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Asian Journal of Biological and Life sciencesNOW IN
Review

A Comprehensive Checklist of Rare, Endangered and Threatened Taxa of Northeast India

1, 2, 3, 1, 4★★ Corresponding author

  1. 1Department of Botany, Jagannath Barooah University, Jorhat, Assam, INDIA.
  2. 2Department of Botany, Thong Nokbe College, Dokmoka, Assam, INDIA.
  3. 3Department of Botany, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, INDIA.
  4. 4Department of Zoology, Devi Charan Baruah Girls’ College, Jorhat, Assam, INDIA.

CORRESPONDENCE

Soujit Kumar

Department of Zoology, Devi Charan Baruah Girls’ College, Jorhat-785001, Assam, INDIA.

soujitkumar414@gmail.com

ORCID: 0009-0002-3192-8795

Received: 13-07-2026; Revised: 06-08-2026; Accepted: 25-09-2026.

Volume 15, Issue 3 · pp. 603–613 · 2026 · DOI: 10.5530/ajbls.20260202

View on AJBLS original site ↗

ABSTRACT

The Northeast region of India is facing a significant threat to its biodiversity, with numerous plant and animal species threatened with the risk of extinction due to factors such as habitat loss, deforestation, jhum cultivation, invasive species, and economic activities like timber extraction. This study documented 45 plant species from 31 families and 21 animal species from 19 families identified as endangered or threatened drawing from an extensive review of peer-reviewed literature, policy documents and related sources on their conservation in Northeast India. The legislative and policy frameworks of the Biodiversity Act, 2002 is to provide conservation and regulated use of threatened plant and animal species while protected areas (in situ) and botanical gardens (ex situ) are crucial for safeguarding these species. Biotechnological strategies like tissue culture and cryopreservation are also crucial for the recovery of endangered plants and animals. This study also draws attention to the cultural relevance of species such as Aquilaria malaccensis, Coptis teeta, Nepenthes khasiana, Taxus wallichiana, Amentotaxus assamica, Elephas maximus and Rucervus eldii eldii nothing their important cultural and economics roles within local communities.

KEYWORDS

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INTRODUCTION

North East India, a global biodiversity hotspot, spans 2,74,680 square kilometres (21º 58' and 29º 27' N and 88º 00' and 97º 24' E) includes eight states and is divided into six major parts. It features diverse habitats like snow-capped highlands, tropical wet rain forests, and subtropical and temperate forests. Grasslands and wetlands are prominent habitat types in the valleys.

Biodiversity is an essential component of the world's ecosystems, maintaining ecological balance and giving the ecosystem stability (Brugière and Scholte, 2013). North East India boasts a diverse plant animal life, it case of plants, it including 700 orchids, 58 bamboos, 64 citrus, 28 conifers, 500 mosses, 700 ferns, 728 lichen species, and 7,500 flowering plants, essential for tropical and sub-tropical fruits, grains, and crops, particularly in the Eastern Himalaya (Arora and Singh, 1978). Other side animals, it includes 300 species of mammals, 977 birds, 176 reptiles, 110 amphibians, and 422 freshwater fishes (Saikia, 1997; Saikia and Saikia, 2000; ZSI, 2019; BirdLife International, 2023). The Eastern Himalaya also constitutes an important centre of endemism and conservation priority, harbouring numerous globally threatened vertebrates (Norman et al., 2000; Saikia and Saikia, 2000; IUCN, 2024). There are about 700 species of orchid are known to exist in the North East of the country. About 545 of these species, belonging to 122 taxa, are found alone in Arunachal Pradesh (Chowdhery, 1998). The genus Rhododendron of the Ericaceae is another remarkable group of showy plants which act as a keystone species in the ecosystem of mountains, soil stabilizer, moisture regulator, and the supporter of diverse pollinators and also have an economical and medicinal value; for slow growth and narrow range of habitat as well as loss of habitat and change climatic condition which move them towards threatened; more than 98% of all Rhododendrons known from India are restricted to the Himalayan region (Shekar and Srivastava, 2010; Singh et al., 2003). Similarly, the Asian elephant is widely regarded as a keystone ecosystem engineer in the forests of Northeast India due to its major role in habitat modification, seed dispersal and maintenance of landscape heterogeneity (Sukumar, 2003; MoEFCC, 2021). Arunachal Pradesh has the highest number of plant species that are endemic to the state, in North Eastern India. Mizoram has two endemic species, whereas Sikkim and Manipur have three endemic species and one subspecies (Mao et al., 2001); whereas, in faunal richness, with Assam consistently supporting the highest overall diversity, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, while states such as Manipur, Nagaland and Meghalaya show moderate species richness (ZSI, 2019; BirdLife International, 2023). Northeast Indian plant species are crucial for indigenous populations' traditions, ecological heritage, and daily life, with residents preserving endangered and critically endangered species to preserve their cultural and medicinal value.

