WILD LIFE MANAGEMENT
Any plant (Flora) and animal (fauna) growing in their natural habitat like forests, deserts, grasslands etc is called its wild life. India is one of the seventeen mega diversity countries and houses 60-70% of the world’s biodiversity. Many endangered and threatened species are found in India. It is a home to nearly 7.6% of all mammals, 12.6% of avian, 6.2 % reptiles, and 6% flowering plants.
The entire country is subdivided into three ecological subregions:
1) Himalayan Mountain System:
- It extends from eastern frontiers of Kashmir to Assam (Himalaya foothills), higher altitudes in Himalayas from Kashmir to Kumaon ( Western Himalayas), regions of Sikkim (Eastern Himalayas)
- Dominant flora include Sal, giant bamboo, tall grassy meadow with Savannah in Tarai , magnolia,laurels and birches, pine, rhododendron etc.
- Fauna includes Elephant, Swamp deer, Barking deer, Indian One Horned Rhino, Golden langur, Gangetic gharial Kashmir stag, etc.
2) Peninsular India:
- It extends over peninsular India, and basins of Ganges river system (Peninsular India) and desert region of Thar in Rajasthan( Indian desert).
- Teak and thorny scrubs are scattered over the area.
- Desert cat, desert lizard, wild ass, black buck, Indian great bustard etc.
3) Tropical evergreen forests or Indo Malayan sub regions:
- It comprises North Eastern India and Western Ghats in the south including Malabar coast.
- Flora is characterized by presence of shoals i.e., forested gorges of evergreen vegetation, dense and lofty trees. Mosses, ferns epiphytes.
- Fauna comprises of Hoolock gibbon, Assam macaque, giant squirrel, civets, nilgiri mongoose, flying squirrel.
In recent decades, human encroachment has posed a threat to these wild life species. India contains 172 or 2.9% of IUCN designated threatened species. National parks, wild life sanctuaries, biosphere reserves are important for conservation of these species. In 1935 first system of national parks and protected areas were established which was expanded later in 1972. Presently there are 515 wild life sanctuaries, 41 conservation reserves 18 biosphere reserves (10 of which are part of World Network of Biosphere Reserves) and 26 wetlands.
Both Insitu and exsitu conservations have been adopted. Governmental and non governmental organizations have been set up for conservation purposes.
- In 1952 an advisory body of Central Board of Wild life, later renamed as Indian Board of Wild life (IBWL) was set up.
- In 1972 Wild Life Protection Act was enacted.
- In 1982, 1st October, 12 point strategy for an Action plan for the conservation of wild life in India was taken into account by Indira Gandhi. This included the establishment of protected areas, national parks, sanctuaries and biosphere reserves.
- Project Tiger ]was first launched in 1973 by government of India during Indira Gandhi period. Under this different kinds of habitats in nine states were included for protection of tiger, an endangered species.
- Gir Lion Project was first implemented in 1972 as a five year plan for the conservation and protection of only surviving habitat of Asian lion, Panthera leo persica. It started with less than 50 and present number is about 400.
- Crocodile Breeding project was initiated in 1975 to conserve and protect Crocodilus porosus (saltwater), Palustris( freshwater and swamp), and Gavialis agangeticus (Gharial )
- Rhino conservation was introduced in 1987 for continued effective and intensive management of rhinos.
- Project elephant was launched in 1992 for elephant conservation
- Biosphere Reserve Programme was launched by UNESCO in 1971 under its Man and the Biosphere Programme (BRP). It emphasized on i) conservation, ii) research, iii) education, and iv) local involvement
- National Parks were formed to safeguard the biodiversity. First National Park in India was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park now known as Jim Corbette National Park in Uttarakhand.
SOME FACTS ABOUT NATIONAL PARK, WILD LIFE SANCTUARY, BIOSPHERE RESERVES
| National Park | Wild life sanctuary | Biosphere reserve |
| A national park is an forest area and if need be the surrounding areas as notified by the government established for the protection and propagation of the flora and fauna (Plant and animals) of the area.
A national Park allows no human activities inside the buffer or core zone. There may be limited activities (other than tourism) within the tourism zone of a National park
This comes under Category 2 of the IUCN classification.
Eg: Simlipal National Park, Taroba National park |
Wild Life Sanctuary is a forest area notified by central or state legislation for the protection of one or more particular species.
Indigenous people inside and human activities are permitted
This comes under the Category 4 of the IUCN Classification.
Eg: Manas wild life sanctuary, Mahananda Wild life sanctuary |
Areas which cover a larger area of land which may cover multiple National Parks, Sanctuaries and reserves as well.
