Professional Documents
Culture Documents
THESIS
WILD LIFE
AND
NATURE CONSERVATION
Thesis Submitted to
2
CHAPTER – 1
Introduction
Introduction.
INTRODUCTION
A wild animal is one that lives entirely without the help and care of man . It dose
not depend on man either for food , shelter or protection . when we talk about
wild animals,we mean wild mammals, for example bears, monkeys, elephants,
tiger, lion etc . According to ecologists, both naturally occurring animals (fauna)
as well as plants (flora) are included in wildlife . some wild animals are so
characteristic that they become symbols of their home countries . Thus tiger and
Peacock are associated with India , Kangaroo with Australia, White Beer with
Russia, kiwi with Newzeland , Springbok with south Africa and Giant panda with
china .
India is unique in havaing immense natural beauty in its different biomes and
in possessing a rich and diverse wildlife funna . India wild life is incomparable in
its variety . for example , the tiger , the lion and the leopard roam about in the
same country . Elephants and the one horned rhinoceros are found here in
abundance. India has more types of the graceful deer and cats than any other
country in the world . In fact , India includes more than 120 families of terrestrial
vertebrates . It has been established that there are more than 400 species of
mammals, 1200 species of birds , more than 350 species of reptiles and more
than 29,70,000 species of insects in India . The animals like black buck , Nilgiri
tahr, pigmy hog , golden langur , lion – tailed macaque etc . are unique wild
animals of India . India is gifted whit a wide variety of deers such as musk deer
(Kastura), barking deer , spotted deer (cheetal), hog deer , mouse deer , swamp
5
deer (barasingha) , and dancing deer (sambhar).The typical wild indian bird
include peafowl ,jungle fowl, quail, great Indian reptiles include crocodiles ,
Many wild animals become extinct due to various human and natural
activities . For example, over the past 2000 years about 106 spacies of animals
and about 140 species of birds have become extinct because of climatic and
geographic changes and also by over hunting by man for food , fur and many
other reasons . According to ecologists more than 600 species of animals and
Together they from the complex web of life on the planet Earth . wildlife has a
i) Food - Indian tribal population mainly makes use of game animals and
birds and also fishes as the main source of their protein food.
6
ii) Shooting and Fishing - These are useful source of income to the
people because of the money realized from the sale of shooter licenses and an
supported by animals products lick skin, horn, fur, hide etc are valuable
economic assets.
favorable with regards to availability of food , water and shelter . This method is
of air , water ,land plants and animals etc . people must set aside separate areas
like sanctuaries, wildlife reserves, parks etc . In which wildlife can survive.
Hunting is another major cause for the dwindle in the wildlife and this can be
threatens not only its own endurance but also that of the other species by
consuming major portion of the available food. Such numbers must be reduced
become scarce.
Sometimes species find its extremely difficult to survive in their own once
and releasing in a protected area that satisfies the conditions favorable for
survival.
8
A species threatened with disease can be protected by sanitation
measures in a habitat.
the species and its relationship with its biotic and biotic environment.
9
CHAPTER – 2
Depletion of wildlife
DEPLETION OF WILDLIFE
10
The various important reasons for the depletion of wildlife are:-
etc for his own gains. These are used as cover or shelters by wild
capabilities of weak animals like deer, tiger ,bison, rhino, etc . For
building new cities and towns, for building roads and railways in order
to improve our transport system, for building dams for irrigation and
other purposes and for use as cultivated lands etc , man is cutting
very large extent. Animals like tiger, deer rhinoceros etc., are not able
This is one of the reasons as to why the wild animals in the zoos
rarely reproduce. The cutting down of forest also disturbs the balance
etc. This action affects the survival of wild animals. Food is one of the
animals. Man has cut and destroyed many wild plants which form the
main food of wild animals in order to get more timber, charcoal and
meant for wild animals also helps in depriving the wild animal of the
food.
buses, rails, cars, etc and by aero plans affects adversely the wild
animals.
