Threats to Biodiversity India has a total of 89,451 animal species accounting for 7.

31% of the faunal sp ecies in the world and the flora accounts for 10.78% of the global total. The en demism of Indian biodiversity is high - about 33% of the country's recorded flor a are endemic to the country and are concentrated mainly in the North-East, West ern Ghats, North-West Himalayas and the Andaman and Nicobar islands. However, th is rich biodiversity of India is under severe threat owing to habitat destructio n, degradation, fragmentation and over-exploitation of resources. According to the Red List of Threatened Animals , 44 plant species are criticall y endangered, 113 endangered and 87 vulnerable. Amongst animals, 18 are critical ly endangered, 54 endangered and 143 are vulnerable. Ten species are Lower Risk conservation dependent, while 99 are Lower Risk near threatened. India ranks sec ond in terms of the number of threatened mammals, while India is sixth in terms of countries with the most threatened birds. Table: Threatened Animals of India by Status Category Ex EW CR EN VU LR/cd LR/nt 0 0 18 54 143 10 99 DD 31

Legend Ex-extinct; EW-Extinct in the Wild; CR- Critically Endangered; VU-Vulnerable; LR /cd-Lower Risk conservation dependent; LR/nT- Lower Risk near threatened; DD-Dat a Deficient Table: Threatened Plants of India by Status Category Ex EW CR EN VU LR/cd LR/nt DD 7 2 44 113 87 1 72 14 Legend Ex-extinct; EW-Extinct in the Wild; CR- Critically Endangered; VU-Vulnerable; LR /cd-Lower Risk conservation dependent; LR/nT- Lower Risk near threatened; DD-Dat a Deficient Threatened Species of India by taxonomic group Taxonomic group Number of threatened species Mammals 86 Birds 70 Reptiles 25 Amphibians 3 Fish 3 Molluscs 2 Other Invertebrates 21 Plants 244 Total 459 The major proximate causes of species extinction are habitat loss and degradatio n affecting 89 percent of all threatened birds, 83 percent of mammals and 91 per cent of all threatened plants assessed globally . The main causes of habitat los s are agricultural activities, extraction (including mining, fishing, logging an d harvesting) and development (human settlements, industry and associated infras tructure). Habitat loss and fragmentation leads to the formation of isolated, sm all, scattered populations. These small populations are increasingly vulnerable to inbreeding depression, high infant mortality and susceptible to environmental stochasticity, and consequently, in the end, possible extinction. Changes in fo rest composition and quality, and the resultant habitat type lead to declines in primary food species for wildlife. Exploitation such as hunting, collecting, fisheries and trade are a major threat to birds (37%), mammals (34%), plants (8% of those assessed), reptiles and mari

ne fishes. In India, poaching is another insidious threat that has emerged in re cent years as one of the primary reasons for the decline in numbers of species, such as the tiger. Poaching pressures, however, are unevenly distributed since c ertain selected species are more heavily targeted than others are. Alien invasiv e species are a significant threat affecting 350 (30% of all threatened) birds a nd 361 (15% of all threatened) plant species. Islands are particularly susceptib le to invasions of alien species. The underlying causes of biodiversity loss, however are poverty, macroeconomic p olicies, international trade factors, policy failures, poor environmental law/we ak enforcement, unsustainable development projects and lack of local control ove r resources . Population pressures and concomitant increases in the collection o f fuelwood and fodder, and grazing in forests by local communities too take thei r toll on the forests, and consequently its biodiversity.

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