The article highlights the critical importance of rare and endangered plant and animal species in north-eastern India's diverse ecosystems, emphasizing the need for collective action to restore these ecosystems and cultures.

METHODOLOGY

The study focused on sampling method, documenting and photographing specimens in study areas. The article also prepared by using the peer-reviewed literature, reports, policies and relevant sources which focusing on conservation of endangered and threatened species in Northeast, India. Databases viz., Web of Sciences, Scopus, Google Scholar, ICUN, Zoological Survey of India, Birdlife International, Turtle Taxonomy Working Group and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), were searched by utilizing the keywords mainly "Endangered plant", "Endangered animal", "Biodiversity", "Cryopreservation", "Government policy", "Northeast" and "Threatened species". The articles published between 2000 and 2025 were studied to trap the current information on conservations.

Study area

The many study locations chosen for this review include the north-eastern Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura (Figure 1: Study area).

RESULTS

Altogether 45 plant species belonging to 31 families and 21 animal species belonging 19 families were found. The table depicting the list of the rare, endangered and threatened plant and animal species is given below in Tables 1 and 2. An analysis of species distribution across the region revealed variation in species richness among different states (Figure 2). Furthermore, the conservation status at the state level shows notable differences in the number of endangered and critically endangered species. A comparative representation of these categories illustrates the number of endangered and critically endangered plant species based on the data summarized in (Table 1 and Figure 3). Similarly, comparative representation has also done to illustrates the number of endangered and critically endangered animal species based on the data summarized in (Table 2 and Figure 4).

Threats to endangered species

Human activities like deforestation, urbanization, agricultural growth, and infrastructure development pose significant threats to endangered species in Northeast India, leading to biodiversity loss and fragmentation. Settled agriculture is less prevalent in Brahmaputra and Barak valleys, and rapid deforestation has resulted in over 1,800 square km of forest loss between 1991 and 1999 (Handique, 2014).

The emergence of invasive species, such as Mimosa invisa, is causing disturbance in native vegetation at Kaziranga National Park in Assam. According to studies, traditional harvesting practices may lead to overexploitation, while pollution from industrial operations and agricultural runoff worsens biodiversity (Mir et al., 2021).

Legislative and policy framework for plant conservation

Preserving the remaining biodiversity of the globe remains a controversial topic with global ramifications. The post-colonial forest conservation initiatives of the Indian government in the 1970s were initiated with the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 (Fanari, 2022). Governments thus show their dedication to conservation by passing legislation to protect threatened and endangered species for coming generations (Kumar, 2021) (Figure 5).

National biodiversity conservation exercises

National Biodiversity Action Plans (NBAPs)

To meet its responsibilities under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, India created the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), which encourages conservation, sustainable usage, and fair benefit-sharing. The NBSAP engages tens of thousands of stakeholders and a large level of public input to create localized action plans that represent different ecological scenarios (Kohli and Kothari, 2003).

Conservation (In situ and ex situ)

While in situ conservation protects species in their natural environments, usually through national parks and reserves, ex situ conservation involves keeping animals outside of their natural habitats, such as in zoos and seed banks. Both strategies are important for protecting biodiversity, especially in megadiverse countries that are home to a large number of species worldwide (Singh, 2024) shown in below Figure 6.