5. Polluted river water also affects wild animals miserably. The river and
This water may act as disease causing or killing agent for wildlife
rhinoceros carry a high fancy price. The skin of big cats also fetches
a good price. This high market value has led to unlimited slaughter of
wildlife.
the nature. For example, man cuts forests and grasslands for himself, but these
destroy the natural habits of various animals and also the food of herbivores. As
species suffer. Thus in the absence of their natural prey, tiger, lions (predators)
turn to cattle and later come in open war with man. This leads to disaster.
used time and again without being destroyed and there is a great need of
2. The wildlife has also been used commercially to earn a lot of money
5. The wild life is the cultural asset of a country like India. It has deep
CHAPTER – 3
Wildlife Management.
renewable natural resources in such a manner that they are not allowed to
other land uses in the same area and with the number that the given habitat will
manner that the desired game species are favored. Successful game
of animals. Sanatan Dharma have linked some animals with the specific God or
Goddess as the best way of conservation of wild life. For example, python has
been associated with God Vishnu, snake with God Shiva, swan with Goddess
saraswati, Lion with Goddess Durga rendering the animal pious and protected. In
16
Mahabharata, rishis and munis have been indicated to conserve wildlife fauna
such as deers and birds around their ashrams. In Arth shastra , chanakya has
imposed severa penalties for killing, entrapping birds, fishes and deers etc. In
protected areas. Mughal emperors have also exhibited their deep interest in wild
life of India during medieval period. They have created hunting reserves, called
“Shikar Gaha” for the protection and preservation of game animals. It is however,
a matter of great concern that during 10th and 19th centuries, the British rulers
and some Indian rulers have caused ruthless destruction of India wildlife for
food , recreation, hide, horn, musk etc. And also the deforestations (I . e. the act
highways, railway, dams, human dwellings and many other similar purposes. As
a result of this act more than 200 species of wild animals of India have already
been extinct and more than 250 species are at the verge of extinction, if not
them out for personal grains. India is probably the first country to intact a wild life
protection act. The wild Birds and Animals Protection Act was first enacted in
1887 and repealed in 1912. A new wild life (protection) Act was again enacted in
1972. Under this act, possession , trapping, shooting of wild animals alive or
dead, serving their meat for eating houses, their transport and export are all
controlled and watched chif wild life warden and other authorized officers. The
hunting of females and young ones has completely been prohibited under this
act, Moreover , threatened species are completely protected and other have
Policy of India are to be enforced through the officers of the Regional Deputy
Directors of wild life Preservation locatedat Delhi, Bombay , Calcutta and Madras
with the help of state wild life wings and the customs departments .
enforced W . e. f.2nd October, 1991. The new provisions of the Act regarding
enforced after the required rules have been framed under the Act.
wild life and a blanket ban on hunting in the name of saving some rare species
18
from extinction may lead to rise in their population beyond the means of the
country’s depleting forests and wild life sanctuaries to provide them with food and
(IUCN) to which gose the credit of triggering the decline of wild life , has taken
the stand that only the encouragement of commercial use of wild life can
“The key conservation issue today is how much of the Earth’s surface
has been quoted by Dr. Gralime webb, vice Chairman of the IUCN .
Some of the important threatened and protected wild animals are white
eyed buck, black buck, swamp deer, elephant, golden cat, musk deer , tahr,
snow leopard, bustard, pink headed duck, water lizard, gharial, mash crocodile,
peafowl, python , chir pleasant and monal pheasant etc. All these wild animals,
following objectives :-
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1. To ensure maintenance of viable population of the tigers in India for
people.
have been established 13 States, covering over 28600Sq. Km. Forest area.
country covering an area of 33,000 Sq .Km. .The list of tiger Reserves is given in
the table 1. During 1994-95 an amount of 770 lakhs has been provided as central
assistance for development and maintenance of project Tiger area. During 1994-
95 two new Tiger Reserves namely , Panna (MP0 and Dampha (MiZoram) have
been established.
Prime Minister provides guidelines for the management of the tiger Reserves.
