The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the institution as a Designated Repository on the recommendation of the National Biodiversity Authority. Designated Repositories form an important part of India’s biodiversity governance framework by maintaining authenticated biological specimens essential for scientific studies and conservation efforts.
The museum will preserve voucher specimens of selected flora, including pteridophytes and macrofungi, along with fauna such as reptiles, amphibians, fishes, moths, beetles, and butterflies.
The Ministry stated that the notification makes Mizoram’s Natural History Museum India’s 21st Designated Repository, further enhancing the country’s biodiversity conservation network and scientific infrastructure.
Established in 2022 under the aegis of Mizoram University, the Natural History Museum is strategically located within the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot and possesses specialised expertise in taxonomy and biological documentation.
Mizoram and the wider North East region are home to more than 7,500 species of flowering plants and over 2,000 faunal species. The museum’s specialised knowledge in pteridophytes, macrofungi, moths, beetles, and other lesser-studied taxa addresses a crucial gap in India’s network of Designated Repositories.
With its inclusion in the national framework, Mizoram’s Natural History Museum will play a vital role in documenting, preserving, and advancing scientific understanding of the region’s rich biodiversity while strengthening India’s long-term conservation efforts.
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