ACHIEVEMENTS UNDER WILDLIFE DIVISION

The year 1997 was declared the first International Year of the Reef (IYOR), in response to the increasing threats on coral reefs and associated ecosystems, such as mangroves and sea grasses around the world. Based on this Lakshadweep Administration hosted the first International seminar named STAPCOR-98. This was a very successful event. Recognizing that, ten years later, there continued to be an urgent need to increase awareness and understanding of coral reefs, and to further conserve and manage valuable coral reefs and associated ecosystems, the International Coral Reef Initiative designated 2008 as the second International Year of the Reef, IYOR 2008. In this year also Lakshadweep Administration hosted a similar International seminar named STAPCOR-2008.

The International Conference on Status and Protection of Coral Reefs (STAPCOR, 2018) was held at Bangaram Island, Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India on 22nd to 24th October, 2018.Theme for the STAPCOR-2018, was ‘REEF FOR LIFE’ The Department of Environment & Forest, Union Territory of Lakshadweep Administration with the technical support of Zoological Survey of India and under the guidance of Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change conducted this mega event at the coral paradise in Arabian sea. The Focal theme was to converting solid marine scientific knowledge to adequate policies and strategies for the effective conservation and management of coral reefs for the very existence of the islands.