Some controlled economic activities will be permitted in these areas – like mining and farming etc.
This is a Category 5 under IUCN but will include Categories 2, 3, 4 in it.
Eg: the Nilgiri Biosphere covers: Bandipur NP, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Silent Valley NP, Wyanad WLS, Nagarhole NP, Mukurthi NP, Sathyramangalam WLS & Reserve Forest |
| Biosphere Reserve | Reserved and Protected Forests | Conservation and Community Reserve (CR, CmR) |
| Areas which cover a larger area of land which may cover multiple National Parks, Sanctuaries and reserves as well.
some controlled economic activities will be permitted in these areas – like mining and farming etc
This is a Category 5 under IUCN but will include Categories 2,3,4 in it.
Eg: the Nilgiri Biosphere covers: Bandipur NP, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Silent Valley NP, Wyanad WLS, Nagarhole NP, Mukurthi NP, Sathyramangalam WLS & Reserve Forest
|
These are forested lands where logging, hunting, grazing and other activities may be permitted on a sustainable basis to members of certain communities.
In RF, explicit permission is required for minimum human activities. In PF, such activities are allowed unless explicitly prohibited.
This is a category IV and VI of IUCN
|
Areas adjoining PAN e and can act as migration corridors, or buffer zone.
Govt. owned land from where communities may earn a subsistence, while (CR) are on mixed government/private lands. CmR are the only privately held land accorded protection by the government of India. Category V and VI respectively |
Some important terms:
- Core area:includes strictly protected areas where ecosystem is kept in natural state. Information from these core areas may be used to assess the sustainability of activities, or the maintenance of environmental quality. Tourism and other human activities are either limited or absolutely prohibited.
- Buffer zone:surrounds or is contiguous to the core area. Activities are organized so they do not hinder the conservation objectives of the core area, but rather help to protect it. The buffer zone might be an area for experimental research, or may involve ways to manage natural vegetation, agricultural land, forests, fisheries or ranchland to enhance overall quality of production while conserving natural processes and biodiversity. This zone may also accommodate education, training, tourism, and recreation facilities. In many biosphere reserves the buffer zone is regarded as an area in which human use is less intensive than what might be found in the transition zone.
- Transition Zone, or Area of Cooperation:the large outer area of a reserve where people live and work, using the natural resources of the area in a sustainable manner.
- Restoration zone: It includes degraded areas selected for restoration to natural conditions.
- Avulnerable species is one which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of nature as likely to become endangered unless the circumstances threatening its survival and reproduction It is mainly caused due to habitat destruction.
- Endangered species: AnEndangered (EN) species is a species which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list as likely to become extinct.
A critically endangered (CR) species is one which has been categorized by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. It is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species.
List of important National Parks
| Balphakram National Park | Meghalaya | Wild water buffalo, marbled cat, red panda |
| Bandhavgarh National Park | Madhya Pradesh | Highest known tiger population |
| Bandipur National Park | Karnataka | Chital, grey langur, Indian giant squirrel, leopard, red headed vulture, Indian elephant |
| Bhitarkanika National park | Orissa | Mangroves, Crocodiles, Indian python, black ibis |
| Black buck national park | Gujarat | Black buck, cheetah |
| Buxa tiger reserve | West Bengal | Tiger, Gaur or Indian bison |
| Clouded Leopard National park | Tripura | Clouded leopard |
| Dachigam national Park | Jammu and Kashmir | Kashmir stag is only found here |
| Dudhwa National Park | Uttar Pradesh | Barasingha (antlers) |
| Gir forest national park | Gujarat | Asiatic lion |
| Gorumara National Park | West Bengal | One horned Indian rhinoceros |
| Great Himalayan National Park | Himachal Pradesh | UNESCO world heritage site. Home to blue sheep( Bharal), snow leopard etc. |
| Indira Gandhi Wild life sanctuary and National Park | Tamil Nadu | Nilgiri tahr, lion tailed macaque |
| Jaldapara national Park | West Bengal | Indian rhinoceros |
