India Issues Standard Operating Procedure to Protect Threatened Species

India has taken a significant step towards strengthening biodiversity conservation with the release of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the notification of threatened species under Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. Issued by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), the new framework is designed to help States and Union Territories identify, assess and notify species at risk of extinction through a transparent, scientifically rigorous and uniform process.

The SOP comes at a crucial time as increasing habitat loss, pollution, climate change, invasive species and overexploitation continue to place growing pressure on India's rich biodiversity. Officials believe the new framework will improve conservation planning while enabling faster and more coordinated action to protect vulnerable species across the country.

Scientific Framework to Guide Species Protection

India is recognised as one of the world's megadiverse countries, home to an extraordinary range of plants, animals and ecosystems. Conserving this biodiversity is vital for maintaining ecological balance, protecting ecosystem services and ensuring natural resources remain available for future generations.

Under Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, the Central Government has the authority, in consultation with State Governments, to notify species that are on the verge of extinction or likely to become extinct in the near future. Once a species is notified as threatened, its collection can be regulated or prohibited, and dedicated measures can be introduced to support its conservation and recovery.

The Act also allows these powers to be delegated to State Governments where appropriate. So far, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified 159 plant species and 173 animal species as threatened across 17 States and 3 Union Territories.

The newly released SOP provides State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils with a detailed step-by-step framework covering scientific assessment, stakeholder consultations, expert validation, official notification, conservation planning, monitoring and periodic review. The objective is to ensure that decisions are based on consistent scientific standards while allowing states to respond more effectively to emerging conservation challenges.

Local Communities and Scientists to Play Key Role

One of the important features of the SOP is its emphasis on evidence-based decision-making supported by broad stakeholder participation. The framework encourages the use of the best available scientific research, field surveys and traditional ecological knowledge when assessing species for threatened status.

The process will involve collaboration with Biodiversity Management Committees, local communities, the Botanical Survey of India, the Zoological Survey of India, universities, research institutions and subject experts. By combining scientific expertise with local knowledge, the government hopes to create more accurate assessments while ensuring conservation measures reflect conditions on the ground.

The SOP also establishes a transparent consultation process, allowing different stakeholders to contribute to the identification and evaluation of species that may require legal protection. Officials believe this collaborative approach will strengthen both the quality of scientific assessments and public participation in biodiversity conservation.

Recovery Plans to Strengthen Long-Term Conservation

Beyond identifying threatened species, the SOP places strong emphasis on developing species recovery and conservation action plans after notification. These plans will include targeted conservation measures, regular monitoring and periodic reviews to assess progress, identify new threats and adjust management strategies where necessary.

The initiative also gains additional importance following the introduction of the Biological Diversity (Access to Biological Resources and Knowledge Associated thereto and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits) Regulations, 2025. These regulations provide different benefit-sharing provisions for biological resources belonging to species that have been notified as threatened under Section 38, creating stronger incentives for responsible conservation and sustainable use.

Officials said regular monitoring and evidence-based reviews will allow authorities to respond more quickly to changing environmental conditions while improving the chances of recovering species facing extinction risks.

The release of the SOP represents another important milestone in India's biodiversity conservation efforts. It supports the implementation of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, advances the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2024–2030, particularly Target 4, which focuses on preventing human-induced species extinctions, promoting species recovery and maintaining genetic diversity. The framework also contributes to India's commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, reinforcing the country's efforts to protect its unique natural heritage through stronger scientific governance and coordinated conservation action.