Characterization of Biodiversity Using GIS Methods

The Department of Space, Government of India, and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS, 2002) conducted the only landscape-level biodiversity characterization of the Northeast region of India utilizing satellite remote sensing and geographic information systems (Figure 7). The NESAC created biological richness maps that considered factors including species richness, disturbance index, ecosystem uniqueness, and biodiversity values.

Biodiversity Conservation Prioritization Project (BCPP)

WWF-India's Biodiversity Conservation Prioritization Project (BCPP) (1997) (1998) (1999) (2000) was the first initiative of its kind to identify priority sites and species based on their biological and socioeconomic values and to create national conservation plans for them (Chatterjee et al., 2006).

National Biological Diversity Act (2002) and Rules (2004)

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), headquartered in Chennai, was established in 2003 to oversee and advise the Biodiversity Act's activities for central and state governments.

State governments established State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) to support their recommendations on biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, subject to Central Government guidelines (Kumar, 2021).

Protected Area Network

One of the most thorough processes for creating a network of protected areas in India that is both practical and scientifically accurate is the Wildlife Institute of India's Protected Area Network Planning. Through the identification of ten biogeographic zones, the exercise offered a justification for both the current and suggested collection of places that are highly significant for biodiversity.

Figure 1: Map of Northeast, India showing the study area, prepared using QGIS software (version 3.34.9).
Figure 2: Pie diagram showing the species richness of the different states of northeast, India.
Table 1: Table of RET plant species of Northeast, India.

Sl. No.
Botanical name
Family
IUCN status
Reference

SIKKIM

1.
Taxus wallichiana Zucc.
Taxaceae
EN
(Tamang et al., 2017)

2.
Trillium govanianum
Melanthiaceae
EN
(Rashid et al., 2023)

3.
Piper pedicellatum C.DC.
Piperaceae
EN
(Mehta et al., 2021)

4.
Nardostachys jatamansi
Caprifoliaceae
CR
(Sherpa et al., 2023)

5.
Aconitum heterophyllum (Wall)
Ranunculaceae
EN
(Rai et al., 2000)

6.
Podophyllum hexandrum(Royle)
Berberidaceae
EN
(Rai et al., 2000)

7.
Swertia chirata (Ham)
Gentianaceae
EN
(Rai et al., 2000)

8.
Picrorhiza kurrooa (Benth)
Plantaginaceae
EN
(Rai et al., 2000)

9.
Illicium griffithii Hook.f. and Thomson
Schisandraceae
EN
(Mehta et al., 2020)

10.
Coptis teeta Wall.
Ranunculaceae
EN
(Mehta et al., 2020)

Meghalaya

11.
Sloanea tomentosa (Benth.) Rehder and E.H.Wilson
Elaeocarpaceae
EN
(Lasushe et al., 2022)

12.
Magnolia rabaniana (Hook.f. and Thomson) D.C.S.Raju and M.P.Naya
Magnoliaceae
CR
(Lasushe et al., 2022)

13.
Nepenthes khasiana Hook.f.
Nepenthaceae
EN
(Lasushe et al., 2022)

14.
Pyrenaria cherrapunjeana Mir
Theaceae
CR
(Lasushe et al., 2022)

15.
Paphiopedilum insigne (Wall. ex Lindl.) Pfitzer
Orchidaceae
EN
(Lasushe et al., 2022)

16.
Aquilaria malaccensis Lam.
Thymelaeaceae
CR
(Lasushe et al., 2022)

17.
Aquilaria khasiana Hallier f.
Thymelaeaceae
CR
(Lasushe et al., 2022)

18.
Nardostachys jatamansi (D.Don) DC.
Caprifoliaceae
CR
(Mehta et al., 2020)

19.
Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch.
Asteraceae
CR
(Mehta et al., 2020)

