wildlife conservation efforts in india

Wild life :-

Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative.

Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems. Deserts, rain forests, plains, and other areas—including the most developed urban sites—all have distinct forms of wildlife. While the term in popular culture usually refers to animals that are untouched by human factors, most scientists agree that wildlife around the world is impacted by human activities.

Humans have historically tended to separate civilization from wildlife in a number of ways including the legal, social, and moral sense. This has been a reason for debate throughout recorded history. Religions have often declared certain animals to be sacred, and in modern times concern for the natural environment has provoked activists to protest the exploitation of wildlife for human benefit or entertainment. Literature has also made use of the traditional human separation from wildlife.

Anthropologists believe that the Stone Age peoples and hunter-gatherers relied on wildlife, both plant and animal, for their food. In fact, some species may have been hunted to extinction by early human hunters. Today, hunting, fishing, or gathering wildlife is still a significant food source in some parts of the world. In other areas, hunting and non-commercial fishing are mainly seen as a sport or recreation, with the edible meat as mostly a side benefit.[citation needed] Meat sourced from wildlife that is not traditionally regarded as game is known as bush meat. The increasing demand for wildlife as a source of traditional food in East Asia is decimating populations of sharks, primates, pangolins and other animals, which they believe have aphrodisiac properties.

In November 2008, almost 900 plucked and "oven-ready" owls and other protected wildlife species were confiscated by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Malaysia, according to TRAFFIC. The animals were believed to be bound for China, to be sold in wild meat restaurants. Most are listed in CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) which prohibits or restricts such trade.

“Malaysia is home to a vast array of amazing wildlife,” said Chris S. Shepherd, co-author of the report for TRAFFIC: the wildlife trade monitoring network. “However, illegal hunting and trade poses a threat to Malaysia’s natural diversity."

A November 2008 report from biologist and author Sally Kneidel, PhD, documented numerous wildlife species for sale in informal markets along the Amazon River, including wild-caught marmosets sold for as little as $1.60 (5 Peruvian soles) Veggie Revolution: Monkeys and parrots pouring from the jungle. Many Amazon species, including peccaries, agoutis, turtles, turtle eggs, anacondas, armadillos, etc., are sold primarily as food. Others in these informal markets, such as monkeys and parrots, are destined for the pet trade, often smuggled into the United States. Still other Amazon species are popular ingredients in traditional medicines sold in local markets. The medicinal value of animal parts is based largely on superstition.

Many wildlife species have spiritual significance in different cultures around the world, and they and their products may be used as sacred objects in religious rituals. For example, eagles, hawks and their feathers have great cultural and spiritual value to Native Americans as religious objects.

Different Animals are considered sacred in different places because in some cultures have different gods. Gods are usually the reason animals are worshiped or considered sacred.

Wildlife in India:-

The wildlife of India is a mix of species of diverse origins. The region's rich and diverse wildlife is preserved in numerous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country. Since India is home to a number of rare and threatened animal species, wildlife management in the country is essential to preserve these species. According to one study, India along with 17 mega diverse countries is home to about 60-70% of the world's biodiversity.

India, lying within the Indomalaya ecozone, is home to about 7.6% of all mammalian, 12.6% of avian, 6.2% of reptilian, and 6.0% of flowering plant species. Many ecoregions, such as the shola forests, also exhibit extremely high rates of endemism; overall, 33% of Indian plant species are endemic. India's forest cover ranges from the tropical rainforest of the Andaman Islands, Western Ghats, and Northeast India to the coniferous forest of the Himalaya. Between these extremes lie the sal-dominated moist deciduous forest of eastern India; teak-dominated dry deciduous forest of central and southern India; and the babul-dominated thorn forest of the central Deccan and western Gangetic plain. Important Indian trees include the medicinal neem, widely used in rural Indian herbal remedies. The pipal fig tree, shown on the seals of Mohenjo-daro, shaded the Gautama Buddha as he sought enlightenment.

Many Indian species are descendants of taxa originating in Gondwana, to which India originally belonged. Peninsular India's subsequent movement towards, and collision with, the Laurasian landmass set off a mass exchange of species. However, volcanism and climatic change 20 million years ago caused the extinction of many endemic Indian forms. Soon thereafter, mammals entered India from Asia through two zoogeographical passes on either side of the emerging Himalaya. As a result, among Indian species, only 12.6% of mammals and 4.5% of birds are endemic, contrasting with 45.8% of reptiles and 55.8% of amphibians. Notable endemics are the Nilgiri leaf monkey and the brown and carmine Beddome's toad of the Western Ghats. India contains 172, or 2.9%, of IUCN-designated threatened species. These include the Asiatic lion, the Bengal tiger, and the Indian white-rumped vulture, which suffered a near-extinction from ingesting the carrion of diclofenac-treated cattle.