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During 1991-92, 6 crores of rupees have been provided for the maintenance and
stocks of prey and poaching. About 100,000 tigers lived in the Asian wilderness
at the beginning of this century. Only about 5000 or about 5% are believed to
remain today. Atleast three species of tiger are already extinct. Tiger population
are not implemented efficiently, there will be no tiger life in the future . Poaching
is on the increase due to the high value of tiger bone which is used in traditional
Chinese medicine. Conservation groups around the world have designated 1998
as the year to save the tiger . Recently , the world wideFund for Nature (WWF)
conservation fund for tigers . Sepcific areas in India , Burma, Laos, Combodia,
thialand, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Russia have been identified where
efforts will be made to halt poaching, safeguard the tiger and rebuild the base of
Better known as our national animal, the tiger was estimated to number
around 40000 at the turn of the century . Indiscriminate hunting has reduced their
numbers to less than 2000 today. After independence, vast forests were covered
into agricultural land and this almost proved to be last straw for the Tiger . Project
21
tiger was launched in 1973 to stop the merciless decimation of these majestic
cats . For almost two decades the graph of tiger recovery has shown an unward
trend , even if the census figures trotted out by National Park magement were
more fanciful than real . However , over the past 5 year a rising demand for
tigers bones , skins and body parts, primarlly form country . The tiger is the spirit
of the jungle . It can not be saved in isolation . Its presence indicates a forest’s
health and its absence shown decay . These words hold more true to day than
ever before, as the foundations of our forest wealth wither before our own eyes.
Launched in 1973, Project tiger was initiated with much fanfare , but after its
initial success things went astray. The tiger population had declined to an
alarming low of 1827. In the late 1980s and 1989 . At present the official figure is
3750 . The reason behind this decline is poaching all illegal international trade in
tiger bones and teeth . Till a few years back, the main demand was for tiger’s
million capsules of tiger derivatives could have been imported in 1993 by Japan
from China alone . Since tiger population in most other parts of Asia has been
reduced to extinction , the Indian tiger become the main source of supply for
Chinese medicines .
1998 and 1993 . But this includes tigers in 5 reserves where either earlier data
were not available, or which have been declared a reserve between 1989 and
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1993 . The total population in these reserves is 146 . If these reserves are
excluded , the figure for 1993 is 1220 , which is 107 less than 1989, including
that the tiger population has reduced even in the reserves. The number of tigers
were 50 , 91, 90 , 97, 19, 93, 47, 33, 28, 22, 92, 77 , 94, 55, 45, 269, and 81
respectively . The number of tigers in 1993 in the same reserves were 66, 123,
94, 100, 24, 95, 47, 29, 18, 17, 81, 72, 44, 44, 30, 36, 250, and 49 respectively.
The total population of tigers in all the reserves of India in 1989 and 1993 was
The Indiaan may yet be saved. AHyderbad based Center for Cellular
and Molecular Biology has started a project that aims to produce the endangered
species through test tube births in collaboration with the city based Nehru
Zoological Park.
The Word Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature has decided to support 10
more protected areas in the country in 1998, while entering the second year of its
three year tiger conservation programme . Protected area comprising less than
2% of the land mass hold most of the tigers. According to WWF, of the 3750
• 75% project tiger reserves do not have sufficient legal aid to deal with
tigers.
recent killings of 4 tigers in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve , Uttar Pradesh . Al,l the
tigers are side to have been killed by poisoning in December 1997 , tow tigers
diedfrom poisoning in jim Corbett National Park , Uttar Pradesh . Nearly 65 tigers
1993 , the population has gone down to 3000 . the case of tiger deaths due to
killed by poisoning . Apart from poachers , a large number of tiger deaths are
The aim of the project is to ensure long term survival of identified viable
population and to tackle the problematic elephant population that that are
causing serious depredation . The project proviedes for restoring the lost and
c) Creating fence along forest border areas where damage to the crops
could go a long way toward saving them from extinction . Tow decades ago ,
Asian elephants , also known as Indian elephants numbered more than 75,000
across south and southeast Asia , where they are mostly found . But lost of
habitat , capture and other threats have reduced their population to less than
45,000 worldwide .
is struggling for its existence in the Gir forest , the Gir Lion Project, a 5 year plan
there were 180 lions while in May 1979 their number increased to 205 .
crocodiles breeding centers have been developed in 8 states of India from 1975
to 1978 . These states are AP , Bihar, Gujarat , Kerala, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil
c) Ghariyal.
