Mizoram University’s Natural History Museum in Aizawl was notified as India’s 21st Designated Repository under Section 39 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 on 19 June 2026.
Designation & Legal Basis
- Legal status: Designated Repository under Section 39, Biological Diversity Act, 2002; notification by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change following National Biodiversity Authority recommendation.
- Primary role: Custody of authenticated biological specimens and depository for type specimens of newly described taxa.
Collections & Institutional Capacity
- Taxonomic scope: Pteridophytes, macrofungi, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, moths, beetles and butterflies.
- Specimen types: Herbarium sheets, voucher specimens, wet-preserved collections; currently houses over 500 specimens.
- Scientific capacity: Multidisciplinary team covering seven taxonomic groups for curation and authentication.
Biogeography & Coverage
- Location: Indo‑Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, Aizawl (Mizoram).
- Regional biodiversity: Northeast India hosts ~7,500 flowering plant species and >2,000 faunal species.
Policy & International Linkages
- National target: Supports National Biodiversity Target 4 of India’s NBSAP (2024–2030).
- Global framework: Aligns with Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework objectives on ex situ conservation and genetic diversity.
- Network role: Complements national repositories such as Botanical Survey of India and Zoological Survey of India.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Repository count: Mizoram NHM is India’s 21st Designated Repository.
- Designation process: NBA recommendation to MoEFCC is required for notification under the BDA.
- Type specimens: Designated repositories serve as authorised depositories for holotypes and other nomenclatural types from the region.