Discovery of a rare sisorid dwarf catfish at Milak river and some of its tributaries in Mokokchung by a team of researchers from Fazl Ali College Mokokchung and scientists from other parts of India during the last part of December 2021 has re-confirmed the urgency for protection of the entire eco-system in Nagaland. The team have named the discovered fish species as pseudolaguvia vespa and brings the total number to 24 for the same species. The specific name vespa is derived from Latin, meaning wasp, in reference to the alternating chrome-yellow and brown stripes on the body resembling a wasp. Similar species have also been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh and accordingly recorded. There are roughly 197 catfish species in India, out of which 125 are found in the Northeast. Nagaland is known to be the least explored among North eastern states in terms of ichthyology – the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish – and the present discovery signifies so, the team said. Nagaland, like most of the states in the north east, are blessed with rivers flowing down the hills and teeming with marine life. However over the past many decades the wanton use of bleaching powder, lime and explosives for fishing has indeed caused irreparable damage to the rivers and their eco-system. In the bid to catch large fishes, smaller fish like pseudolaguvia die off as a bycatch. The discovery of pseudolaguvia vespa at Milak river also serves as a reminder that unless something drastic is done to prevent total destruction of the river aquatic life Nagaland will soon become a wasted land. With some people holding on to the rights provided under Article 371A but minus the responsibilities, it has become a very difficult task for preservation and conservation of the fragile ecosystem. Nagaland’s ecosystem has been under attack due to rampant and illegal tree felling, poisoning of rivers for fishing; illegal poaching that has driven many animal species to extinction and encroachment on denuded lands to establish homesteads. This newspaper has been highlighting the need for conservation and environmental protection since 1991. It is heartening that at long last, a few NGOs are taking up many noteworthy projects to save the flora and fauna. Among those which have been highlighted include the protection of Amur Falcons at Wokha and later Mokokchung and Longleng districts. The specific sites where these migratory birds swarm are – Changtongya (Mokokchung district) community land and Doyang Catchment area (Wokha district). Earlier, several thousand Amur Falcons used to be slaughtered in Doyang area but later due to initiatives by some people the slaughter has stopped and the hunters became protectors. This change has brought about a huge impact on the bird and also earned Wokha dubbed as ‘Amur Falcon Capital’. Another NGO that continues to play an amazing role in nature preservation as well as sustainable development is the Lemsachenlok (A Thinking, working, Planning, Fund raising Society) organization, formed by churchman-turned bio-diversity conservationist- Nuklo Phom. This NGO has brought immense transformation in the lives of the villagers. Another NGO that has also won accolades in conservation from Nagaland is Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary. The KNCTS is also an example of community commitment which has brought not only benefits to the village but also to the state by way of tourism. Therefore, nature conservation is one area where people especially the village councils need to get seriously involved for the soci-econo9mic benefits of the present and posterity.