Mithun 

Syllabus :GS 3/Species in news

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The Mithun bovine has been classified as a food animal by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

About Mithun 

  • Scientific Name : Bos frontalis
  • It is a semi-domesticated bovine species and plays an important role in the socio economic and cultural fabric of the tribal population.
  • Habitat and Distribution : It prefers a cool climate and avoids bright sunlight.
    • The highest concentration of mithuns in the world is spread over the North Eastern (NE) region of India .
      • It is the state animal of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland and is primarily reared for meat in community farms. 
    • It is also found in parts of Southeast Asia viz. Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan
  • India has a mithun population of around 390,000, according to the 2019 livestock census. 
 
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