Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Wildlife traditionally refers to undomesticated animal species, but has come to include
all plants, fungi, and other organisms that grow or live wild in an area without
being introduced by humans.
Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems. Deserts, forests, rain forests, plains, grasslands, 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 much wildlife is affected by human activities.
The term wildlife was introduced by Willion Hornaday in 1913 in his book "our vanishing
wildlife". Wildlife is commonly respired to represent the non-domesticated animals living in
natural habitats like forests. In simple world, wildlife means non-domesticated animals found
in wild without the caring of human beings.
Wildlife conservation has become an increasingly important practice due to the negative effects
of human activity on wildlife. Today, there are now government bureaus and organizations that
help promote different wildlife conservation areas. The government also aims to implement
certain policies that are specifically created to protect the animals.
It is essential to take actions to protect wildlife from extinction. By doing so, we do not only ensure
their survival, but also the diversity of the ecosystem. As a result, it will help improve the ecological
health of the earth.
Since this project is concerned only with the wildlife conservation in India, the reasons for
wildlife destruction in India only has been discussed here.
India is a bio-diverse country, with nearly 6.5% of the world's known wildlife species.
Approximately, 7.6% of the world's mammals and 12.6% of the world's birds are found in
India. The illicit demand, globally, for wildlife and its products has seen the rise of wildlife
crime across the subcontinent.
In India, wildlife crime is a pervasive problem damaging ecosystems, impacting food security
and affecting livelihoods of rural communities. In many cases, cross-border smuggling of live
animals and plants can result in the spread of disease through carrier animals and plants.
Major wildlife crime in India includes poaching of tigers, rhinos and the sale of Star tortoises.
Tigers are an endangered species, poached for their skin and bones to cater to an illegal
market. Their body parts are used in Asian medicines and tiger claws are used in jewellery.
Tiger whiskers are considered a dreadful poison in Malaysia and a powerful aphrodisiac in
Indonesia.
Ancient trade routes for salt, spices and wool are being used to smuggle tiger skins and
bones. These illegal goods are sent to buyers based largely in northern India and are then
smuggled out of the country through couriers. The main route is via Nepal, with whom India
has a porous border, or directly across the border to China. More recently, routes through
Myanmar have also been used.
Apart from tigers, India is also witnessing a rise in wildlife crime against Rhinoceros. Driven
by a soaring demand for their horn, hundreds of rhinos are being killed, illegally. According to
a report by TRAFFIC and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN),
sophisticated poachers are using veterinary drugs, poison, cross bows and high calibre
weapons to kill rhinos.
The Indian rhino could once be found from Pakistan, all the way through India, Nepal,
Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar. However, the current population of this species is
dwindling and today only about 2500 survive in India and Nepal.
It is not only large mammals, but also smaller species that are under threat. Star tortoises from
South India are illegally traded in huge numbers. Due to their popularity in Feng Shui, they are
kept as pets, believed to bring prosperity and can cost as much as $500 in the illegal market.
Many protected marine species such as sea cucumbers, molluscs, sea horses and coral are
also illegally harvested in Indian waters for export.
In India, the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 is a strong legislation that covers wildlife crime.
However, the implementation and enforcement needs to be strengthened in order to curb this
transnational crime.
The four most general reasons that lead to destruction of wildlife include overkill, habitat
destruction and fragmentation, impact of introduced species and chains of extinction.
Indian Tiger
The members of Felide family, which includes three great cats namely, Asiatic Lion, Bengal
Tigers, wild cats and leopard, found in India are dwindling population, Because of excessive
poaching, big cats in India are on the verge of extinction. There were only 1411 Royal Bengal
Tigers left in India as per the Tiger Census in 2008. The Asiatic or the great Indian lion is only
found in the Gir national park. One of the most endangered species of felide family is the snow
leopard which is found only in Himalayan Ranges.
Indian Dolphin
The Ganges River Dolphin is member of Cetacea family,which includes marine mammals
porpoises and whales. Dolphins are primarily found in the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers
and their tributaries in India. They share their habitat with crocodiles, fresh water turtles. The
blind Dolphin of holy river Ganges is the National Aquatic Animal of India. The Indian River
Shark is also listed as one of the endangered Species in India.
Gharial
The gharial is one of the three crocodilians found in India and is the longest of all living
crocodilians. The holy river Ganges is one the important habitat of the Gharial in India, It is
also found in Chambal, Irrawady and Brahmaputra rivers. The gharial is listed as a most
critically endangered species in India. Mass gharial deaths in the Chambal river is still a
mystery which is assumed to be caused by polluted river water.
