Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today informed the Rajya Sabha that 347 new plant species and 424 new animal species have been discovered during the year 2013-2014.
As per the surveys and scientific studies conducted by scientists and taxonomics of Botanical Survey of India and Zoological Survey of India, 347 new plant species and 424 new animal species have been discovered during the years 2013- 2014," Javadekar said in a written reply.
Discovery of new species are good for understanding more about revolution and its missing links. These discoveries are important to ecology as they open up a new field for study, he said.
"Discovery of new species are considered highly important for conservation biologists to know about the natural world, the species in it, their function, habitat and requirements. There is also economic benefit for discovering new species, as each new organism may prove a valuable source of new medicines or food crops, or inspire new technology," the minister said.