20.
Paris polyphylla Sm.
Melanthiaceae
CR
(Tariq et al., 2023)

Tripura

21.
Vanda coerulea Griff. ex Lindl
Orchidaceae
EN
(Zhang et al., 2020)

22.
Renanthera imschootiana Rolfe
Orchidaceae
EN
(Seeni and Latha, 1992)

23.
Nymphaea nouchali Burm.f.
Nymphaeaceae
EN
(Tynsong et al., 2020)

24.
Renanthera imschootiana Rolfe
Orchidaceae
EN
(Kishor and Sharma, 2009)

25.
Aquilaria malaccensis Lam.
Thymelaeaceae
CR
(Nath et al., 2024)

26.
Renanthera imschootiana Rolfe
Nymphaeaceae
EN
(Seeni and Latha, 1992)

Assam

27.
Prunus ceylanica Miq.
Rosaceae
EN
(Bhattacharyya, 2011)

28.
Aquilaria malaccensis Lam.
Thymelaeaceae
CR
(Saikia and Khan, 2013)

29.
Cycas pectinata Buch.-Ham.
Cycadaceae
EN
(SINGH and Singh, 2012)

30.
Vanilla borneensis Rolfe
Orchidaceae
CR
(Hasnu and Tanti, 2022)

31.
Paphiopedilum fairrieanum (Lindl.) Stein
Orchidaceae
EN
(Rankouand Kumar, 2015)

32.
Chlorophytum assamicum D. Borahand A. P. Da
Asparagaceae
CR
(Borah et al., 2021)

33
Aristolochia assamica D.BorahandT.V.Do
Aristolochiaceae
EN
(Borah et al., 2021)

34.
Kayea assamica Prain
Calophyllaceae
EN
(Baruah et al., 2017)

35.
Dipterocarpus retusus Blume
Dipterocarpaceae
EN
(Tao et al., 2024)

Arunachal Pradesh

36.
Brucea mollis Wall. ex-Kurz
Simaroubaceae
EN
(Borthakur et al., 2018)

37.
Coptis teeta Wall.
Ranunculaceae
EN
(Goswami et al., 2019)

38.
Paris polyphylla Sm.
Melanthiaceae
CR
(Phurailatpam and Choudhury, 2022)

39.
Albizia julibrissin var.julibrissin
Fabaceae
EN
(Kumari, 2023)

40.
Garcinia lanciefolia Roxb.
Clusiaceae
EN
(Hazarika and Lalnunsangi, 2019)

41.
Kaempferia galanga L.
Zingiberaceae
EN
(Gogoi et al., 2023)

42.
Livistona jenkinsiana Griff.
Arecaceae
EN
(Singh et al., 2010)

43.
Rhyncostylis retusa (L.)
Orchidaceae
EN
(Saxena, 2020)

Nagaland

44.
Aquilaria malaccensis Lam.
Thymelaeaceae
EN
(Giri, 2020)

45.
Cycas pectinata Buch.-Ham.
Cycadaceae
EN
(Devi and Das, 2016)

46.
Livistona jenkinsiana Griff.
Arecaceae
EN
(Singh et al., 2010)

47.
Renanthera imschootiana Rolfe
Orchidaceae
EN
(Seeni and Latha, 1992)

Manipur

48.
Lilium mackliniae Sealy
Liliaceae
EN
(Premkumar et al., 2023)

49.
Renanthera imschootiana Rolfe
Orchidaceae
EN
(Wu et al, 2014)

50.
Saurauia punduana Wall.
Actinidiaceae
EN
(Deb and Gangmei, 2016)

51.
Cycas pectinata Buch.-Ham.
Cycadaceae
EN
(Devi and Das, 2016)

52
Magnolia griffithii Hooke.f. and Thomson
Magnoliaceae
EN
(Cicuzza et al., 2007)

Mizoram

53.
Begonia wattii C.B.Clarke
Begoniaceae
EN
(Barik et al., 2018)

54.
Coelogyne nitida (Wall. ex D. Don) Lindl.
Orchidaceae
EN
(Natta et al., 2022)

55.
Coelogyne ovalis Lindl.
Orchidaceae
EN
(Singh and Kumaria, 2019).

56.
Cymbidium macrorhizon Lindl.
Orchidaceae
EN
(Kim et al., 2017)

57.
Globba wengeri (C.E.C.Fisch.) K.J.Williams
Zingiberaceae
EN
(Mawia et al., 2020)

Biotechnological approaches

The increasing number of endangered species and biodiversity loss necessitate innovative conservation measures. Biotechnology, including tissue culture techniques, assisted reproductive technologies, conservation genomics and cryopreservation, is crucial for preserving genetic resources and supporting future restoration efforts, thereby enhancing the preservation of plant and animal species (Nagel et al., 2024; Baisetti et al., 2024).

