Urgent Need of Special Conservation Efforts for the Critically Endangered species Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan (India)

Author: Ravi Prasad, K.L. Meena and S.P. Panda

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Abstract

Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari, a polygamous and deciduous shrub or small tree species, locally known as ‘Gugul or Guggul’ belongs to the family Burseraceae. Guggul is an important medicinal plant, highly used in local traditional medicines and its gum-resin is widely used for various purposes since time immemorial, having high market value and worldwide demand. It is included under the Critically Endangered (CR) category of IUCN, Red List. Earlier their populations were abundant in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, in tough climatic conditions on open dry hills and other rocky habitats but due to over exploitation, lower percentage of seed germination, slow growth rate, habitat disruption etc., it reduced on large scale and became very scanty. Now their populations are mostly surviving in protected areas. During the exhaustive floristic survey of Sariska Tiger Reserve (ca 1213 km2), it was found that there was significant decline in its population in recent past and now only represented in a few locations with few plants. So, at present there is a big question mark on its future existence in Sariska, which was once known as one of its popular territory in Rajasthan. There is an urgent need to multiply this CR species both at in-situ and ex-situ conservation level and restore it in its native habitat by species recovery programmes and mass public awareness.

Keywords

Critically Endangered, Gugul, in-situ & ex-situ conservation, Oleo-gum resin, Sariska

Conclusion

There is an urgent need of special conservation efforts to be initiated on large scale with mass public awareness in and around the dwellers of Sariska Tiger Reserve for the Critically Endangered species Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari and restore this CR species in its native habitats by species recovery programme, mass people awareness etc. before they disappear from this world-renowned tiger reserve in near future. It can be multiplied widely by stem cutting (Fig. 2 J & K) and seed germination techniques both in in-situ and ex-situ. It shows encouraging result, if multiplied by cutting of 3–5 years old twigs after treating them with IBA solution. Germination percentage is quite high (60-70%) in cutting methods as compare to seed germination (10-20%). Although multiplication rate by seed germination is poor, time consuming and need extreme care but fortunately health and vigor of plants prepared from seed germination is of high quality. This plant can also be brought under domestic cultivation for its high value and multipurpose oleo-resin. The study also suggests further investigation on its multiplication by convenient methods and framing proper conservational strategies as early as possible, otherwise in near future there will be a question mark on its existence or it may extinct from wild.

References

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How to cite this article

Ravi Prasad, K.L. Meena and S.P. Panda (2023). Urgent Need of Special Conservation Efforts for the Critically Endangered species Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan (India). Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(4): 861-864.