Under snow Leopard project , a creation of 12 snow leopard reserves are being
sq. Kms)
1162
28
Panna Madhya Pradesh
542
Dampha Mizoram
500
Kashmir . The Project Hangul was started in 1970. The joint efforts of experts and
that of government of jummu and Kashmir have ensured the survival of the hangul.
has decided to lunch project elephant to save Asian elephants in the state .
Rs. 5.2 Crore project was aimed at protecting over 4.400 elephants
covering a distance of 5,070 Km. From the Wet evergreen forests in coorg district
reptiles .
29
(w. Bengal) houses and breeds a number of endangered and rere species of wild
those species of plants or animals which are rare. For example, some sea birds.
Wild birds and plant species are protected in Great Britain . The France Islands off
the coast of the north umber land in UK are a sanctuary for the grey scales . Small
Islands in Sahab, Malaysia Protect frigate birds. Gir forests in Gujarat preserve Gir
may have some linked affinity . For example, wild fowl refugeesof USA cater for
the nesting or migration of many species of ducks , geese and waders . Delhi zoo
and bharatpur Bird sanctuary are the specially managed places in India for the
. In India, Government has set up more than 400 wildlife sanctuaries and more
than 70 national parks for the protection and preservation of wildlife . Reserves
30
which are large and diverse enogh to protect whole sets of ecosystem, which are
rare on a national or world basis are usually known as National Parks. These
possess unique landscapes, broad level forests , mountain , forests and virgin
cover all major wildlife ecosystems comprising of 416 wildlife sanctuaries and 73
national parks .
wild life .
to prevent the depleting of wild life resources and to provide protection of migratory
species.
Indian Board of Wildlife has been reconstituted during jJanury 1991, under
of time .
others or on the direction of govt of India, which the Board may consider
Efforts are also being made by the Forest Ministry to establish State Advisory
Boards, so that the states could be actively involved in the Animal welfare Activities
1960. Six states have so far natified the formation of such advisory boards.
Under the provisions PCA Act , 1960, the Animal Welfare Board of India has
Organizations. For animal population and anti rabies programe,rescue homes and
medical equipment, veterinary hospitals and purchase of films etc. For carring out
faunistic studies. Its head quarter is in Calcutta and has 15 regional / ecogical /
falling under different ecosystems of the country . The conducted surveys include
wetlands, National Parks and Biosphere reserves etc . Faunistic studies conducted
reserves and National Parks. National Zoological collections were also enriched
new species . Awild life week was celebrated in the auditorium of ZSI< Calcutta on
3-10-91.
34
(a) Endangered – Those wildlife species whose number has been reducedto
a critical level or whose habitats are fully destroyed and are on the verge of
extinction .
(d) Theratend – Species which are one of the above categories, i.e.,
(e) Out of Danger – The species to whom the threat of survival has been
overcome..
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CHAPTER – 4
Endangered Species.
ENDANGERED SPECIES
There are various factors due to which fauna or animals of a specified region may
ENDANGRED SPECIES
SPECIES LOCATION
andNepal
India
Any of the above factors either singly or in combination may create the chances
for certain species to become extinct or even to exist no longer . Such a species
exposed when the destruction of the forests removes their cover of shelter . They
then fall easy prey to the poachers who want them for their horns, skins and
tunks.