Indian Rhinoceros
The Great Indian Rhinoceros also called as One Horned Rhinoceros is found in India. The
Indian Rhinoceros has a single black horn which is present in both male and female species.
The Great Indian Rhinoceros is the fourth largest animal in the world. The large endangered
mammal is primarily found in parts of north-eastern India, Today about 3,000 rhinos live in the
wild, 2,000 of which are found in Manas and Kaziranga National Park, Assam. Excessive
hunting for its horn, reduced their natural habitat drastically.
Red Panda
The beautiful and endangered species, Indian Red Panda is also known by the name of Red
Fox. From the two kinds of Red Pandas in the world, only one variety is found in India. India
has 20 protected areas in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal’s Khangchendzonga
and Namdapha National Park. The endangered Red Panda live in temperate climates, in
deciduous and coniferous forests, usually with an understorey of bamboo and hollow trees.
Wildlife Conservation Efforts in India:
India is a home to rich and diverse wildlife tours because of her wide range of climate, soil,
weather and other such factors. Owing to such diversity, equal number of rare as well as
threatened animals and plants are found that need to be protected. This leads to the need of
much greater wildlife conservation efforts in India. As per the survey India is a home to about
60-70% of the total biodiversity found across the world and about 33% of plant species are
endemic. There are 172, or 2.9%, of IUCN-designated threatened species in India. Under this
comes the Asiatic Lion, the Indian white-rumped vultures and the Bengal Tiger. This further
enforces the need of right wildlife conservation efforts in India. Last few decades have seen
emergence of human encroachment to an extent that has never been seen. This is one of the
greatest threat to India's wildlife.
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.
The other initiatives undertaken by the Government of India to conserve wildlife are as follows:
The Forest Conservation Act 1980 was enacted to lessen the large-scale habitat
destruction caused by deforestation.
India also indorsed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora (CITIES) in 1976. As a result, ban was imposed on the
commercial trading of Asian elephants which involved the export of ivory.
There has been a significant change in the Forest Department’s planning policy, which
not only brought an end to the alteration of first-growth forests into eucalyptus
plantations, but it also swung the importance from a commercially-centered forest
management to the conservation-centered forest management.
The elephants have enjoyed an absolute protection in Uttar Pradesh, since the
promulgation of a Wild Elephant Protection Act 1879. The authorities are also putting
their efforts to instigate Rajaji National Park, Motichur and Chilla reserves.
The Forest Department also compensated the families whose persons were killed by
the wild animals.
The capturing of elephants has been superseded.
A new conservation area was also established which was named as Nilgiri Biosphere
Reserve covering 5,520 km2. This area protects elephants ranging from North of
Palghat Gap in Karnataka, Tamilnadu, and Kerala.
The Karnataka state government has decided to exclude tourist development on
elephant migration routes all throughout the Kabbini River.
Wildlife Conservation Initiatives by 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).
Some of the NGOs that have played an active role in the conservation and preservation of
wildlife in India are:
TRAFFIC India fights wildlife trafficking in India
Wildlife Trust of India have been very vocal about the Red Jungle fowl and Golden
Haired Langur
Wildlife First works for the conservation of wilslife in Karnataka
Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) collaborate with state governments to
monitor illegal wildlife trade
Greenpeace
The first national park of India was established in 1935 under the name of Hailey National
Park that is now known as Jim Corbett National Park. Till 1970 there were only five national
parks in India but the number rose to 96 by April 2007.
Biosphere Reserves
Government of India has initiated an effort to conserve wildlife, both flora and fauna including
human communities living under Biosphere Reserves. Biosphere Reserves are actually the
areas defined by the Government of India for protecting the above said in their natural habitat.
There are seventeen Biosphere Reserves in India at present.
Biosphere Reserves in India
Achanakmar-Amarkantak Agasthyamalai
Dibru Saikhowa Dihang Dibang
Great Nicobar Gulf of Mannar
Kachchh Kanchenjunga
Manas Nanda Devi
The Nilgiris Nokrek
Pachmarhi Simlipal
Sundarbans Cold desert
Seshachalam hills
Project Elephant
Project Elephant, a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide
financial and technical support to major elephant bearing states in India for protection of
elephants, their habitats and corridors. The Project, involving 25 Elephant Reserves across
the country, is being implemented in 13 States and Union Territories in India, namely, Andhra
Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland,
Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Though this centrally sponsored scheme began with a thrust on elephant conservation in the
various elephant populous bio-geographical regions of the country, it expanded its view to
adopt a more comprehensive approach to the subsidiary issues of human-elephant conflict
and welfare of domesticated elephants.
