Total Grants (in Rs.) | Rs.4,72,00,000/- (Rupees Four Crore Seventy Two Lakh Only) | |||
| Project Objectives | Quantifiable Deliverables | Monitoring Indicators |
|
• To document the diversity of bumblebee species across the entire Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). • To determine the distributional status of Himalayan bumblebee species based on geographical zones and habitat types, including altitudinal variations. • To assess the threat levels and conservation status of Himalayan bumblebees using the IUCN Red List criteria, supporting national biodiversity conservation priorities. • To establish a genetic reference library (DNA barcoding and molecular profiling) of Himalayan bumblebee species to support accurate identification and future conservation planning. • To investigate the foraging behavior, range and nesting ecology of selected key species of Himalayan bumblebees under natural and semi- managed conditions. • To develop and implement an active outreach and training program aimed at educating farmers, youth and local communities on the ecological and economic importance of native pollinators. • To update the inventory of host plants of Himalayan bumblebees to understand their floral preferences and support pollinator-friendly habitat conservation through Scanning Electron Microscopy • To describe New Species/ New records if any. |
• Comprehensive inventory of wild bee species with habitat data. • Verified species list, barcode library, new species discoveries. • List of threatened species with documentation for Red Listing. • Predictive maps for bee species under future climate scenarios. • Insights on pollination roles of native bees. • Skilled manpower for long-term pollinator conservation. • Enhanced community awareness and Stakeholder support. • Centralized repository of Himalayan bee diversity and distribution. • Evidence-based input for pollinator-inclusive conservation policy. |
• Monitoring in comparison to the baseline information/ data to be provided by the proponent: • No. of sites surveyed; • No. of specimens collected; • Habitat types documented; • No. of species identified, DNA • Sequences generated, Reference library established; • No. of species assessed, risk categories assigned, assessment reports; • Models developed, habitat suitability maps, future projections; • No. of plant pollinator networks documented, pollen load data; • No. of trainees, workshops held; • Materials developed; • No. of outreach events, participants reached, awareness outcomes; • No. of records digitized, open access resources created; • No. of policy briefs submitted • Stakeholder meetings |
| S.No. | No. of Sanctioned Post | Salary (Sanctioned) |
| 1. | 04 RA I | @ Rs.58,000/- + 20% HRA |
| 2. | 04 SRF | @ Rs.42,000/- + 20% HRA for 3rd year |
| 3. | 04 JRF | @ Rs.37,000/- + 20% HRA for 2 years |
| 4. | 02 Project Assistant | @Rs.24,750/-+ 20% HRA |
| 5. | Experts | @Rs.50,000/Year- |
| 6. | Mission LiFE Activities | @Rs.1,00,000/Year- |
| S.No. | Name of Equipment (Sanctioned) | Use of Equipment/ Details | Cost (in INR) |
| 1. | Nikon Z8/9 DSLR Camera + 80-400mm lens (1Nos) ₹ 750000/-, MacBook Pro Laptop (M4) (1Nos) ₹ 165000/- , Image Processing System/Unit (1Nos) ₹380000/- Garmin Montane GPS(1Nos) ₹170000/, High-end Stereo zoom Research Microscope (1 Nos) ₹2900000/-, Essential Software- (1 Nos) ₹100000/-, Multifunction Printer -(1 Nos) ₹100000/-, HP All in One Desktop computer (1 Nos) ₹100000/-, PCR machine (Thermal Cycler) (1Nos) ₹3,00,000/-, Gel Documentation System (1Nos) ₹750000/-, Micro Pipettes Set( 1Nos) ₹2,20,000/-, Refrigerated Centrifuge (17000 RPM) (1Nos) ₹800000/-, Horizontal Electrophoresis Unit with Power Unit (1Nos) ₹220000/-, Refrigerator(1Nos) ₹60,000/-, Autoclave (Vertical) (1Nos) ₹2,50,000/-, -20°C Deep Freezer (1Nos) ₹1,10,000/-, Vortex mixer (1Nos) ₹15000/-, Liquid Nitrogen Container 10 ltr (1Nos) ₹60,000/-, Hot Plate with Magnetic Stirrer (1Nos) ₹60,000/-, Digital Electronic Balance (1Nos) ₹107,800/-, Dry Bath (1Nos) ₹61,000/-, pH Meter (1Nos) 40,000/-, 01 LED Projector + Screen @₹50,000/-. | 77,68,800 |
