Extinct tree found after 180 years in Kollam grove

Madhuca diplostemon 

• Madhuca diplostemon, is a threatened species of the Western Ghats.
• A tree species, long believed extinct, has been rediscovered after a gap of more than 180 years from a sacred grove in Kollam district.
• Madhuca diplostemon (family Sapotaceae), a threatened species of the Western Ghats whose specimen was first collected in 1835.
• Only one mature tree has been found so far, which makes this remarkable rediscovery extremely valuable from a scientific, environmental and conservation point of view.
• The lone mature tree was located at the Koonayil Ayiravilli Siva Temple at Paravur, Kollam. Locally, it was erroneously believed to be the common Attilippa.
• Since the species is represented only by one specimen in a single locality, it is eligible to be categorised ‘Critically Endangered’ by the IUCN.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/extinct-tree-found-after-180-years-in-kollam-grove/article32760018.ece?homepage=true

Housing projects pose threat to Suchindram Theroor Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu

Suchindram Theroor Bird Sanctuary

• Located in kaniyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, it offers a habitat for native and migratory birds.
• The Suchindram Theroor Birds Sanctuary is a protected area comprising the Suchindram Kulam wetlands and the Theroor Kulam wetlands.
• Being at the extreme southern tip of India, this area underlies the southernmost continental range of the Central Asian Flyway.
• However, with real estate sharks in the process of converting some wetlands into housing plots, the bird habitat has come under threat.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/housing-projects-pose-threat-to-suchindram-theroor-bird-sanctuary-in-tamil-nadus-kanniyakumari-district/article32767615.ece?homepage=true