In recent decades, human encroachment has posed a threat to India's wildlife; in response, the system of national parks and protected areas, first established in 1935, was substantially expanded. In 1972, India enacted the Wildlife Protection Act and Project Tiger to safeguard crucial habitat; further federal protections were promulgated in the 1980s. Along with over 500 wildlife sanctuaries, India now hosts 14 biosphere reserves, four of which are part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves; 25 wetlands are registered under the Ramsar Convention.

The varied and rich wildlife of India has had a profound impact on the region's popular culture. Common name for wilderness in India is Jungle which was adopted by the British colonialists to the English language. The word has been also made famous in The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. India's wildlife has been the subject of numerous other tales and fables such as the Panchatantra and the Jataka tales.

Wildlife threats faced in India:-

The major threats being faced by the wildlife in India are:

· The problem of overcrowding is one of the major reasons for the depleting population of wild animals in India. The wildlife sanctuaries of India have become overcrowded and their capacity has decreased to quite an extent.

· Tourism in the national parks of the country is increasing day by day. One of the reasons for this is a rise in the popularity of eco-tourism and adventure tourism. This has led to a growth in vehicle pollution and wildlife road fatalities, apart from leading to a damage of the natural habitat of birds and animals.

· With the increase in tourism, the parks have witnessed an increase in wildfires also. Innocent campfires started by visitors have, more often than not, led to menacing wildfires. These fires not only kill animals, but also destroy their natural habitat.

· The wildlife of coastal areas is constantly disturbed by personal watercrafts, like jet skis or wave runners. These personal watercrafts enter shallow waters and expel nesting birds from their roosts. Such activities are disturbing the mating pattern of birds.

· Releasing of chemicals and other toxic effluents into the water bodies has led to poisoning of the water. The animals and birds drinking such water face a fatal threat. Even the population of fish, living in such water bodies, is declining at a fast pace.

· The climate changes taking place in the world today, are affecting not only humans, but also the wildlife. The natural habitat as well as migration patterns of the animals and birds is experiencing disturb patterns.

· Last but not the least, the threat of poaching has been haunting the wildlife of India since ages. Even after the establishment of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, the threat of poaching has not been totally eliminated.

Wildlife conservation:-

Wildlife Conservation is the protection of all forms of life inhabiting the protected areas like national parks,wildlife sanctuaries.Its significance lies in the fact that all living creatures are the part of this complex but fragile web of life and a slight disturbance can play havoc with this web of life.The flora and fauna of this planet is being destroyed at an alarming pace and if sincere efforts are not made at the right time,a huge socio-economic cost can be paid by us,humans.A variety of efforts are going on at the international levels to conserve & preserve the wildlife.A large number of living beings are on the verge of extinction like tigers,elephants,rhinoceros,snow leopards,giant pandas,bears,birds like siberian cranes,western tragopan,vultures.The disappearance of these mammals like tigers,lions,bears has emboldened the vested elements to destroy the forests as their fearsome inhabitants cease to exist in these places.Worldwide efforts are made to create more areas as protected areas so that more and more habitats can be provided to these wildlife creatures.But the ever soaring human population has posed most serious threat.More areas are converted into concrete foests to accommodate the human needs.

Importance of wildlife conservation in India :-

The need for conservation of wildlife in India is often questioned because of the apparently incorrect priority in the face of dire poverty of the people. However Article 48 of the Constitution of India specifies that, "The state shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country" and Article 51-A states that "it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.

Due to the growing impact of deforestation, continuous efforts are being made by some anxious animal lovers to protect the endangered species of wildlife as well as those that are on the verge of extinction and thus save the world from running out its green heritage. Wildlife is important for four main reasons:

· Beauty: By their unique way of existence, wild creatures exaggerate the natural beauty of the earth.

· Economic value: The financial value of wild species is important to the economies of several nations, as it provides many valuable substances like wood and other plant products, fibers, meat and other foods, and skins and furs.

· Scientific value: By studying wildlife, scientists have gained valuable knowledge about various life processes and discovered important medical products

· Survival value: Wildlife helps in maintaining the balanced living systems of earth, which consequently ensures survival of life.

The wildlife conservation projects and programs:-

To promote wildlife awareness among the people, the Indian government has started various natural projects and programs such as Project Tiger, Nature Camps and Jungle Lodges. These projects not only help to preserve our natural heritage, but encourage eco-tourism as well.

