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States fall short of targets to improve Forest Cover, Quality

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Why in News?

  • According to the data accessed via the RTI, against the target of increasing tree cover by around 53,000 hectares (between 2015-16 and 2021-22) under the Green India Mission (GIM), only around 26,000 ha has been achieved.
  • Similarly, forest quality improved in only 1.02 lakh ha against target of 1.6 lakh ha under the GIM, which is one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC):

  • The Central government (MoEF&CC), in 2008, had launched the NAPCC outlining existing and future policies and programs addressing climate mitigation and adaptation.
  • Originally, there were 8 core missions under the NAPCC, and later (2022) 3 new missions were added to the list.
  • These 11 missions represent multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in climate change.

 

National Mission for a Green India:

  • It is one of the eight Missions under the NAPCC (launched in 2014 for a 10-year period), and which aims at protecting, restoring and enhancing India’s forest cover and responding to Climate Change.
  • The target under the Mission is 10 million ha (5 + 5) on forest and non-forest lands for increasing the forest/tree cover and to improve the quality of existing forest.
  • It envisages a holistic view of greening that extends beyond tree planting and focusses on multiple ecosystem services such as biodiversity, water, biomass, preserving mangroves, wetlands, critical habitats, etc., along with carbon sequestration.
  • GIM also aims at convergence with complementary schemes and programmes for better coordination in developing forests and their fringe areas in a sustainable way.
  • A multidisciplinary team, both from Govt. and NGOs, are mandated to facilitate planning and implementation at cluster/landscape unit level. 

News Summary:

  • India State of the Forest Report 2021:
    • As per the Report, forest and tree cover in the country increased by 2,261 square km since the last assessment in 2019.
    • India’s total forest and tree cover was 80.9 million hectares, which accounted for 24.62% of the geographical area of the country.
    • The report said 17 States and Union Territories had more than 33% of their area under forest cover.
    • Madhya Pradesh had the largest forest cover, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
    • The top five States in terms of forest cover as a percentage of their total geographical area were Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76%), Manipur (74.34%) and Nagaland (73.90%).
  • Status of forests in India as per the RTI:
    • From 2015-16 to 2021-22, the Central government (based on submissions from 17 States) had approved a target of increasing tree/forest cover by 53,377 hectares and improving the quality of degraded forest by 1,66,656 ha.
    • However, the tree/forest cover had increased by 26,287 hectares and forest quality improved in only 1,02,096 hectares as of December 31, 2022.
    • For executing these projects, the Central government had allocated Rs 681 crore but only Rs 525 crore had been utilised.


Noble’s Helen butterfly

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Extremely rare Noble’s Helen butterfly was recorded for the first time in India from the Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh.

About Noble’s Helen butterfly:

  • It is a swallowtail butterfly with a wingspan of 100–120 mm.
  • It has an extra white spot in the dorsum of the forewing.
  • Scientific name: Papilio noblei
  • Distribution: They are found in Myanmar, Yunnan, Hubai (China), North Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam.
  • The species is known to be very rare in occurrence in its previously known ranges.

 Namdapha National Park:

  • Location:
    • It lies on the international border between India and Myanmar (Burma) within Changlang District in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
    • The Namdapha protected area is located between Dapha Bum ridge of Mishmi Hills, of North Eastern Himalayas and Patkai Ranges.
    • It lies in close proximity to the Indo-Myanmar-China trijunction.
  • It is the largest protected region of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot.
  • It was declared a National Park in 1983.
  • Climate:It falls within the geographical sub-tropical zone and enjoys the sub-tropical climate.
  • Biodiversity:
    • It is only park in the World to have the four Feline species of big cat namely the Tiger (Panthera Tigris), Leopard (Panthera Pardus), Snow Leopard (Panthera Uncia) and Clouded Leopard (Neofelis Nebulosa).
    • Hoolock Gibbons (Hylobates Hoolock), a highly endangered and only ‘ape’ species found in India is found in this national park.
    • The park is also famous for critically endangered species like the Namdapha flying squirrel.
    • Flora: Sapria himalayana, Amentotaxus, Cephalotaxus, Pinus merkusii (Sumatran pine) and Abies delavayi (Delavay’s Fir) etc.
    • Fauna: Snow leopards, clouded leopards, common leopards, tigers,Red Panda,Himalayan bear, dholes, wolves, Hoolock Gibbon, hog deer etc.


