Context: Recently, the Tamil Nadu Government issued a notification declaring Arittapatti in Melur block, Madurai district, a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS).

• It is Tamil Nadu’s first and India’s 35th Biodiversity Heritage Site.

About Arittapatti

• Arittapatti village, rich in ecological and historical significance, houses around 250 species of birds including three important raptors -birds of prey, namely the Laggar Falcon, the Shaheen Falcon and Bonelli’s Eagle.

• It is also home to wildlife such as the Indian Pangolin, Slender Loris and pythons.

• The biodiversity-rich area is surrounded by a chain of seven hillocks or inselbergs that serve as a watershed, charging 72 lakes, 200 natural springs and three check dams.

• The Anaikondan tank, built during the reign of Pandiyan kings in the 16th century is one among them, the government notification said.

• Several megalithic structures, rock-cut temples, Tamil Brahmi inscriptions and Jain beds add to the historical significance of the region.

What is a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS)?

• They are rich Biodiversity Areas and are important components of local ecosystems which are being conserved and managed by the society.

• BHS are declared as per provision under Section 37(1) of Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

• The State Government may, from time to time in consultation with the local bodies, notify the areas of biodiversity importance as biodiversity heritage sites under this Act.

Biodiversity Heritage Sites are those well-defined areas that are known for their unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems with rich biodiversity comprising of any one or more of the following components:

• Richness of wild as well as domesticated species or intra-specific categories

• High endemism

• Existence of rare and threatened species, keystone species, species of evolutionary significance, wild ancestors of domestic/cultivated species or their varieties

• Past pre-eminence of biological components represented by fossil beds 

• Having significant cultural, ethical or aesthetic values and are important for the maintenance of cultural diversity and long history of human association

First BHS of India: Nallur Tamarind Grove in Bengaluru, Karnataka was the first Biodiversity Heritage Site of India, declared in 2007.

• Famous Biodiversity Heritage Sites: Glory of Allapalli (Maharashtra), Tonglu BHS under the Darjeeling Forest Division (West Bengal), Dialong Village (Manipur), Ameenpur lake (Telangana), Majuli (Assam), Naro Hills (Madhya Pradesh), Baramura waterfall and Silachari Caves (Tripura)

Last Five Additions to BHS:

• Debbari or Chabimura in Tripura (September 2022)

• Betlingshib & its surroundings in Tripura (September 2022)

• Hajong Tortoise Lake in Assam (August 2022)

• Borjuli Wild Rice Site in Assam (August 2022)

• Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh (July 2022)