Wildlife Conservation

Submitted By:-

Kamlesh – 181

Shivam - 209

Aakash - 199

Abhijeet - 195

Shivam - 193

The Constitution of India [Article-51-A (g)]

- Fundamental Duties

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.

Introduction to Wildlife Conservation

Wildlife:- According to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, wildlife includes any animal, bees, butterfly, crustacean, fish and moth; and aquatic or land vegetation, which form part of any habitat.

Therefore, wildlife refers to living organisms (flora and fauna) in their natural habitats.

Examples includes: Lion, Deer, Crocodiles, Whales, Trees and Shrubs in Dense Forests etc.

Wildlife Conservation:- Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting endangered plant and wild animal species and their habitats.

Cultivated plants and domesticated animals are not included in wildlife!

Facts Relating to Wildlife In the world, 1072 animal species are considered endangered or threatened, 748 plant

species are listed as well.

Over 100 years ago, there were over 1 lakh tigers across Asia whereas today this number is below 5000 worldwide.

More than 75,000 deer are killed in New York every year by vehicle collisions.

In January 2013, the fish and wildlife services reported 2054 species worldwide that are threatened. 1436 exist in the US alone.

As estimated, 50% of all endangered species live in the rainforest. The planet’s largest rainforest - The Amazon – lost more than 17% of its forest cover in the last century due to human activity.

According to one study, India along with 17 mega diverse countries is home to about 60-70% of the world's biodiversity

Indian Wildlife The Wildlife in India is a mix of species of different types of organisms.

It is home to tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, pythons, wolves,

foxes, bears, crocodiles, rhinoceroses, camels, wild dogs, monkeys,

snakes, antelope species, deer species etc.

The region's rich and diverse wildlife is preserved in 89 national parks.

13 Bio reserves and 400+ wildlife sanctuaries across the country. India

has some of the most biodiversity regions of the world and hosts three

of the world’s 34 biodiversity hotspots.

Importance Of Wildlife Conservations

Wildlife is an essential component of various food chains, food webs,

biogeochemical cycles and energy flow through various trophic levels.

Large and charismatic mammals are important for wildlife tourism in India,

and several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries cater to these needs.

Preserves vitality and health of environment and provides stability to various

ecosystems.

Wild life contributes to the maintenance of material cycles such as carbon

and nitrogen cycles.

Wild life provides a number of useful products like food, medicine, honey,

lac, wax, resin, etc.

Threats to Wildlife

Habitat loss is the destruction of habitat. Humans are the main

cause for the loss of habitat.

Wildlife that used to live there are usually displaced or killed. It is

the leading cause for the loss of species from extinction.

Climate Change or global warming is the overall increase in

average temperatures on Earth.

The rate of warming has increased due to the increased outputs

of greenhouse gases since the industrial revolution

Many species are already in jeopardy of becoming extinct, like

the Polar bear.

Pollution is man-made waste or by-products that are

released into the environment.

Pollutants can change ecosystems and can have severe

effects on people, wildlife and the natural environment.

Many organisms ingest or absorb harmful toxins that

ultimately get passed along through the food chain.

Accidental deaths and collisions pose considerable threats

to vulnerable species.

An unknown number of deaths are caused by this

worldwide.

Vehicles strike birds and other wildlife when driving along

roads.

Illegal trapping, poaching, and other demands for wildlife are a huge problem throughout the world.

Many species are sought for their use as valuable products.

Snakes are sought for their skins, elephants for their ivory tusks, and birds for their feathers.

In many parts of the world, people kill wildlife for food or to protect their food source.

Wildlife trafficking is thought to be one of the most profitable illegal trades in the world.

A national park is protected area of land in which a typical

ecosystem with all its wild plants and animals are protected and

preserved in natural surroundings

As of April 2012, there were 102 national parks.

Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, established in 1936, was

the first national park in India.

All national park lands then encompassed a total 39,919 km2,

comprising 1.21% of India's total surface area

A total of 166 national parks have been authorized.

Over 17 national parks and sanctuaries have been selected for

Project Tiger to protect and increase tiger population in India.

Total Authorized National Parks – 166

National Park’s Area – 1.21%

India’s 1st National Park - Hailey NP

(Jim Corbat National Park)

National Symbols of India

National Animal – Tiger (Panthera Tigris)

National Heritage Animal of India – Elephant

National Aquatic Animal – Ganges River Dolphin

National Bird – Peacock

National Flower - Lotus

Wildlife Sanctuary

A sanctuary is a protected are of land, wetland or sea

reserved for the conservation of wild animals, birds and

plants.

India has 515 wildlife sanctuaries.

Among these, 421 tiger reserves are governed by Project

Tiger

These cover over 3% of India’s total geographical area.

Some wildlife sanctuaries are specifically named Bird

Sanctuary, e.g. Keoladeo National Park before attaining

National Park status.

Important National Sanctuaries of India

Biosphere Reserves

A biosphere reserve is an area proposed by its residents, ratified by a

national committee, and designated by UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere

(MAB) program, which demonstrates innovative approaches to living and

working in harmony with nature.

primary objectives of MAB is to achieve a sustainable balance between the

goals of conserving biological diversity, promoting economic

development, and maintaining associated cultural values.

The term ‘biosphere’ refers to all of the land, water and atmosphere that

supply life on earth.

The word ‘reserve’ means that it is a special area recognized for balancing

conservation with sustainable use.

Map of Biosphere Reserves of India

There are approximately 610 biosphere reserves located in 117 countries of the world.

There are 18 biosphere reserves zones in India.

9 of the 18 biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves,

based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list