Biotechnological methods improve ex situ conservation by improving genetic management, breeding techniques, and germplasm preservation. They create disease-resistant cultivars and determine genetic compatibility for reintroduction, preserving genetic diversity. Combining biotechnology with traditional conservation techniques strengthens species protection, increasing sustainability and resilience for future generations (Coelho et al., 2020).

Cultural significance of ret species

Northeast India's Agarwood tree (Aquilaria malaccensis), a vital species for religious rituals and traditional medicine, is critically endangered due to overexploitation, threatening the region's biodiversity and cultural practices. Similarly, Coptis teeta Wall. (Mishmi teeta) and Taxus wallichiana (Zucc.) which are medicinal plants i.e., native in the state of Arunachal Pradesh and Himalayan region respectively are listed as endangered due to habitat degradation and unsustainable harvesting trends (Bajpay et al., 2019; Bhuju and Gauchan, 2018). Indigenous communities like Mishmi tribe were using Coptis teeta for its medicinal properties while Taxus wallichana is the important natural source of anticancer compound Taxol available worldwide (Bajpay et al., 2019; Juyal et al., 2014). Furthermore, Nepenthes khasiana Hook. f., the only pitcher plant from India endemic to the states of Meghalaya and parts of Assam is considered as endangered due to disturbance in their habitats and pressure on collection (Konwar et al., 2023; Devi et al., 2019). Another threatened species, Amentotaxus assamica belonging to Arunachal Pradesh is a widely used element in traditional herbal remedies for respiratory ailments, fever and earache thus underlining its ethnobotanical importance (Sarma et al., 2024; Tag et al., 2012).

Figure 3: Bar diagram representing numbers of endangered and critically endangered species in the states of northeast India (from Table ).
Figure 4: Bar diagram representing numbers of endangered and critically endangered species in the states of the Northeast, India (from Table ).

In addition to floristic diversity the faunal component in Northeast India also provides the evidence of heavy cultural linkage with the people of the local. Rare, Endangered and Threatened (RET) animal species possess a significant cultural, spiritual and socio-economic significance in this biodiversity rich region in which wildlife is intrinsically linked with indigenous traditions and belief systems. Many species are sacred and have mythological significance or form the identities of clans and as such become informal mechanisms of conservation protection in traditional societies. For instance, the cultural association of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) with religious symbolism and wisdom, the brow-antlered deer (Rucervus eldii eldii, Sangai) as the cultural heritage of Manipur and hornbills as having spread cultural associations in tribal art and ceremonial works across Northeast India are very wide autonomous cultural associations. Such species often are cultural keystone species that provide the attitude to wildlife protection and landscape stewardship in communities. However, the speed with which land use has been transformed and anthropogenic pressures felt have shattered some of the traditional protections and herald the importance of focus on the integration of biocultural knowledge into contemporary conservation management. Harnessing cultural values with scientific management is hence thought to be a productive way of solving the long-term conservation of threatened fauna of the biodiversity hotspot of Indo-Burma (Gadgil et al., 1993; Sodhi et al., 2010; IUCN, 2024; BirdLife International, 2023). Figure 4: Bar diagram representing numbers of endangered and critically endangered species in the states of the Northeast, India (from Table ). ⟧; ZSI (2019)

Table 2: RET animal species of Northeast, India.

Sl. No.
Scientific Names
Common Name
IUCN Status
N.E. India
References

REPTILIA

1.
Pangshura sylhetensis Jerdon, 1870
Assam roofed turtle
EN
Sikkim, Meghalaya
IUCN (2024); TTWG (2021)

2.
Nilssonia nigricans Anderson, 1875
Black soft-shell / Bostami turtle
CR
Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh
IUCN (2024); ZSI (2019)

AVES

3.
Gyps bengalensis (Gmelin, JF, 1788)
White-rumped vulture
CR
Sikkim, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Mizoram
Birdlife International (2023); IUCN (2024)