(a) Mammals- Brow antlered deer, Fishing cat, Ganges river dolphin,
Smooth coated otter, Swamp deer, Wild Asiatic water Buffalo, Indian
pangolin, Desert cat , Jungle cat, Leopard cat , Red fox , Wild dog,
39
Himalayan brown beer, Red panda, Striped hyaeha, Indian bison,
(b) Birds- Bengal florican, Black breasted parrot bill, Black necked
crane, Black necked stork, Finn’s baya weaver , Himalayan fishing eagle, Marsh
babbler, Masked finfoot , Pink headed duck, Swamp partridge, White bellied
heron, Wood snipe, Grey headed fishing eagle, Jerdon’s babbler, Spot-billed
turtle, Leather back turtle, Red crowned roofed turtle, Assam roofed turtle, Black
some butterflies, 55 forms of months and butterflies are known in India . Out of
these 14 come under the category of threatened and endangered species and
are rare.
The following mammals, birds and reptiles have been conserved in the National
wild ass, wild bear, Sloth bear, Paboons, Bharal, wild buffalo (Bulbalus bubalis)
Marbled cat, Golden cat, Desert cat and Rusty spotted cat, Caracal, Gangetic
Capped langer, golden langer, Hanuman langer, Asiatic lion (Panthera leo
persica), Slow loris, leaf monkey, macaque, Muntjac, Otter, Pangolion, Wild pig,
maschiferus ). Hog deer (Hog hiran), Barking deer (Kotra, Rib faceddeer),
Brow antlered deer (Cervus eldi eldi or Sangai), Kashmir stag (hangul cervus
elephus hanglu ). Spotted deer (Cheetal, Axis axis), Serow, Flying squirrel, Tiger,
Crane, Darter, Bengal florican, Egrets, Golden eagle. Crested serpent eagle,
Geese, Hoppie, Heron , King fisher, Golden oriole, Magpie, Phaesants, Peacock,
Green sea turtle, Leather backed turtle, Indian soft shelled turtle.
under its Man and Biosphere Progeramme (MBP). The main objective of the
programme are:-
and monitoring.
(1) The area is not hiched to any one or two or more species, but to the
b) Thar Desert.
g) Laccadive Islands.
43
h) Maldive and Chagos Islands.
j) Commandal mahanandia
drift.
core is strictly protected to maintion its ecological integrity and adversity. In buffer
In India, the first biosphere reserve established in 1986 was the Nilgiri Biosphere
Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The second Biosphere Reserve was Nanda Devi
Biosphere Reserve was Nanda davi Biosphere Reserve of U.P. ,Which covered
an area of 2000 sq. Km. The third reserve was the Nokrek of Meghalaya and the
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve comprises rain forest area , including the famous Silent
Valley and the western Ggats in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
This area also includes the Bandipur and the Nagarhole National Parks. About20
different tribal groups live in these forests. The area is very rich in biodiversity
and consists of almost all important groups of terrestrial and fresh water animals.
44
d) Kanha (M.P.)
e) Manas (Assam)
f) Kaziranga (Assam)
i) Thar Deseri(Rajasthan)
45
CHAPTER – 5
Parks
Sanctuaries
46
consists of about 430 sq. Kms. Of forests, grassland and swamps . It supports a
fauna of 700 rhinoceros, in addition to a large number of other wild animals such
as elephant, biston, tiger , deer, wild boar and a variety of birds such as pelican ,
passes through it . It contains wild animals such as tiger, wild dog, panther, wild
district of Tamil Nadu. It has an area of about 525 sq .Kms. It is provided with
evergreen forests and Tamaraparani river flows through it. It includes wild
Kms. And includes a series of of islands in cauvery river 15 kms. Off the
Kms. South of mysore city enroute to Octacamud. It has an area of more than
wild life fauna includes gaur, elephant , leopard, wild dog, panther, barking deer,
situated in south Goa. It has evergreen forests and contains wild animals like
deer etc. And birds like lorikeet, woodpecker, bulbul, egret, jungle fowl etc.