Black Vulture

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An American black vulture was recently spotted in the Delhi NCR region causing a stir amongst birdwatchers and conservationists.

About Black Vulture:

  • Black vultures are most abundant at low elevations. They breed in dense woodlands but usually forage in open habitats.
  • It is mainly found in the northeastern United States to Peru, Central Chile and Uruguay South America.
  • They typically avoid crossing large bodies of water and do not cover long distances. 
  • Conservation status
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern


Asian golden cat

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Officials of the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) in north Bengal said that they were able to capture some pictures of rare and elusive melanistic Asian golden cat in the camera traps.

Why in News?

  • According to the experts, these are the first photographic records of the melanistic Asian golden cat, also known as the Temminck’s cat, from West Bengal.

About Asian golden cat:

  • It is a medium sized cat with relatively long legs.
  • Scientific name: Catopuma temminckii
  • Other names: They are known as the “fire cat” in Thailand and Burma, and as the “rock cat” in parts of China.
  • Distribution: The species occurs in Southeast Asia, from Nepal and Tibet to Southern China, Sumatra and India.
  • Habitat: It prefers forest habitats that are interspersed with rocky areas, being found in deciduous, tropical and subtropical evergreen rainforests.
  • Their fur ranges in color from cinnamon to various shades of brown, and also gray and black (melanistic).
  • Conservation status:
    • IUCN: “Near threatened”
    • Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972: Schedule 1

Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR):

  • Location: BTR lies in Alipurduar sub-division of Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal.
  • Its northern boundary runs along the international border with Bhutan.
  • It is the easternmost extension of extreme bio-diverse North-East India & represents the highly endemic Indo-Malayan region.
  • The fragile “Terai Eco-System” constitutes a part of this Reserve.
  • BTR serves as an international corridor for elephant migration between India and Bhutan.
  • The reserve encompasses as many as eight forest types.
  • Flora: The main species constitutes trees like Sal, Champ, Gamar, Simul, Chikrasi.
  • Fauna: The main species include Asian Elephant, Tiger, Gaur, Wild boar, Sambar,Wild dog (Dhole).


India now home to 70% of world’s tigers

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Why in news?

  • The Centre has told the Supreme Court that India had about 2,967 tigers (approx. 70% of global wild tiger population) in its wildlife as per the last count in 2018.
  • It was revealed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in an affidavit filed in the court.

Project Tiger

  • The Govt. of India had launched Project Tiger on 1st April 1973 to promote conservation of the tiger.
    • This project has been the largest species conservation initiative of its kind in the world.
  • The Project is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
  • It provides funding support to tiger range States for in-situ conservation of tigers in designated tiger reserves.
  • National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is the immediate supervising agency

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

  • It has been constituted under the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • The authority consists of:
    • Minister in charge of MoEFCC (as Chairperson),
    • Minister of State in MoEFCC (as Vice-Chairperson),
    • three members of Parliament, Secretary, and other members.

Objectives of NTCA

  • The objectives of NTCA are:
    • Providing statutory authority to Project Tiger so that compliance of its directives become legal.
    • Fostering accountability of Center-State in management of Tiger Reserves, by providing a basis for MoU with States within our federal structure.
    • Providing for an oversight by Parliament.
    • Addressing livelihood interests of local people in areas surrounding Tiger Reserves.

Tiger Census 2018 Report

  • On International Tiger Day July 29 (2019), a census report of tigers in India was launched.
    • It was observed for the first time in 2010 at the Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia.
    • The summit finalized Global Tiger Recovery Plan known as TX2 (doubling the tiger population by 2022).
  • As per the report, the total population of Tiger in India is 2967.
    • In 2014, the count was 2,226 which reflected an increase of 741 individuals (aged more than one year), or 33%, in four years.
  • India has achieved the target of doubling the tiger count four years ahead of the deadline of 2022.
  • The top Tiger States of India (by Tiger population) – Madhya Pradesh (526); Karnataka (524); Uttrakhand (442).
  • Top states in terms of Percentage increase in Tiger population: Madhya Pradesh (71%), Maharashtra (64%), Karnataka (29%).
  • Worst Performing States – Chhattisgarh and Mizoram saw a decline in tiger population.

