Guwahati, March 7: It's now or never.

Guwahatians can participate in an conservation effort of the city's rich bio-diversity by the Kamrup (metro) administration.

The district administration today introduced an online campaign - City's Animal - to protect the endangered species that are found in and around Kamrup (metro) that are on the decline because of the rising population and increasing demand for natural resources.

With this objective the district administration has selected three endangered species - black softshell turtle, greater adjutant stork or hargila and the Gangetic river dolphin - and the people will have to vote for the animal of their choice.

People can log into www.myanimal.in and cast their vote for the animal of their choice from today till April 30.

The animal that will receive the largest number of votes will be declared the City's Animal.

The state forest department, the Assam State Biodiversity Board and Help Earth, an NGO, are also involved in this initiative.

"We have introduced the programme with the objective of conserving the rich bio-diversity found in and around the district. We will then begin our initiatives for its conservation," said Kamrup (metro) district commissioner M. Angamuthu.

"Our district has hundreds of different species of plants and animals, but the decreasing green cover and rising population is threatening their very survival. It is very essential that we take concrete steps for their conservation. We have selected these three animals as their population is decreasing at an alarming rate. We will create awareness about the animal selected by putting up banners on it at different places. We can also print it on tickets of the Assam state zoo-cum-botanical garden so that the public notices its importance," said Angamuthu.

According to sources, there are about 100 black softshell turtles in the state and it is mostly confined to ponds in the Kamakhya temple and Ugratara temple in the city.

A recent survey has also shown that a small population also exists in the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.

While there about 800 greater adjutant storks in the state and they are found in Deepor Beel wildlife sanctuary and garbage dump at Borbari, there are nearly 635 Gangetic river dolphins or xihu found in the Brahmaputra in the district.

"In the first phase of the programme we are creating awareness among the public on the need for conservation of our bio-diversity. This will be an ongoing programme and we have plans to raise funds for conservation of the city's animal by involving the corporate houses," said Help Earth general secretary Jayaditya Purkayastha.