Mammals of India (MaOI):
- The website Mammals of India (MaOI), www.mammalsofindia.org, is an online, peer-reviewed, freely-accessible portal.
- Objective: To develop individual species pages for all Indian mammals with information on identification, variation, distribution, breeding and non-breeding ecology and species conservation.
- Working:
- Under it, any person can upload geotagged photographic observations about mammals with information on habitat age of the observed individual.
- Over time, these observations will be reviewed by subject experts and uploaded on the website.
- Timeline: It was launched late September 2018. By October 25, as many as 768 images, of 161 rare species of mammals, were uploaded.
- Benefits: These photographic records will help NCBS in –
- Gathering information about lesser known mammals of the country.
- Having distribution map of mammals in the country.
- Knowing about interactions between different species of mammals, like predation and mutualism.
Biodiversity Atlas (India project):
- MaOI is a part of the Biodiversity Atlas (India project), which is an initiative of Krushnamegh Kunte, associate professor at NCBS.
- Under the project websites dedicated to butterflies of India, Moths of India, Cicacds of India, Odonatas of India (dragonflies and damselflies) , Reptiles of India, Amphibians of India and Birds of India are operational.