News Summary: India now home to 70% of world’s tigers

  • From the brink of extinction to now becoming home to 70% of the global population, the Centre told the SC that India has achieved grand success in saving tigers.
  • As per the affidavit filed in the apex court, there is an annual growth of 6% in the big cat’s population, which offset natural losses.
  • India achieved the target of doubling the tiger population in 2018, four years ahead of schedule of the St Petersburg Declaration on tiger conservation.
  • The number of tiger reserves has gone up to 53 covering around 76,000 sq km
    • A new tiger reserve – Ranipur Tiger Reserve – has been declared in UP.


Pallas’s cats

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Recently researchers have discovered one of the planet’s rarest Pallas cats for the first time in the Mount Everest Region.

About Pallas’s cats:

  • The Pallas’s cat, also known as manul, is a small wild cat, perfectly adapted to the harsh conditions typical of its habitat.
  • Naturally secretive, it is rarely seen and little known.
  • Habitat: Wide but fragmented distribution throughout montane grasslands and steppes of Central Asia.
  • Its core populations are in Mongolia and China.
  • Conservation status
  • IUCN Red List: Least concern


Lake Chad Basin

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According to a report published by Refugees International, shrinking natural resources due to adverse weather are raising tensions across communities and displacing people of the Lake Chad region

About Lake Chad Basin

  • Lake Chad is located in the Sahel, the vast semi-arid region south of the Sahara desert.
  • It is bordered by 4 countries – Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria.
  • Source of the Lake:It is fed mainly by the Chari River through the Lagone tributary.
  • The Lagone tributary used to provide 90 % of its water.
  • Significance of the Lake: The Lake is vital for indigenous, pastoral and farming communities in these countries.
  • The lake has been supporting drinking water, irrigation, fishing, livestock and economic activity for over 30 million people in the region.
  • The Lake Chad basin in west and central Africa covers 8% of the African continent and is home to 42 million people.

What are Issues in the Lake Basin Region?

  • Lake Chad has shrunk by 90% in 60 years, and climate change is a significant contributor.
  • A 13-year insurgency of the Boko Haramextremist group and other militant groups has destabilized the Lake Chad basin and the wider Sahel region.


National Centre for Polar and Oceanic Research (NCPOR)

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A recent study by the NCPOR revealed that the Antarctic sea ice (South Pole) reached its lowest level ever recorded in the summer of 2022.

About National Centre for Polar and Oceanic Research (NCPOR):

  • It is an autonomous research institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) established in 1998.
  • NCPOR is tasked with planning and executing polar expeditions and scientific research in Antarctica, Arctic, Himalayas and Southern Ocean.
  • NCPOR is the nodal agency for planning, promoting, coordinating, and executing the entire gamut of polar and southern ocean scientific research in the country and the associated logistics activities.
  • It also undertakes research on some of the country’s strategically vital projects like mapping of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), continental shelf margins and the Deep Ocean Mission.
  • The Center maintains a Research Advisory Committee (RAC) to help guide and concentrate the research activities.
  • It is located in Vasco da Gama, Goa, and was formerly known as the National Center for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR).


Kelp forests

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A recent study published in the journal Nature revealed that Kelp forests are declining because of climate change.

About Kelp forests:

  • Kelp thrives in cold, nutrient-rich waters. 
  • They attach to the seafloor and eventually grow to the water’s surface and rely on sunlight to generate food and energy, kelp forests are always coastal and require shallow, relatively clear water.
  • They provide underwater habitats to hundreds of species of invertebrates, fishes, and other algae and have great ecological and economic value.