| Jim Corbett national Park | Uttarakhand | First National park, big mammals |
| Kanha National Park | Madhya Pradesh | Tigers |
| Kaziranga National Park | Assam | Indian One horned rhino, UNESCO World heritage site |
| Kudermukh National Park | Karnataka | Tiger , leopard, wild dog |
| Keibul lamjao national Park | Manipur | Only Floating park , House of eld’s deer or dancing deer. |
| Keoladeo National Park | Rajasthan | World UNESCO Heritage site |
| Manas National Park | Assam | Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur, pygmy hog. World Heritage site by UNESCO. |
| Namdhapa National Park | Arunachal Pradesh | |
| Nandadevi national park | Uttarakhand | UNESCO World Heritage site, home to Himalayan musk deer, mainland serow |
| Neora valley National Park | West Bengal | Flying squirrel, red Panda |
| Nokrek National Park | Meghalaya | UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve |
| Panna National Park | Madhya Pradesh | Chincara. Nilhai, Tiger |
| Pench National Park | Madhya Pradesh | Big mammals like tiger, leopard, fox, deer etc. Jungle book’s setting has been done in Pench. |
| Periyar National Park | Kerala | Salim Ali’s fruit bat, few white tigers, Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri marten. |
| Rajaji National Park | Uttarakhand | Big mammals |
| Nagarhole National park | Karnataka | |
| Ranthambore National Park | Rajasthan | Big cats like Tiger, leopard, and other animals like nilgai, wild boar, sambar, hyna etc. |
| Salim Ali national park | Kashmir | Himalayan black bear, hangul (Kashmir stag) |
| Sanjay Gandhi national park | Maharashtra | |
| Simlipal National park | Odisha | tiger, leopard, Asian elephant, sambar, barking deer, gaur, jungle cat, wild boa |
| Singalila National Park | West Bengal | |
| Sultanpur National park | Haryana | It is one of the biggest bird sanctuary and was declared as National park in 1991 |
| Sunderban National Park | West Bengal | UNESCO site famous for royal Bengal tiger. |
| Tadoba national park | Maharashtra | |
| Valley of flowers | Uttarakhand | |
LIST OF MAJOR WILD LIFE SANCTUARIES
There are 515 wild life sanctuaries. Among these 48 tiger are governed by Project Tiger and are of special significance in the conservation of the tiger.
| Name | State | Main Flora and Fauna |
| Nagarjuna sagar- Srisailam tiger reserve | Andhra Pradesh | Big mammals like Tigers, leopard, sloth bear, Indian pangolin are found. Besides these mugger crocodile, Indian python , king cobra are notable. |
| Salim Ali bird sanctuary | Goa | Striated heron western reef heron |
| Indian Wild Ass sanctuary | Gujarat | Wild ass |
| Dalma wildlife sanctuary | Jharkhand | Elephants, barking deer, dhol |
| Koderma wild life sanctuary | Jharkhand | |
| Bhadra wild life sanctuary | Karnataka | |
| Hazaribag wild life sanctuary | Jharkhand | |
| Karakoram Wild life sanctuary | Jammu and Kashmir | Medicinal Plants |
| Koderma wild life sanctuary | Jharkhand | |
| Ranibennur black buck sanctuary | Karnataka | Great Indian bustard, black buck |
| Sharavati Valley wild life sanctuary | Karnataka | Many indigenous species of Western Ghats |
| Perambikulum wild life sanctuary | Kerala | Many indigenous species like lion tailed macaque, marten etc. UNESCO world heritage site |
| Koyna wild life sanctuary | Maharashtra | The frog Bufo koyanansis is only found here. Besides this species, it is also home to many big mammals like tiger, Indian leopard, sambhar, Indian bison, sloth bear, barking deer etc. |
| Great Indian bustard sanctuary | Maharastra | Great Indian bustard |
| Dampa Tiger reserve | Mizoram | Big cats like tiger, leopard, deer etc. |
| Chilika bird sanctuary | Odisha | One of the biggest bird sanctuaries, important for migratory birds as well. |
| Mount Abu wild life sanctuary | Rajasthan | Leopard, sambhar, jungle cat, etc. Presence of lion and tiger was last reported on 1872 and 1971. |
| Sariska Tiger reserve | Rajasthan | Tiger |
| Nagarjunsagar Srisailam tiger reserve | Telengana | |
| Okhla bird sanctuary | Uttar Pradesh | 302 species of birds are reported. (It includes 2 critically endangered-white rumped vult ure and Indian Vulture; 9 vulnerable species; seven near threatened species) |
| Buxa Tiger Reserve | West Bengal | Tiger |
| Bori wild life sanctuary | Madhya Pradesh | Tendu, Dhaora (flora), Tiger, leopard, wild boar etc (fauna). |
LIST OF BIOSPHERE RESERVE IN INDIA
Presently there are 18 biosphere Reserves in India . Out of these 10 are a part of World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme list.
