Dragonfly survey to reveal newly identified species

Panaji: Goa is home to at least 96 officially recorded species of dragonflies. However, Parag Rangnekar, a naturalist, has personally documented 108 species.
“We have documented marsh darts which were not known to be present in the state earlier. The data is yet to be published,” said Rangnekar.
“There is still much more to be done in terms of documentation.We currently lack sufficient personnel on the ground actively searching for dragonflies. The focus has been on the diversity of species, but we need to explore aspects such as population density, seasonality, and species richness,” he said.
To raise awareness and engage citizens in dragonfly conservation, WWF-India has launched its Dragonfly Festival, a citizen science campaign now being held in 13 states across the country. In Goa, the festival involves surveys at two key wetlands—Nanda lake and Carambolim lake—where 13 volunteers, including zoology students, will help document the local dragonfly and damselfly populations, and prepare a comprehensive report along with Rangnekar and WWF by Dec.
“Since dragonflies are water-dependent, they are commonly found near water bodies. They serve as indicator species, meaning their presence or absence provides valuable insight into the health of these ecosystems. Any disturbances to a wetland can impact dragonfly populations, making this study crucial,” he said.
“Our current methodology includes visual and morphological identification, contributing to a larger national dataset. This is not a one-time study, it’s a continuous effort that will eventually reveal trends in species populations,” he added.