48
8. Periyar Wild life Sanctuary- It has an area 780 sq. Kms. It was
established in 1940 in Kerala state around the artificial lake which arose behind
the dam built across the periyar river in 1900 . Its wild life fauna includes
elephants, gaur, leopard, sambhar, barking deer, wilddogs, black Nilgiri langur,
Part of Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu in 1940. It has green thick forests and diversity of
wild life fauna that includes elephant, gaur, sambhar, chital, mouse deer, barking
deer , tiger , panther, monkey, langur, wild dog, jackal, wild cat, porcupine, flying
• In 2000 A.D. there wild be state of the art technologies to tap our
• No we will never let that happen . If only we learn to use what this
Pradesh. It is a small sanctuary and breeding place for pelicans and many
11. Guindy Deer Park - It is situated near Madras and mainly has chitals and
12. Sesan Gir - It it famous for Asiatic lion and situated in Gujarat state ,
about 470 kms . From Ahmedabad . Its area is about 1290 sq . kms. It fauna
includes Asisatic lion , spotted deer , blue bull (Nilgai) four horned antelope ,
13. Sariska - It is situated near Alwar in Rajasthan and one of the most
beautiful wildlife sanctuaries . Its area is about 800 sq. km. It has dense Dohokra
and Solar forests . It fauna includes tiger , leopard , jungle cat, four horned
14. Chilka Lake - This is the largest inland lake with an area of about 1000 sq.
fauna includes water fowls , ducks , cranes , golden plovers, stone curlews , and
pipers etc .
50
15. Bharatpur Birds Sanctuary- It is located at bharatpur in Rejasthan . It
has an area of 29 sq. kms. And harbour all kinds of indigenous nesting water
birds , water side birds and migratory birds . It supports more than 325 Varieties
of birds , including cormorants , Spoon bills , white etc . This sanctuary is also
visited by many migratory birds like ducks , geese , Siberian cranes etc. Drier
parts of this sanctuary have wild animals such as spotted deer , black buck ,
kms away from Srinagar . It area about 90 sq kms . It mainly preserves hangul
or kasmir stag , but also have animals like muck , deer , leopard , black bear ,
area is 240 sq . kms. It supports fauna almost similar to Cotigo world life
sanctuary .
18. Sultanpur Lake Birds Sanctury - Its area about 2 sq. kms. It is lockted at
Gurgaon district of Haryana . Its fauna includes crane , sarus , spot bill , drake
etc .
Pradesh .
21. Corbett National Pard - It was an asylum for tigers and situated in
Madhya Pradesh.
Districts of U.P. Its area is about 525 sq kms . And is located within west to south
23. Palamau National Park - It has an area of about 345 sq. kms. And is
located in Dalton gunj district of Bihar . It contains thick tropical forests and
supports wild life animals like tiger , panther , sloth beer, chital , nilgai ,
24. Hazaribagh National Park - It was also established in bihar in 1954 . Its
area is more than 180 sq. kms. It contains thick thick tropical forests . It
includes wild animals like wild board , sambhar , nilgai , leopard , hyena , gaur
25. Simplipal National Park - It has an area of 2750 sq. km. And located in
includes elephant , deer , chital , sambher , panther , hyena , pea fowl , sloth
park shelters Tiger , Panther , Jungle cat , Civet , Sambar , Hyena , Chital ,
Nilgiri , Chinkara , Crocodile , Red squr fowl, caracal , Serpent eagle etc .This
Sloth bear, Chital , Biston , Deer, Blue bull, Four borned antelope , Peacocks
and Langoors. The lake present in the park also contains some crocodiles.
and hinter land of saline langoon . It shelters black buck , chital , Bonnet money.
Pradesh .It has an area of about 1200 sq. kms. This wildlife includes Tiger ,
Leopard, Sloth bear, Stripped hyena, Barking deer, Chinkara Chital, Sambar,
Langur, Macque and Indian Pangolin etc. This sanctuary also has a dam across
the River Krishna. It is the largest of all Project tiger Reserves in India.
30. Kanha National Park -- This National Park was established in 1955 in
manda district of Madhya Pradesh . It is about 175 Km. From Jabalpur . It has an
area of about 940 sq. km. It includes Tiger, Panther , Hyena, Chital , Samber ,
Blck Buck, Wild boar , Gaur and a Variety of birds and Pythones . This Park has
parks and sanctuaries, a number of other steps may also be taken to preserve
protected.
found guilty.