For a better understanding of the main activities of the Project, they are listed below:
Ecologically restoring the existing natural habitats and migratory routes of elephants
Developing of scientific methods for conservation of elephant habitats and viable
population of Wild Asiatic elephants in India and ensuring their continuance through
planned management.
Promoting measures for mitigating man-elephant conflict in crucial habitats and as far
as possible negating the undue pressures of human and domestic stock activities in
crucial elephant habitats
Ensuring strictest adherence to "No poaching" acts formulated for Wild elephants and
minimizing cases of unnatural deaths of elephants due to human or other interference.
Research on Elephant management related issues.
Conducting Public education and awareness programmes.
Providing for veterinary care of the wild elephants.
Undertaking Eco-development as a major step to fortify their efforts at wildlife
conservation.
Project Tiger
Project Tiger was formed in 1972 and launched on the 1st April 1973 at Corbett National Park.
Project Tiger has successfully emerged as one of the champion endeavours of Tiger
conservation as formulated by a special task force set up under Wildlife Conservation Act to
address the problem of dwindling Tiger population in the country.
Though the initial push for the action was constituted by the growing concern to protect the
Royal Bengal Tigers, the disturbing data presented by the 1972 All India Tiger Census, which
enumerated the Tiger population at an alarming 1,827 as compared to the figure of 40,000
present at the turn of 20th century called for immediate action to curb the progressive decline
of wilderness resulting in the disturbance of viable tiger habitats. Currently, there are around
39 Project Tiger wildlife reserves in India encompassing an area of more than 37,761 sq. km.
Till date, the project has been the most successful one in preserving the tiger population at
Tiger Reserves in Bandhavgarh, Corbett, Pench, Ranthambhore, Kanha, Bandipur, Panna,
Dudhwa, Sunderbans, Manas and Sariska. All these reserves act as Conservation Centers
for tigers in India.
In the initial phase of Project Tiger only 9 Tiger Reserves were established in different States
during the period of 1973-74 by the joint effort of Central and State Governments, namely:
Manas (Assam)
Palamau (Bihar)
In concluding, it is very important to conserve and protect wildlife. Listed below are some of the
reasons why wildlife protection is essential.
1. Promote Biodiversity
Biodiversity is essential for a healthy and functional ecosystem. If wildlife is extracted from its
natural habitat, the delicate balance of the ecosystem will be disturbed which will then lead to
disastrous results. For instance, there is a wide diversity of species living in a tropical rain
forest. If any species should become extinct, the food chain will be disrupted affecting all the
species. For this reason, promoting biodiversity is one of the main reasons why we should
protect wildlife. In nature, different species are connected through various food webs. Frank
Mazzotti at the University of Florida talks about the fact that the disappearance of one species
could influence several others down the line. The loss of an animal that isn't especially
important economically or culturally could unexpectedly affect a type of animal that is, so
widespread wildlife conservation is a general preventative measure for unforeseen problems.
2. Research
One can learn a lot from animals which can benefit the human race. For instance, a lot of
medicines have been derived from the chemicals produced by animals. These medicines are
then used to help cure various health conditions, such as heart diseases, disorders, and other
illnesses. In fact, based on the statistics provided by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, more
than 25% of the medicinal prescriptions given every year contain chemicals from animals. For
instance, there are scientists who are studying venom from the pit viper to cure the symptoms
of Melanoma, and the venom from a tarantula can help fight neurological disorders.
3. Education
Wildlife protection is essential because if the animal is gone, it will be impossible to study and
learn from them. Unfortunately, a lot of wildlife has disappeared from earth due to human
activities. Studying animals and their habitats can be a valuable learning experience for
students of all ages. Dr. Eric Jensen at the University of Warwick has written about the
educational benefits of trips to the zoo for children. Failures in wildlife conservation may leave
teachers with fewer educational resources.
4. Psychological Benefits
Wildlife diversity has a broad appeal. The psychological benefits of biodiversity for humans
can be difficult to measure, but they're also difficult to dismiss. The research of Susanna Curtin
at Bournemouth University indicates that eco-tourists experience a tremendous sense of
wonder, contentment, and fulfilment from their wildlife encounters. Curtin's research raises the
question of what failed wildlife conservation efforts and a significant loss of species could
mean for humans psychologically.
Today, there are now wildlife preservation programs wherein they allow the animals to roam
freely in their natural habitat. Some of these programs also allow the animals to interact with
humans. This is beneficial since it educates the people and raises awareness regarding the
importance of protecting these wildlife species.
These are just some of the reasons why everyone should work together to protect the different
species of wildlife. Thankfully, there are now national parks that provide the best natural
habitats for various species.