Distribution of Kelp forest

  • Kelp forests have been observed throughout the Arctic by the Inuit. The Canadian Arctic alone represents 10 per cent of the world’s coastlines.
  • They have adapted to severe conditions. These cool water species have special strategies to survive freezing temperatures and long periods of darkness and even grow under sea ice.
  • In regions with cold, nutrient-rich water, they can attain some of the highest rates of primary production of any natural ecosystem on Earth.
  • Between Ellesmere Island and Labrador, as well as along the coasts of Lancaster Sound, Ungava Bay, Hudson Bay, Baffin Bay, and Resolute Bay in Hudson Bay and eastern Canada, kelp forests have been scientifically documented.


Olive Ridley turtle

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Recently, Hundreds of Olive Ridley turtles were found dead in their breeding grounds between Kakinada and Antarvedi in the Godavari region of India’s east coast.

About Olive Ridley turtle

  • The Olive Ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
  • They are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
  • They are carnivores and get their name from their olive-colored carapace, which is heart-shaped and rounded.
  • Habitat:
    • They are mainly found in the warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
    • Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is known as the world’s largest rookery (a colony of breeding animals) of sea turtles.
  • Conservation status
    • IUCN Red List:Vulnerable
    • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
    • CITES Appendix I

 

The initiative was taken to protect the Olive Ridley turtle

  • Operation Olivia: Every year, the Indian Coast Guard’s “Operation Olivia”, initiated in the early 1980s, helps protect Olive Ridley turtles as they congregate along the Odisha coast for breeding and nesting from November to December.


Eravikulam National Park

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Eravikulam National Park (ENP), a natural habitat for the endangered Nilgiri tahr, reported two tahr births recently.

About Eravikulam National Park:

  • Location: Idukki District, Kerala
  • Area: 97 sq. Km
  • It was declared as a National Park in 1978.
  • This is also the land of “Neelakurinji”, the flower that blooms once in twelve years.
  • The highest peak south of the Himalayas – The Anamudi (2695 meters) is situated in this park.
  • Topography: The major part of the park is covered with rolling grasslands, but several patches of shola forests are also found in the upper part of the valley.

Flora:

  • Important flora includes Actinodaphne bourdilloni, Microtropis ramiflora, Pittosporum tetraspermium, Eupatorium adenophorum, Strobilanthus Kunthianus (Neela Kurinji)
  • The shola grasslands are exceptionally rich in balsams and orchids including the long thought extinct variety Brachycorythis wightii.

Fauna:

  • 29 Species of mammals are found here of which 5 are endemic to the Western Ghats.
  • The Nilgiri Tahr, Gaur, Sloth Bear, Nilgiri Langur, Tiger, Leopard, Giant Squirrel and wild dog are common.
  • Half the world population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr lives here.
  • 140 species of birds of which 10 are unique to the Western Ghats.
  • The Atlas moth, the largest of its kind in the world is seen in this Park.
  • More than 100 varieties of butterflies and 20 species of amphibians are also seen here.

Nilgiri Tahr:

  • It is a sure-footed ungulate that is endemic to the southern part of Western Ghats.
  • Scientific name: Nilgiritragus hylocrius
  • It is also the state animal of Tamil Nadu.
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN: “Endangered”
    • Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972 : Schedule 1


SAFAR system

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The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded 381 recently, as per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) and the air quality remained in the ‘very poor category’.

About SAFAR system:

  • It stands for System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research.
  • SAFAR is an air quality monitoring system. It was introduced by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) to provide location specific information on air quality in near real time and its forecast upto 3 days in India.
  • It is developed by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, along with India Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).
  • Objective: To increase awareness among the general public regarding the air quality changes in their city well in advance so that appropriate mitigation measures and systematic action can be taken up for betterment of air quality and related health issues.
  • The World Meteorological Organization has recognised SAFAR as a prototype activity on the basis of the high quality control and standards maintained in its implementation.

How is the Air Quality Index (AQI) calculated in India?

