The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the notification of threatened species under Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The SOP aims to provide a uniform, transparent and scientifically robust process for the identification, assessment and notification of threatened species by States and Union Territories. India is among the most biodiverse countries, yet species are increasingly endangered due to habitat degradation, over-exploitation, pollution, invasion by alien species and climate change. Section 38 empowers the Central Government, in consultation with the concerned State Government, to notify any species that is on the verge of extinction or likely to become extinct in the near future as a threatened species, regulating or prohibiting its collection and prescribing measures for its rehabilitation and conservation; these powers may also be delegated to State Governments. So far, the Ministry has notified 159 plant species and 173 animal species relating to 17 States and 3 Union Territories. The SOP assists State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils with a clear step-by-step framework covering scientific assessment, stakeholder consultation, verification, notification, conservation planning, monitoring and periodic review. It promotes the use of the best available scientific evidence, field-based assessments and traditional knowledge, ensuring participation of local communities, Biodiversity Management Committees, the Botanical Survey of India, the Zoological Survey of India, academic institutions and subject experts. The initiative gains significance in light of the Biological Diversity (Access and Benefit Sharing) Regulation, 2025, which provides differential treatment in benefit-sharing for species declared threatened under Section 38. The SOP supports the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2030 (especially Target 4) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
NBA Issues SOP for Notifying Threatened Species under Section 38 of Biological Diversity Act, 2002
The NBA has issued an SOP under Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 to provide a uniform, scientific process for States and UTs to identify and notify threatened species. So far 159 plant and 173 animal species across 17 States and 3 UTs have been notified.
Key facts
- NBA issued an SOP under Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 for notifying threatened species by States and UTs.
- Section 38 empowers the Central Government, in consultation with the State Government, to notify species on the verge of extinction; these powers can be delegated to State Governments.
- So far 159 plant species and 173 animal species relating to 17 States and 3 UTs have been notified as threatened.
- The SOP provides a step-by-step framework: scientific assessment, stakeholder consultation, verification, notification, conservation planning, monitoring and periodic review.
- It ensures participation of Biodiversity Management Committees, Botanical Survey of India, Zoological Survey of India, academic institutions and local communities.
- The initiative aligns with the NBSAP 2024-2030 (Target 4) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
6-axis classification
Appears in these topics
Practice MCQ from this story
SolveTap an option below. Correct or incorrect feedback appears instantly.
With reference to the notification of threatened species under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, consider the following statements: 1. Section 38 empowers the Central Government, in consultation with the concerned State Government, to notify a species that is on the verge of extinction as a threatened species. 2. As per the recent SOP, the Ministry has so far notified 159 animal species and 173 plant species as threatened. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is correct: Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 empowers the Central Government, in consultation with the concerned State Government, to notify any species on the verge of extinction (or likely to become extinct in the near future) as a threatened species. Statement 2 is incorrect: the Ministry has so far notified 159 plant species and 173 animal species (not 159 animal and 173 plant) relating to 17 States and 3 UTs. Hence only statement 1 is correct.
Source: Press Information Bureau
Frequently asked questions
Under which Section of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 is the SOP issued?
The SOP is issued for the notification of threatened species under Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
How many species have been notified as threatened so far?
So far, 159 plant species and 173 animal species relating to 17 States and 3 Union Territories have been notified as threatened.
Who can notify a threatened species under Section 38?
The Central Government, in consultation with the concerned State Government, can notify a threatened species; these powers may also be delegated to State Governments.
Which bodies are involved in identifying threatened species under the SOP?
State Biodiversity Boards, UT Biodiversity Councils, Biodiversity Management Committees, the Botanical Survey of India, the Zoological Survey of India, academic institutions and subject experts, along with local communities.
Was this useful?
Share corrections or missing exam angles with the editorial team.
Send feedback