| NAME | STATE | TYPE OF TOPOGRAPHY | IMPORTANT FLORA AND FAUNA |
| Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (Under UNESCO Man and Biosphere list) | Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka | Western Ghat | Nilgiri tahr, lion tailed macaque |
| Nandadevi National Park and Biosphere reserve(Under UNESCO Man and Biosphere list) | Uttarakhand | Western Himalayas | Snow leopard, Himalayan Black bear |
| Gulf of Mannar(Under UNESCO Man and Biosphere list) | Tamil Nadu | Coast | Dugong or sea cow (Herbivore marine mammal) |
| Nokrek (Under UNESCO Man and Biosphere list) | Meghalaya | East Himalaya | Red Panda |
| Sunderban (Under UNESCO Man and Biosphere list) | West Bengal | Gangetic delta | Royal Bengal Tiger |
| Manas | Assam | East Himalayas | Golden langur, Red Panda |
| Simplipal (Under UNESCO Man and Biosphere list) | Odisha | Deccan Peninsula | Gaur, Royal Bengal tiger, Elephant |
| Dihang- Dibang | Arunachal Pradesh | Eastern Himalaya | |
| Panchmari Biosphere reserve (Under UNESCO Man and Biosphere list) | Madhya Pradesh, chattisgarh | Semi Arid | Giant squirrel, flying squirrel |
| Achanakmur- Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve (Under UNESCO Man and Biosphere list) | Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh | Maikali Hills | Four horned antelope, Sacred grove bush frog |
| Great Runn of Kutch | Gujarat | Desert | Indian Wild Ass |
| Cold desert | Himachal Pradesh | Western Himalayas | Snow leopard |
| Khanchendzonga | Sikkim | East Himalayas | Snow leopard, red panda |
| Agasthamalai Biosphere eserve(Under UNESCO Man and Biosphere list) | Kerala, TamilNadu | Western Ghats | Nilgiri tahr, elephants |
| Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve (Under UNESCO Man and Biosphere list) | Andaman and Nicobar islands | Islands | Saltwater |
| Dibru Saikhowa | Assam | East Himalaya | Golden langur |
| Seshachalam Hills | Andhra Pradesh | Eastern Ghats | |
| Panna | Madhya Pradesh | Catchment area of Ken river | Tiger, Chinkara, sambhar, sloth bear, chital. |
IMPORTANT CONSERVATION CENTRES IN WEST BENGAL
| NAME | LOCATION | IMPORATNT FLORA AND FAUNA |
| Buxa Tiger Reserve | Eastern Himalaya (southern Bhutan) | Tiger, civet, Elephant |
| Gorumara National Park | Terai region of West Bengal | One horned rhino, pigmy hog, giant squirrel |
| Jaldapara National Park | Foothills of Eastern Himalayas, Alipur-Duar district on the bank of Torsa river | Bengal Florican, One horned rhino, many birds. |
| Neora Valley National Park
TENTATIVE UNESCO MAB SITE |
Kalimpong subdivision, under Darjeeling district | Rhododendron, Red Panda, many exotic species of birds. |
| Singalila National Park | Located on Singalila ridge . | Red panda, leopard cat, birds like scarlet minivet, etc. |
| Sunderban National Park UNESCO MAB SITE | Ganges delta | Salt water crocodile, tiger |
| Ballavpur Wild Life sanctuary(WLS) | Bolpur, Birbhum district of West Bengal | Popularly called deer park, home to spotted deer black buck etc. |
| Bethuadahari WLS | Nadia district on national highway no 34 | Spotted deer, Bengal jackal, porcupine etc. |
| Bibhutibhushan WLS | on the bank of river Ichamati, north 24 Parganas | It is renamed as Parmadan. |
| Chapramari WLS | North Bengal | Elephant, Gaur |
| Chintamani Kar Bird Sanctuary | Narendrapur, South 24 Parganas | Butterflies, birds, beetles, ferns, orchids etc. |
| Haliday Island | On bank of river Matla, Sunderban | Spotted deer, wild boar |
| Jorpokhri Wild Life sanctuary | Darjeeling district | Spotted deer, Wild boar |
| Lothian Island wild life sanctuary | South 24 parganas | Estuarine crocodile, Olive ridley turtle, jungle cat, rhesus macaque |
| Mahananda WLS | Darjeeling district | Indian bison, Royal Bengal tiger |
| Raigang WLS | Raigunj in Uttar Dinajpur | Asian open billed stork, Little egret, Night heron etc. |
| Ramnabagan WLS | Burdwan | Spotted deer, Common langur, Blackbuck |
| Sajnakhali WLS | Northern part of Sunderban delta | Tigers, water monitor, fishing cat, otters, olive ridley turtle, Batagur terrapins.etc. |
| Senchal WLS | Darjeeling district west Bengal | One of the oldest sanctuary in India (1915). Barking deer, leopard jungle cat etc. |