The State Government of Maharashtra declared Amboli region in Western Ghats in Sindhudurg district as a Biodiversity Heritage Site. This comes at the backdrop of the discovery of a rare colourful freshwater fish species “Schistura Hiranyakeshi” in the region.

• Schistura Hiranyakeshi comes under the sub-species of rare Schistura, a freshwater loach that lives in water bodies with abundance of Oxygen.

i.Tejas Thackeray a wildlife researcher & son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray along with his team published the discovery of the new fish species International Journal of Ichthyology in October 2020.

ii.Schistura Hiranyakeshi, was named after the Hiranyakeshi river that flows near Amboli village.

Other Biodiversity Heritage Sites in Maharashtra:

• Glory of Allapalli in Gadchiroli district

• Landor Khori Park in Jalgaon

• Ganesh Khind in Pune

• Myristica Swamp Vegetation in Sindhudurg district

About Biodiversity Heritage Sites:

i.Any unique, ecologically fragile ecosystem – terrestrial, coastal and inland waters and marine body can be designated as a Biodiversity Heritage Site by the State Government.

ii.The State Government in consultation with local bodies may notify the areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites.