Context: The Maharashtra government declared an area at Amboli in Western ghats in Sindhudurg district, where a rare freshwater fish species Schistura Hiranyakeshi was discovered, as a biodiversity heritage site.

• Schistura Hiranyakeshi is a rare sub-species of Schistura, a freshwater loach. The fish was named after the Hiranyakeshi river near Amboli village.
• Schistura is a small and colourful fish that lives in water and streams in an abundance of oxygen.
• Earlier, the State government had declared the Glory of Allapalli in Gadchiroli district, Landor Khori Park in Jalgaon, Ganesh Khind in Pune, myristica swamp vegetation in Sindhudurg district as biodiversity heritage sites.

Biodiversity Heritage Sites

• These are notified areas of biodiversity importance in India.
• The Indian State Government can notify the Biodiversity Heritage Sites in consultation with local governing bodies under Section 37 of Biological Diversity Act of 2002.
• These areas are considered unique and fragile ecosystems.
• They can be either terrestrial, coastal and inland waters or marine ecosystems.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/area-in-maharashtras-sindhudurg-named-as-biodiversity-heritage-site/article34211679.ece?homepage=true

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