Lifting the lid on Hyd’s rich biodiversity heritage

Hyderabad: On the International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22), Hyderabad, the City of Pearls, proudly showcases its biodiversity heritage. Located in the Deccan Plateau region, it stands out as the only city in India to have assessed and released its City Biodiversity Index (CBI) twice within a decade, highlighting the city’s commitment to biodiversity conservation.

Hyderabad's score on the CBI improved significantly, marking a 58 per cent increase. The improvement indicates the strong emphasis the city administration places on mainstreaming biodiversity conservation within the city.

The latest CBI provides a comprehensive assessment of the city's biodiversity management and ecological health, structured around three key components: native biodiversity, ecosystem services, and biodiversity governance. The CBI serves as a crucial tool for monitoring and enhancing key ecological details, ensuring conservation of biodiversity, sustainability and quality of life within a city.

Hyderabad's CBI, developed by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, South Asia, with support from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and various local biodiversity experts and organisations, unveils the extensive variety of flora and fauna thriving in the city's tropical climatic zone. From the interspersed trails of forests to the river Musi, the CBI explores Hyderabad's ecological wealth and dedication to conserving its natural heritage.

“The CBI is an important tool for a city like Hyderabad, highlighting that biodiversity is crucial in the process of becoming a world-class city. Initiatives by the GHMC such as ‘Haritha Haram’, conservation of lakes, increasing forest cover and improving urban lung spaces have significantly enhanced the urban biodiversity. Positing Hyderabad as a leader in biodiversity conservation, the CBI directly supports India's National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) goals by conserving biodiversity and protecting critical ecosystems," said Emani Kumar, executive director, ICLEI South Asia.

The CBI for Hyderabad reveals an impressive array of species. The city is home to 315 bird species, including the Indian Peafowl, black-headed Ibis, bar-headed Goose and Greater Flamingo. Plant diversity features 1,665 species, with native species such as teak, sandalwood, and neem, and introduced species like the African Tulip Tree and Rain Tree. Hyderabad also hosts 141 butterfly species, including the Blue Mormon, Common Rose and Crimson Rose. Reptilian diversity includes 53 species, such as the Indian Rock Python, Bengal Monitor and Mugger Crocodile. The city's aquatic life boasts 64 fish species, including the Deccan Mahseer and Indian Glassy Fish.

“Being a distinct self-evaluation tool to monitor urban biodiversity, the CBI for Hyderabad has highlighted crucial indicators on native species, ecosystem services and biodiversity governance. This objective framework has helped the city administrators in planning, managing and measuring biodiversity, aligning with the city's growth in a sustainable and balanced manner. The illustrated natural asset map and green cover studies by ICLEI have further provided detailed insights into Hyderabad's ecosystem services while supporting its strategic conservation and planning efforts," said Dr. Monalisa Sen, senior programme coordinator (biodiversity), ICLEI.

The illustrated natural asset map for Hyderabad, developed by ICLEI, and funded by the GHMC, captures Hyderabad's diverse ecosystems, from lakes and rock formations to green lungs and flora and fauna. The map highlights the importance of biodiversity protection within urban settings and highlights the city's natural assets.

The CBI provides a structured approach to understanding and conserving urban biodiversity, ensuring sustainability and enhancing the quality of life in Hyderabad. It serves as a crucial tool for monitoring and enhancing the city's ecological health and biodiversity management.