Striking Birds Mark 17,000th Entry in Nat Geo’s Photo Ark

Swift Summary

• Birds-of-paradise, a family of approximately 40 avian species native to Papua New Guinea, surrounding islands, and Australia, are known for their elaborate plumage and unique mating rituals.
• Joel Sartore, national Geographic Explorer and creator of the Photo Ark project (established in 2006), has photographed over 17,000 species globally. birds-of-paradise were recently highlighted but choosing one milestone species was deemed unfeasible due to their striking diversity.
• These birds’ extravagant features are attributed to evolution via sexual selection in predator-limited environments rich in fruit-a characteristic reinforced by Edwin Scholes of Cornell Lab’s Birds-of-Paradise Project. Female birds drive this evolutionary process through selective mating choices.
• Habitat separation due to geographical features and limited dispersal capabilities further diversify these species into forms such as ribbon-tailed astrapias or ultrablack-feathered varieties noted for extreme adaptations.
• Around one-fifth of all birds-of-paradise remain vulnerable or near-threatened despite none being critically endangered yet-species on small offshore islands or isolated mountain ranges face elevated risks.

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Indian Opinion Analysis
The story highlights the astonishing beauty created by natural processes like sexual selection while drawing attention to global conservation issues relevant beyond India’s borders. India houses critical biodiversity hotspots like the Western Ghats and Sundarbans; lessons from research into birds-of-paradise could inspire local efforts targeting endemic Indian wildlife under similar pressures from habitat fragmentation.

Safeguarding biodiversity ultimately bolsters ecological balance-a theme resonating with environmental governance worldwide-including india’s campaigns like Project Tiger or updated Lasting Advancement Goals commitments addressing near-threatened climates or wetlands crucial for bird habitats domestically.

This case is less about aesthetics than acknowledging interconnected survival threats shared across ecosystems worldwide-a position supported by Sartore’s call urging proactive human duty lest loss extend beyond individual species impact humanity’s coexistence outlook universally longer term outcomes tiedecycle loops overlapping랑ening policymakers