Musa chunii

There is considerable threat to suitable habitat for the species in its known range through India and Myanmar. In Arunachal Pradesh, wild habitats are described as being under tremendous stress from both natural and man-made causes; major drivers of land use change are shifting cultivation (jhum), encroachment for grazing and timber extraction, and an increase in commercial agricultural plantations, while landslips are a concern in hilly regions (Chatterjee 2008, Ranibala et al. 2018). In Myitkyina District in Myanmar, about 10% of intact forest cover was lost between 2002 and 2014; this is attributed largely to the expansion of rubber, banana and cassava plantations (Bhagwat et al. 2017). The impact such of habitat loss upon Musa chunii is not clear, however, as the species is only known from small, isolated populations, this is suspected to amplify the effect of any threats in action. Research into threats to the species is therefore strongly recommended in order to best implement their mitigation.