Mithun Gets Food Animal Tag
Source: Indian Express
Prelims
Overview
- About Mithun
Why in the News?
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recognized the bovine as a ‘food animal’.
About Mithun
- The mithun, which goes by its scientific name Bos frontalis.
- It is a ruminant species of the Bovidae family found in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.
- The mithun or gayal (Bos frontalis),is considered as a descendant of the Indian Gaur or bison.
- It is distributed in Northeast India, Bangladesh, northern Myanmar and in Yunnan, China.
- Reared under free-range conditions in hilly forests, the mithun is known as the ‘cattle of the mountain’.
- It plays an important role in the socio-economic and cultural life of tribes viz. the Nyishi, Apatani, Galo and Adi in Arunachal Pradesh.
- The Mithun is the state animal of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
- IUCN status:
- Vulnerable
- It is listed in CITES Appendix I.
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