Project Tiger

Project Tiger is a wildlife conservation movement initiated in India in 1972 to protect the Bengal Tigers. The project aims at tiger conservation in specially constituted tiger reserves representative of various biogeographical regions throughout India. It strives to maintain a viable population of this conservation reliant species in their natural environment.

In 2008, there were more than 40 Project Tiger Tiger Reserves of India covering an area over 37,761 km². Project Tiger helped increase the population of these tigers from 1,200 in the 1970s to 3,500 in 1990s. However, a 2008 census held by Government of India revealed that the tiger population had dropped to 1,411. Since then the government has pledged US$153 million to further fund the project, set-up a Tiger Protection Force to combat poachers, and fund the relocation of up to 200,000 villagers to minimize human-tiger interaction

present organization and aims:-

· The Project Tiger was meant to identify the limiting factors and to mitigate them by suitable management. The damages done to the habitat were to be rectified so as to facilitate the recovery of the ecosystem to the maximum possible extent. The overall administration of the project is monitored by a Steering Committee.A 'Field Director' is appointed for each reserve, who is assisted by the field and technical personnel. At the Centre, a full-fledged 'Director' of the project coordinates the work for the country.

· Wireless communication system' and 'outstation patrol camps' have been developed within the tiger reserves, due to which poaching has declined considerably. Fire protection engineering|Fire protection is effectively done by suitable preventive and control measures. Voluntary Village relocation has been done in many reserves, especially from the core area.. Livestock grazing has been controlled to a great extent in the tiger reserves. Various compensatory developmental works have improved the 'water regime' and the ground and field level vegetation, thereby increasing the 'animal density'

Project Elephant:-

Project Elephant (PE) was launched in 1992 by the Government of India Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) to provide financial and technical support of wildlife management efforts by states of their free ranging populations of wild Asian Elephants. The project aims to ensure long term survival of viable conservation reliant populations of elephants in their natural habitats by protecting the elephants, their habitats and migration corridors. Other goals of Project Elephant are supporting research of the ecology and management of elephants, creating conservation awareness among local people, providing improved veterinary care for captive elephants and addressing the issues of human-elephant conflict.[1]Project Elephant (PE), a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and technical support to major elephant bearing States in the country for protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors. It also seeks to address the issues of human-elephant conflict and welfare of domesticated elephants. The Project is being implemented in 13 States / UTs, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland,Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal The initial modest Plan Outlay of Rs 23 crores in the 8th Plan was enhanced to Rs 60 crores in the 10th Plan.

The main goals of the Project are as follows:-

· Ecological restoration of existing natural habitats and migratory routes of elephants.

· In 2007, there were a total of 110,000 square kilometers (42,471.2 sq mi) of elephant habitat of which 24,580 square kilometers (9,490.4 sq mi) were in 64 protected areas.[3]

· There were 138 intra-state corridors, 28 inter-state corridors and 17 international corridors.[4] ;

· Development of scientific management planning for conservation of elephant habitats and viable elephant populations in India;

· Promotion of measures for mitigation of man elephant conflict in crucial habitats;

· Moderating impact of human and domestic stock activities in crucial elephant habitats;

· Strengthening of measures for protection of wild elephants from poachers and unnatural causes of death;

· Research on Elephant management related issues;

· Increase public conservation education and awareness programs about elephants;

· Eco-development of elephant habitats;

· Provide improved veterinary care for elephants.

The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972:-

refers to a sweeping package of legislation enacted in 1972 by the Government of India. Before 1972, India only had five designated national parks. Among other reforms, the Act established schedules of protected plant and animal species; hunting or harvesting these species was largely outlawed.The Act provides for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants; and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto. It extends to the whole of India, except the State of Jammu and Kashmir which has its own wildlife act. It has six schedules which give varying degrees of protection. Schedule I and part II of Schedule II provide absolute protection - offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties. Species listed in Schedule IV are also protected, but the penalties are much lower. Enforcement authorities have the power to compound offences under this Schedule (i.e. they impose fines on the offenders).

The NGOs

There are also various NGOs working on wildlife conservation in India such as Wildlife Society of Orissa (Orissa), Rhino Foundation for Nature (Assam), Friends of Forests (Maharashtra), North Eastern Society for Preservation of Nature and Wildlife (West Bengal), Nature's Beckon (Assam), Nature Conservation Society Amravati (Maharashtra), The Friends of the Doon (Uttaranchal) and Bali Nature and Wild Life Conservation Society (West Bengal).