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Union minister of Fisheries, Dairying and Animal Husbandry Giriraj Singh and other dignitaries after unveiling the statue of a mithun at the arrival hall of Dimapur airport on November 10.[/caption]
Dimapur, Nov. 10 (EMN): Union minister of Fisheries, Dairying and Animal Husbandry Giriraj Singh unveiled a statue of mithin, the state animal of Nagaland, at the arrival hall of Dimapur airport on November 10.
At the unveiling the statue, Giriraj Singh hailed the initiative of ICAR as well the NRC on Mithun in promoting mithun husbandry and popularising the species for diversified use for milk, meat and draught power.
An update from the ICAR-NRC on mithun on Sunday stated that the brief ceremony was attended by Dr. Joykrushna Jena, DDG (fisheries and animal sciences), ICAR, New Delhi.
It stated that mithun (Bos frontalis) enjoys a special socio–cultural status among the tribal population of the Northeast region, adding it is genetically distinct from other bovine species but considered as a close relative of its wild ancestor Gaur (Bos gaurus). It stated that the magnificent and unique bovine species has a limited geographical distribution in north eastern hilly states of India, hill districts of Bangladesh, northern Burma and in Yunnan province of China.
Since time immemorial, mithun is traditionally reared as a meat animal under free-range forest ecosystem. Being the “Nature’s gardener,” mithun farming in its natural habitat helps in conserving and rejuvenating the forest. Besides, it also has the potential for the production of milk, hides, and draught power, the release said. It mentioned that mithun farming, under semi-intensive rearing, can serve as an additional means of livelihood.
Dr. Abhijit Mitra, director of ICAR-NRC on mithun, informed that the statue of mithun is erected with the continued endeavour of the institute to create awareness about the importance of mithun. Dr. Mitra thanked M Zhimo, director of Airport Authority of India (AAI) for extending all possible assistance.
