Despite over 250 years of scientific effort, an estimated 85% of India’s animal diversity remains undocumented. The rapid advancement of DNA sequencing technologies presents a vital opportunity to bridge this knowledge gap. In particular, cost-effective sequencing methods, coupled with advanced clustering algorithms, are critical for identifying, evaluating, and monitoring biodiversity at unprecedented scales. This project focuses on the large-scale exploration and monitoring of animal biodiversity in the Indian Himalayan region, an area of critical ecological importance. Given the region’s rich but understudied biodiversity and the looming threats posed by climate change, an in-depth, temporal study is urgently required. The proposed research will investigate animal diversity across ground, underbush, and aerial habitats, examining variations both within seasons and across multiple years. A key component of the project is the establishment of an Oxford Nanopore-based DNA sequencing laboratory, which will facilitate rapid, economical, and high-throughput biodiversity monitoring. The specimens collected will be processed through long-read metabarcoding and classical barcoding protocols. This approach will provide a comprehensive view of biodiversity, including species that may be difficult to detect through traditional methods. This technology will enable the collection of baseline biodiversity data for targeted regions, providing an essential foundation for long-term conservation strategies and climate impact assessments and also promoting awareness and training the next generation of young researchers in biodiversity monitoring protocols. Furthermore, predictive models will be developed to assess current biodiversity status and forecast future trends in response to environmental changes. This research will significantly contribute to conservation efforts by providing crucial data on the biodiversity of the Indian Himalayas, informing both local and global efforts to illuminate and evaluate the species diversity and interactions connecting to preserve fragile ecosystems and community structures.

• Indigenous and Local Communities
• Local Schools and Educational Institutions
• Farmers
• Gram Panchayats
• Other local administrative bodies

• State Biodiversity Boards
• State Forest Departments
• State Universities and Research Institutions
• Climate change monitoring centers

• National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)
• Academic Institutions
• Young Researchers and Students
• G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development
• Health, Agriculture, fisheries and animal husbandry departments
• Ministry of Earth Sciences
• Universities, Research Organizations and NGO‟s.

• International Biodiversity Conservation Initiatives (e.g., iBOL, BGE)
• Global Research Community
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
• International Conservation NGOs (e.g., WWF, IUCN)
• UNFCCC

• Fully operational Oxford Nanopore-based DNA sequencing lab.
• Specimen storage facilities set up at three (03) strategic ZSI centers.
• Comprehensive biodiversity survey covering ground, under bush, and aerial habitats across three seasons.
• Long-read metabarcoding data on unsorted bulk specimen samples for genetic profiling.
• Predictive modelling for forecasting biodiversity trends. .
• DNA barcoded specimens with high-resolution photographs and vouchering.
• Mobile field station labs set up.
• Citizen science programs including workshops and training sessions.

• Lab establishments
• No of survey completed across seasons and years.
• No. of specimens collected (per habitat)
• No. of specimens processed and documented. (DNA Barcoding)
• No. of predictive models developed and accuracy metrics.
• No. of mobile field stations set up.
• No. of training workshop.