Mizoram’s Natural History Museum in Aizawl has been notified as India’s 21st “Designated Repository” under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change says. The designation is issued by the Central Government after examining a proposal and following a recommendation from the National Biodiversity Authority. The notification was issued on June 19, 2026 and reported on July 7, 2026.
Designated repositories are institutions recognized by the Central Government to safely preserve biological resources, including plant, animal and microbial specimens. They specifically support research and studies related to India’s biodiversity by maintaining authenticated (“voucher”) specimens and helping document, conserve and provide access to biological material for scientific, educational and conservation purposes.
The museum will maintain voucher specimens of selected flora, including pteridophytes and macrofungi, and fauna such as reptiles, amphibians, fishes, moths, beetles and butterflies. The museum, established to preserve and showcase the state’s biodiversity, already houses collections of preserved mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, butterflies, fossils and botanical specimens.
