New Delhi, Oct. 20 -- Indian wildlife conservationist Vivek Menon was elected as the new Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) on Wednesday. He is the first Asian to lead the Commission in its 75-year history. A wildlife conservationist and environmental commentator with a passion for elephants, Menon, 57, said maintaining ecological integrity of landscapes, and saving endemic and keystone species will be critical globally. Excerpts from an interview with Jayashree Nandi after his election: India harbours about 7-8% of the world's recorded species, including over 45,000 plant and 91,000 animal species. The status of these species depends on habitat quality and human pressures. At the national level, population trends are well-...