  • AQI is calculated based on the average concentration of a particular pollutant measured over a standard time interval (24 hours for most pollutants, 8 hours for carbon monoxide and ozone).
  • Eight individual pollutants are monitored for the calculation of AQI in India. These are PM10, PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ground-level ozone, ammonia, and lead.
  • To calculate AQI, data for a minimum of three pollutants must be present, of which one should be either PM10 or PM2.5.


Chestnut-winged cuckoo

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Chestnut-winged cuckoo was recently being sighted in newer spots around the Chennai city while it makes its way down the Coromandel Coast towards its wintering habitats further south and in Sri Lanka.

About Chestnut-winged cuckoo:

  • Scientific Name: Clamator coromandus
  • The chestnut-winged cuckoo is a small bird, measuring 35 to 45 cm in length and weighing 60 to 90 grams.
  • Distribution: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southeast China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, , Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines.
  • Habitat : Includes tropical and temperate deciduous/evergreen forests.
  • They are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds.
  • They are mostly migratory and breed during summer in north India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southeast China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
  • They winter in south India, Sri Lanka, Andaman Islands (India), Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines.
  • IUCN Status: “Least Concern”


Yellow Band Disease

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Recently, scientists found that corals of eastern Thailand are getting affected by Yellow band Disease which is killing corals over vast stretches of the sea floor.

About Yellow band Disease:

  • Yellow-band disease—named for the colour it turns corals before destroying them—was first spotted decades ago and has caused widespread damage to reefs in the
  • There is no known cure for this disease and unlike coral, bleaching corals will not be restored once they get infected by this disease.
  • Scientists believe overfishing, pollution and rising water temperatures because of climate change may be making the reefs more vulnerable to yellow-band disease.


Groningen Gas Field

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Recently, the Netherlands seeks to shut down Europe’s biggest gas field this year because of safety concerns.

About Groningen Gas Field:

  • The Groningen gas field is natural in Groningen province in the northeastern part of the Netherlands.
  • It is the largest natural gas field in Europe.
  • This region of Groningen in the Netherlands has a gas field that began operations in 1963.
  • During the 1980s, the area saw numerous earthquakes – minor enough to avoid large damage but big enough for local buildings to develop cracks.
  • Following these quakes, the Dutch government had earlier said that it would shutter the field in response to local protests.
  • In Groningen, the ground subsiding has been caused by extraction alone over several years.
  • Such extraction causes rocks to contract – as the pores get to hold fewer and fewer hydrocarbons over time.


Haiderpur Wetland

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The Union Environment Ministry has recently directed Uttar Pradesh to immediately stop the further draining of the Haiderpur wetland and ensure that dewatering the protected Ramsar site for farming needs takes place only when migratory birds are not nesting at the location.

About Haiderpur wetland:

  • It is a human-made wetland that was formed in 1984 by the construction of the Madhya Ganga Barrage on a floodplain of the River Ganga.
  • Location: Muzaffarnagar-Bijnor border in Uttar Pradesh.
  • It is located within the boundaries of Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • This provides habitat for various animal and plant species, including around 30 species of plants, 300 species of birds (102 waterbirds), 40 fish and more than ten mammal species.
  • It supports more than 15 globally threatened species, such as the critically endangered gharial and the endangered hog deer, black-bellied tern, steppe eagle, Indian skimmer and gold mahseer.
  • It has been recognised as the 47th Ramsar site of India in 2021.

About Ramsar Convention (Convention on Wetlands of International Importance):

  • It is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
  • The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
  • It is the only global treaty that focuses specifically on wetlands.
  • One key instrument of the Convention is its List of Wetlands of International Importance (the “Ramsar List”).


Painted Bat

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Recently, a rare orange-coloured bat, also known as ‘painted bat’ was spotted at a banana plantation in Parali Bodal village of Chhattisgarh’s Kanger Valley National Park in Bastar.

