Mission Lantana

admin September 29, 2020 Daily Current Affairs

A special drive to uproot the invasive lantana bushes in the famous Sajjangarh wildlife sanctuary in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district has helped in ecological restoration of grasslands and saved biodiversity.
The month-and-a-half-long campaign was accompanied by the plantation of native species on the cleared patches of land.
Lantana camara, a thicket forming shrub, has covered vast tracts of land in the sanctuary, stopping the natural light and nutrition for flora and fauna.
The toxic substance in its foliage and ripe berries affected the animals, while its expansion stopped the natural growth of grass and other shrubs.
With the herbivores not getting sufficient forage, the prey base for carnivorous animals was declining, leading to ecological disturbances in the food chain.
The “mission lantana” was taken up last month at the instance of a senior woman police officer who noticed an unease among the herds of spotted deer with the gradual shrinking of their natural habitat.
The drive involved collective efforts and ‘shram daan’ (voluntary physical work) by the forest officials, police personnel, wildlife lovers, representatives of voluntary groups and local villagers.