SANCTURIES
HIMACHAL PRADESH
HIMACHAL PRADESH
CHANDIGARH
HARYANA
UTTAR PRADESH
BIHAR
WEST BENGAL
Paraganas
Paraganas
Paraganas
ASSAM
Laokhnowa Nagaon
NAGALAND
Dhenkanal,Cuttak,Puri
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
Valley
Kameng.
MIZORAM
66
MANIPUR
MEGHALAYA
SIKKIM
Kyongnosla Quilon
67
Singba Rhododendron Wildlife Sanctuary Yunuthong.
Jamnagar
Junagarh
Bhavangar
Junagarh&
Jam
nagar
Mehesana
Nagar
MADHYA PRADESH
Balaghat
71
Bandhavgarh National Park Hahdol,
Jabalpur
Sarguja
Hoshangabad
Hoshangabad
Chhindwara
Panna
DECCAN TRIANGLE :
MAHARASHTRA
Nagpur
GOA
ANDHARA PRADESH
Nagar
77
SOUTHERN PENINSULA
KARNAKAKA
Shimoga
79
KARNATAKA
TAMIL NADU/MADRAS
Marine Gulf of
Mannar
Chegalanputtu
Ramanthapuram
KERLA
CHAPTER – 6
Ecological Measures
basis of Wildlife.
Loss of Biodiversity.
ECOLOGICAL MEASURES
WILDLIFE
On the basis of wildlife , whole India can be divided into seven well defined
The Great Mountain Zone Of Himalayas- This Zone includes East of Assam
The Indo-Gangetic Plain- This Includes States of Punjab , Delhi, U.P. and Bihar.
The Eastern Region – This Regions Includes Assam , West Bengal, Nagaland,
Northen Karnataka.
The Southern Peninsula - This region includes Southern Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
and Kerala.
LOSE OF BIODIVERSITY
Project (NSP), one of the Largest dams in the Narmada Valley development
project to be located in the Khandwa district of MP, claims that it could wipe out
The Wildlife Institute of India (Wll), Dehradun who conducted the report
distribution in the NSP area, will face local extinction because of habital changes
in the submergence zone and also in theadjacent residential forests that do not
face the direct threat of submergence. The report also points out that many of the
species which face submergence can not be compensated in the residual forest
lost due to impoundment by the NSP dam and related constructions like
hydroelectric generation units and canals. In some areas animals like chital,
between the submerge zone and refuge areas in peripheral forests. Among
aquatic vertebrates, otters and turtles will be lost because of unsuitable refuge
habital and their inability to migrate . According to report, there will be irreversible
loss to the diversity of area in bird species and fish varieties will also decline due
The report also points out yhat a decline in the socioeconomic status of the
people will have adverse long term consequences for an ever widening area of
Based on field surveys among the local population, the report fears
The report has also recommended the following three protected areas in the
residual forests.
c) Omkareshwar Sanctuary.
88
All these will cover 758.88 sq.km. Of compact, contiguous and rich wildlife habital
Today there is a hue and cry on “Save the Planet” and ‘Save the Environment”.
on various projects like saving trees, preventing pollution of water and air, soil
conservation and even wildlife conservation etc. With the aim of saving the planet
One of the most important parts of nature is animal. We can survive only if
animals survive. A number of projects have also been taken to save them. These
includes Project tiger, project elephant etc. But the samller animals are much
more in danger than the big animals which are also called endangered species.
We find people killing snskes , frogs, and lizards. Bats an owls are considered
symbols of evil. In fact, we always tend to forget the small animals as we look
many such animals being killed ruthlessly , because we do not know their actual
are small , but their role in the eco-system is so important that they cannot be
ignored.
