Pune: Over 450 Species Mapped At Ramnadi-Mula Confluence, Sparking Fresh Calls For Habitat Protection
Pune: Over 450 Species Mapped At Ramnadi-Mula Confluence, Sparking Fresh Calls For Habitat Protection
Pune | May 6, 2025 — A team of volunteers has documented around 450 different species of flora and fauna at the confluence of the Ramnadi and Mula rivers, recording their findings on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), an international biodiversity database. The effort was part of a broader initiative to raise awareness about urban biodiversity and the ecological importance of riverbanks.
The documentation, carried out on May 2, involved identification of trees, shrubs, zooplankton, crustaceans, aquatic insects, mollusks, spiders, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals. Of the recorded species, 286 belonged to the animal kingdom and 164 to the plant kingdom. These observations were made across various habitats including riverbeds, stream channels, riparian forests, and nearby tributaries.
The flora and fauna at Ram and Mula river confluence, Baner-Aundh link road, Pune, India
The initiative was led by the NGO Jeevitnadi, which has been actively engaged in biodiversity conservation efforts along the riverbanks since January 2019. The group included 16 subject experts and several citizen volunteers. One notable finding was a freshwater limpet species — a mollusk relative — recorded for the first time in the Pune region. Additionally, the site was confirmed as only the second known locality for the rare endemic spider Okinawicius tekdi.
Experts highlighted that the eight-hectare area is ecologically rich and supports a wide variety of habitats such as dense riparian forests, rocky banks, and submerged vegetation zones, all of which foster species diversity. This mosaic of microhabitats creates essential conditions for numerous organisms to thrive, reproduce, and play their roles in complex ecological webs.
Ten species identified at the site are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, with six categorized as ‘near threatened’, three as ‘vulnerable’, and one as ‘endangered’ — including the Indian flapshell turtle (Lissemys punctata) and the river tern (Sterna aurantia).
Several rare and migratory bird species such as the yellow-crowned woodpecker (a Schedule-I protected species), river terns, Eurasian coots, grey herons, black-crowned night herons, forest wagtails, and Indian paradise flycatchers were found.
The group has submitted the collected data to various government agencies and aims to replicate this mapping process at other ecologically sensitive locations across Pune.