 

About Painted bat:

  • These are often found in unusual roosting sites such as suspended nests of weaver finches and sunbirds, and banana leaves, these bats have been known to roost in pairs.
  • It is an aerial hawker, catching insects mid-flight.
  • It is generally found in Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
  • Conservation status:
    • IUCN: Near Threatened

Key facts about Kanger Valley/ Ghati National Park:

  • This National Park derived its name from the Kangar river, which flows in its length.
  • Flora: This park is a typically mixed humid deciduous type of forest, in which the Sal, Saugaun, teak and bamboo trees are available in abundance.
  • Fauna: The most popular species in this area is Bastar Maina which emulates everyone with its human voice.
  • It is home to exceptional caves and is famous for its amazing geological structures of Stalagmites and Stalactites.
  • Also, Tirathgarh Waterfall is located in this National Park.


Red-Billed Quelea

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Recently, experts have cautioned that the Kenyan government’s effort to exterminate the red-billed quelea birds that have infested farms will have unintended negative consequences for other raptors and wild species.

Why in news?

  • Kenya’s government began to kill up to 6 million red-billed quelea birds, the world’s most populous bird species which are also known as ‘feathered locusts’. 
  • The preferred method for eradicating pests in Africa has been to spray fenthion, which is an organophosphate pesticide, but scientists have noted that the substance is toxic to people and other non-target organisms.
  • Fenthion has been listed in Annex III of the Rotterdam convention which aims to reduce risks from hazardous chemicals in agriculture. 

Key facts about Red-Billed Quelea:

  • It is a small, short-tailed weaver with a mottled back and a yellow or reddish bill.
  • Large flocks are resident and nomadic in arid savanna, grassland, and cultivated areas.
  • Conservation status:
    • IUCN: Least Concerned


Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary

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Nature enthusiasts have voiced their concern over the recent decline in the number of migratory birds visiting the Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary.

About Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary:

  • It was established in 1977.
  • It is also known as Deer Park.
  • Location: It is located near Santiniketan in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum District of West Bengal.
  • Area: 200 hectares
  • Elevation: It has an average elevation of 56 meters.
  • Flora: The sanctuary has dense local vegetation of Sal, Akashmoni, Sishoo, Cashewnut, Amlaki, Bahera and Haritaki.
  • Fauna: The sanctuary has a deer conservation park which is home to a large number of deer including Cheethals (Spotted Deer) and the Blackbucks. Other animals include jackals, foxes and a variety of water birds.
  • It is home to three large lakes which hosts a large number of migratory birds every year.


Genes of Whales

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New research in Scientific Reports reveals the genes that likely allowed whales to grow to giant sizes compared to their ancestors.

Why in news ?

  • The findings highlight the role of four genes — GHSR, IGFBP7, NCAPG, and PLAG1 — and suggest that they promote large body sizes.
  • The researchers performed molecular evolutionary analysis on nine candidate genes: five genes from the growth hormone, and four genes associated with increased body size in hoofed animals. They assessed these genes in 19 species of whale.

The role of four genes:

  • GHSR is a gene involved in releasing growth hormone through the pituitary gland, body weight, energy metabolism, appetite and fat accumulation. It also is associated with controlling cell proliferation and programmed cell death. Tumors essentially are formed by runaway cell growth.
  • IGFBP7 is a gene involved in promoting cell growth and division. There is evidence it acts as a cancer suppressor in prostate, breast, lung and colorectal tumors.
  • NCAPG, a gene associated with growth in people, horses, donkeys, cattle, pigs and chickens, is linked to increased body size, weight gain, cell proliferation and cell life cycles.
  • PLAG1, a gene associated with body growth in cattle, pigs, and sheep, is involved in embryo growth and cell survival.

Whales:

  • Cetaceans, the marine mammal group encompassing whales, dolphins and porpoises, evolved around 50 million years ago from vaguely wolf-like land-based ancestors that belonged to a mammalian assemblage called artiodactyls that includes today’s cows, pigs, sheep and many others.
  • Basilosaurus, a toothed apex predator from about 40 million years ago, was the largest-known early whale. The baleen whale lineage dates to roughly 36 million years ago, starting modest in size.
  • Blue whales can reach about 100 feet (30 meters) long, fin whales about 80 feet (24 meters), sperm and bowhead whales about 60 feet (18 meters), humpback and right whales about 50 feet (15 meters) and gray whales about 45 feet (13.5 meters).