The rudraksh tree (Elaeocarpus ganitrus), whose nuts are used as beads in rudraksh malas, is in need of immediate conservation measures to prevent it from becoming extinct, scientists have cautioned. Out of the 120 known species, 25 are found in the foothills of the Himalayas and in various parts of the country. But their declining population due to environmental disturbances is causing concern, according to the botanists at the North Eastern Hill University in Shilong and at the Regional Institute of Science and Technology in Nirjuli in Meghalaya.