Cites: Endangered Species on Stamps

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M Lokeswara Rao worked as a civil servant, belongs to the 1983 batch of Indian Forest Service and retired as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force in Nagaland, India. He has held different positions in the government of India. He worked as an advisor for Green Highways at the National Highways Authority of India, the Ministry of Surface Transport, and the Government of India and as a director for (Protect Our Species), and Earth Day Network. He studied MSc and MPhil at Sri Venkateswara University and AIFC at Indira Gandhi Forest Academy in Dehradun, India; Environment Education at Jordan College in Glasgow, UK; and International Centre for Conservation Education Guiting Power in Cheltenham, UK, as well as Policy Studies at Syracuse University in the United States.

He has worked on various projects with forest Development Agencies, the Green India Mission, Wildlife habitat projects, and the species recovery programme of the Amur Falcon. He has also organised many environmental awareness programmes. He was the UNESCO consultant for Identification of Biosphere Reserves in Nagaland and consultant with Community Forestry International, USA Involved in Various documentaries, namely the Amur Falcon, Elephants, etc He received the Biodiversity Award at the Tiger Land Film Festival for his work on the Amur Falcon.

His hobbies are painting and philately. He exhibited his painting of the Buddha in New Delhi, Bangalore, and various parts of the country. He received a number of awards in national and international philatelic exhibitions for his exhibits, Orchids, Buddhism, Buddhist Mudras, post office postal cancellation on Penny Red, Lady slipper orchids, and Buddhist dances, for his literature exhibit book, "Buddhism on Stamps" and "Himalayan birds on Stamps" and for his different articles that appeared in various magazines in India and abroad.

He authored other research papers and books "Plant Biodiversity of the World", "Buddhism on Stamps "Himalayan Birds on Stamps" based on philately and "Conservation through Forest Conservation Act His articles appeared in different magazines and newspapers in India and abroad. His articles on philately appeared in national and international magazines and newspapers.

Postage stamps provide a means of communication between the issuing authority and the members of the general public who buy and use them. Stamps serve as cultural ambassadors, and they are like miniature encyclopaedias that mark the nation's natural heritage and depict the world of nature. This medium of postage stamps, with billions of copies printed annually and disseminated worldwide. Stamps can be miniature gateways to the world's fauna and flora, and every stamp tells a story of the natural heritage of the countries of the world. Postage stamps have always been symbolic tools, with nations honouring their priorities through stamps. The effectiveness of stamps as tools to engage the public is demonstrated by the enduring popularity of stamp collecting, which began the year after the first stamp's usage.

Scientists have estimated that there are around 8.7 million species of plants and animals in existence. However, only around 1.2 million species have been identified and described so far, most of which are insects. This means that millions of other organisms remain a complete mystery. More species are becoming endangered and pushed to the brink of extinction as a result of humanity's reckless activities, from land conversion for developmental activities and agricultural purposes to environmental pollution. But biodiversity loss comes at a great cost; we are reducing the services that wildlife species provide, ranging from the oxygen that we breathe to global food security. It is time to act to stop environmental degradation and protect wildlife, animals, and plants around the world.

Currently, the IUCN Global Species Programme is managing data evaluated for over 147,500 species by 2022(IUCN Red List Version 2022.1), and this number is set to increase substantially in the next few years. Over 139,600 species are well documented, with supporting information on ecology, population size, threats, conservation actions, and utilisation. More than 41,000 species are threatened with extinction. That is still 28% of all species assessed. Amphibians: 41%, Mammals: 27%, Conifers: 34%, Birds 13%, Sharks and Rays: 37%, Reef Corals: 33%, Selected Crustaceans: 28%, Reptiles: 21%, Cycads: 69%. Millions of species still need to be assessed to determine their status.

Creation of new life forms their evolution and extinction are natural processes. There have been five mass extinctions that occurred over hundreds of millions of years The sixth mass extinction is an ongoing global phenomenon characterized by significant and rapid biodiversity loss across various ecosystems worldwide. The sixth mass extinction is unique because it has not been a natural process: It has been driven by human activities Habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, overexploitation of resources, and the Introduction of invasive species have led to a dramatic decline in populations of many plants and animals. These activities are altering ecosystems at an unprecedented rate and scale. Reckless human activities are pushing more and more species to the brink of extinction. It is unfortunate that "development is invariably viewed from human perspective, governments across the globe are seen to be wanting in intent, when it comes to sustainable development. Humanity needs to move away from the focus on economic development.

The urgent need for global cooperation to address environmental issues, protect biodiversity, and preserve the delicate balance of ecosystems led to the formation of international organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Similarly, the Convention or International Trade In Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement established to regulate and monitor the trade of wild animals and plants to ensure their conservation and sustainable use. It is a global agreement aimed at protecting biodiversity and preventing overexploitation of species due to international trade.

Postage stamps held significant cultural value and play a multifaceted role in societies worldwide. They are much more than a method of paying for mail delivery. They are art facts that can not only be a means for a nation to reflect on its identity, artistic expression, and history but also a medium to raise awareness about Important Issues Postage stamps can highlight endangered species, thereby raising awareness about the importance of conserving natural heritage. Through the book "CITES: Endangered Species on Stamps". Sri M.Lokeswara Rao has succeeded in accumulating a wealth of information on endangered species through stamps, which is essential for creating awareness. The narrative is fascinating and the book is a visual delight. This book would be very useful to the environmentalist, forester, philatelist and student alike. A must read opus for all who hold the future of our planet dose to their heart.