4.
Houbaropsis bengalensis (Muller, PLS, 1776)
Bengal florican
CR
Assam
Birdlife International (2023); IUCN (2024)

5.
Asarcornis scutulata (Muller, 1842)
White-winged wood-duck
EN
Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur
Birdlife International (2023)

6.
Ardea insignis Hume, 1878
White-bellied heron
CR
Nagaland

7.
Ciconia boyciana R. Swinhoe, 1873
Oriental stork
EN
Manipur

8.
Leptoptilos dubius (Gmelin, JF, 1789)
Greater adjutant
EN
Manipur

MAMMALS

9.
Ailurus fulgens F. Cuvier, 1825
Red panda
EN
Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh
IUCN (2024); ZSI (2019)

10.
Cuon alpinus (Pallas, 1811)
Dhole
EN
Sikkim and Nagaland
IUCN (2024)

11.
Moschus chrysogaster Hodgson, 1839
Alpine musk deer
EN
Sikkim

12.
Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758
Asian elephant
EN
Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam, Manipur and Mizoram
IUCN (2024); MoEFCC (2021)

13.
Manis crassicaudata E. Geoffroy, 1803
Indian pangolin
EN
Meghalaya, and Tripura
IUCN (2024); Challender et al., 2014

14.
Manis pentadactyla Linnaeus, 1758
Chinese pangolin
CR
Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam, Manipur and Mizoram

15.
Hoolock hoolock Harlan, 1834
Western hoolock gibbon
EN
Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam, Manipur and Mizoram
IUCN (2024); Choudhury (2009)

16.
Trachypithecus phayrei (Blyth, 1847)
Phayre’s langur
EN
Tripura
IUCN (2024)

17.
Caprolagus hispidus (J. T. Pearson in Horsfield, 1840)
Hispid hare
EN
Assam
IUCN (2024); ZSI (2019)

18.
Bubalus arnee (Kerr, 1792)
Wild water buffalo
EN
Assam
IUCN (2024)

19.
Panthera tigris (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bengal tiger
EN
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Mizoram
IUCN (2024); Qureshi et al., 2023

20.
Rucervus eldii eldii (McClelland, 1842)
Brow-antlered deer
EN/CR
Manipur
IUCN (2024); CZA (2018)

21.
Nycticebus spp.
Slow loris
EN
Mizoram
IUCN (2024)
Figure 5: Key aspects of the legislative frameworks for plant conservation in the Northeast India.
Figure 6: Various ways of conservation of the endangered species.
Figure 7: Map of different states of North East India showing the protective areas network prepared using QGIS software (version 3.34.9).

CONCLUSION

The northeast region of India, home to the Himalayas and Indo Burma, is home to a diverse flora and fauna, but threats like habitat loss, invasive species, and climate change threaten these species. A multi-faceted approach, including biotechnological approaches, local community empowerment, and flagship programs involving natives, is needed to protect these species.

ABBREVIATIONS

RET
Rare, Endangered and Threatened
IUCN
International Union for Conservation of Nature
MoEFCC
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
NBAP
National Biodiversity Action Plan
NBSAP
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
NBA
National Biodiversity Authority
SBB
State Biodiversity Board
BCPP
Biodiversity Conservation Prioritization Project
GIS
Geographic Information Systems
IIRS
Indian Institute of Remote Sensing
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature
ZSI
Zoological Survey of India
TTWG
Turtle Taxonomy Working Group
NTCA
National Tiger Conservation Authority
CZA
Central Zoo Authority
EN
Endangered
CR
Critically Endangered
N
North
E
East.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

AUTHORS CONTRIBUTIONS

Liza Handique: Conceptualization; methodology; visualization; writing original draft; writing review and editing. Atlanta Kalita, Deepjyoti Medhi, Susanta Jyoti Saikia, and Soujit Kumar: Conceptualization; methodology; visualization; writing original draft. Soujit Kumar: Manuscript preparation.

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Handique, L., Kalita, A., Medhi, D., Saikia, S. J., & Kumar, S. (2026). A Comprehensive Checklist of Rare, Endangered and Threatened Taxa of Northeast India. Asian Journal of Biological and Life sciences, 15(3), 603–613. https://doi.org/10.5530/ajbls.20260202