89
For example, earth worms (whose enemies are birds ) are so important
that without their continued action in aerating or draining , pulling down leaves
and throwing up worm casts , the earth or at least uncultivated land, would soon
become cold, hard bound and void of fermentation and consequently sterile. The
earthworm swallows the soil and feeds on the rotting plant and animal plant. It
tham passes the soil out of its body, just below the ground surface . This soil is
rich in minerals brought from deeper down in the ground. The soil is thus
about the importance of small animals like frogs , snakes, lizards etc. The old
ones can avoid dissections of animals like frogs, rats, rabbits etc. Because they
In US and other countries children have voluntarily stepped out saying that
they would not dissect animals even if they have to lose their make in
Universities. All animals have been created so that all of us could survive
together and interact with each other. If we realize this and play our roles
effectively, the world would be much pleasanter and healthier place to live.
The burden of increasing number of wildlife tourists in India every year has
guidelines to manage the tourist influx into the various national parks and
sanctuaries.
visited by over 1 million visitors every year and Pariyar National Park , which is
CHAPTER – 7
Natural History Society, Bombay and Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and
on Wildlife for different ecological and geographical regions of the country. Snow
Under the Indo-US Rupees Fund Programme, the Ministry of forests has
The objective of the Salim Ali Centre for Orinthology and Natural History
three months Certificate course on wildlife for protected area managers at the
professional and Field Technician level during for Middle Level Managers and
Technicians and 4 week course for 16 trinees from Zoos and Wildlife
Wildlife training . WII has also been conducting short course for India Forest
biodiversity conservation.
Pradesh.
where and eats any thing from birds, small deer, reptiles,
Bombay in 1863.
populations.
million years. They are the biggest reptiles living today and are
snakes or turtles.
tigers snow, leopards are also suffering the same fate. They are
forced to move deep into the forests, away from their usual
feeding habital. The tops of trees are dying every year in the
their habit. In the last 15 years, storks have started cutting their
migratory route shorter and shorter . The reason for this change
black heated gulls are leaving their natural sea side habital for
inland dumps.
new techniques using a laser rader or lider , that makes the job
fires infra red pulses at the forest canopy and sensors in its spot
reflections from each layer and from the ground . Providing 100
predict doom for speciec such as the tiger , the Asian elephant
and the greater one horned rhino . illegal trade flourishes in tiger
skin and bones , rhino horn and ivory. At least one tiger is killed
sustain the existing and the natural growth of lions. the lions will
few birds from these places visited the lake. The Sultanpur
could be saved.
• Since the onset of winter, poaching has once again been on the
of our national heritage. There are two national parks and three
which are spread over 5940 sq. km . But in the last decade ,
there has been a drastic fall in the wild life population of the
into a national park . The JNU excutive council has also applied
species.
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• Tiger Sita, which created a world record by giving birth to 18
the park lost one tigers , two fishing cats, one elephant and one
atleast two animals are lost each month due to train and road
trains and five goods trains pass through the forest at high
speed. Two major roads also pass through the park. This not
forest fires.
find out the extent of genetic variation in lions and tiger , both in
worth Rs. 30 lakh are felled every month and smuggled out of
Ranchi 349 trees were felled in 1997 and 10,006 trees were cat
in 1998.
has warned that the Gulf of Mannar reserve, along with 5 others
reserve. There are six species threats to the reserve. There are
a) Rapid industrialization.
f) Proposed aquaculture.
The Mannar reserve is a group of 21 small island that cover about 10500 sw.
Km. In the Bay of Bengal with a coastal area of 100 Km. Ecologically, the
b) Seagrass, and
c) Coral reefs.
It supports over 3600 species of plants and animals including a few rare ones.
Following the death of two tigers in Lucknow, the Central Zoo Authority
(CZA), has alerted all zoos in the country to protect tigers and leopards against
Feline Pan Laukoenia, a highly contagious viral disease which affects only
members of the cat family. When the disease strikes. The cats stop enting, Suffer
from dehydration and high fever and eventually die. The first case was reported
from the Bhopal Zoo in March, 1997, when 4 tigers and 3 leopards died of the
same disease.
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