A study published in Conservation Letters identifies nine “anchor species” whose habitat protection across India could simultaneously conserve broad vertebrate diversity and substantial natural carbon stocks, providing a species‑centred route to support the government's conservation targets.
Anchor species, co‑benefits quantified
Researchers report that safeguarding the habitat of any one of the nine species could aid in conserving more than 700 vertebrate species (mammals, birds and reptiles) and protect about 1.1 gigatonnes of above‑ground carbon. The list of anchor species comprises sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), dhole (Cuon alpinus), king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), gaur (Bos gaurus), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), tiger (Panthera tigris) and leopard (Panthera pardus), according to the paper.
The analysis aims to bridge biodiversity conservation with climate mitigation by demonstrating how targeted habitat protection for particular species can yield outsized returns for both biodiversity and natural carbon stocks — an approach that could inform expansion of protected areas as India works towards international and domestic conservation goals such as the 30×30 target.
“Biodiversity is often an afterthought in carbon markets. It’s always carbon first, biodiversity second,”
The quotation in the paper comes from co‑author Aakash Lamba, a conservation scientist at the Centre for Nature‑based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, who argues for placing biodiversity at the centre of climate projects rather than treating it as a secondary benefit.
Method and policy relevance
For each anchor species the research assessed two primary dimensions: the number of other vertebrate species that co‑occur within its habitat, and the amount of above‑ground carbon contained in those habitats. The combined outcomes indicate that protecting the areas important for any one of these species will often conserve both species richness and significant natural carbon stocks.
The authors position a species‑centred conservation model as a practical complement to landscape‑scale and ecosystem approaches, arguing that established public awareness and governance structures around charismatic fauna (for example, the tiger) can be extended to other species that offer similar co‑benefits.
- Co‑benefits: Habitat protection for anchor species yields biodiversity and carbon sequestration gains.
- Scale: Protecting habitats tied to these species is associated with safeguarding over 700 vertebrates and ~1.1 Gt of above‑ground carbon.
- Policy fit: Findings support arguments for strategic expansion of protected area networks and nature‑based climate solutions that treat biodiversity as central.
Implications for India’s conservation targets
India has committed to strengthening both biodiversity protection and climate mitigation. The study provides statistical evidence that can be used in prioritising areas for protection where conservation investments may yield compounded returns. It also challenges the conventional sequencing in many carbon‑financed projects, where carbon outcomes are foregrounded and biodiversity outcomes are treated as ancillary.
Adopting an anchor‑species approach would not, on its own, resolve the broad suite of conservation and land‑use challenges facing India — including habitat fragmentation, competing land demands and local livelihoods — but it does offer a pragmatic means to identify priority landscapes where integrated interventions can advance multiple national objectives.
| Metric | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Vertebrate species potentially conserved | More than 700 |
| Above‑ground carbon protected | ~1.1 gigatonnes |
| Anchor species listed | 9 species |
The paper's authors recommend treating biodiversity as a primary objective within nature‑based climate policies and carbon financing mechanisms, rather than as a supplementary benefit. This carries practical implications for the design of carbon projects, protected area prioritisation and the metrics used in national and international monitoring.
As India negotiates the scale and shape of its nature‑based climate actions and protected area planning, the anchor‑species framework offers a testable, species‑focused tool for policymakers and conservation planners seeking to maximise joint biodiversity and climate outcomes.
