WHAT IS WILDLIFE

Wildlife is defined by Section 2(37) of the Wildlife Protection Act,

1972 to include any animal, either aquatic or terrestrial, and
vegetation that forms a part of any habitat.

Wildlife is extremely important to the ecosystem. It plays an

important function in environmental balancing. The significance
also extends to the domains of economic relevance, investigative
importance, gene bank, biological diversity conservation, cultural
significance, and so on.

There are many laws in India that protect and conserve wildlife,
as well as general biodiversity. The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
is a law that was enacted to safeguard wild animals, birds, and
plants in order to ensure India’s ecological and environmental
security.

A Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has also been set up to combat

illegal wildlife trafficking, particularly the trade of endangered
species.

Wildlife Conservation Projects

Conservation is not specifically defined in Indian statutes,
although it generally refers to the ‘maintenance, protection, or
restoration of the natural environment and animals.

Nature, the environment, and wildlife are being destroyed at an

alarming rate in this era of climate change. Natural resources are
being depleted irreversibly as a result of industrialization and
globalization.

Wildlife Conservation projects aim to preserve and use natural

resources in a sustainable manner. This is done to ensure that
future generations can benefit from these resources. Wildlife is an
essential element of nature, so it must be protected.

Conservation programs are designed to bridge the gap between

evolutionary theory and environmental realities. This assists in
forecasting how wildlife will respond to current and future
environmental changes. It was designed to ensure their survival
because global warming, farming, population increase, pollution,
and hunting pose significant threats to them.

Various Wildlife Conservation Projects

The government of India has initiated many wildlife conservation
projects like Project Snow Leopard, Project Tiger, Indian Rhino
Vision 2020, Project Hangul, Crocodile Conservation Initiative, etc.

Project Snow Leopard

Snow Leopards can be found in the Himalayan region as well as in
states such as Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Arunachal
Pradesh, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh. The species is listed in
CITES and CMS, indicating that they have the greatest
conservation status both nationally and internationally.

Every year on October 23rd, International Snow Leopard Day is

observed. The Indian government issued the “First National
Protocol on Snow Leopard Population Assessment” in 2019. This
entails using technology such as camera traps and scientific
surveys.

CONSERVATION STATUS

 The IUCN-World Conservation Union’s Red List of

Endangered Species classifies the snow leopard as
Vulnerable.
 It is also included in Appendix I of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
 The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 includes it in
Schedule I.
 It is also included in the Convention on Migratory
Species (CMS), giving the species the highest
conservation status both globally and in India.

This program was created as part of the Global Snow Leopard and
Ecosystem Protection Program’s global protocol. This programme
is a collaboration of 12 snow leopard range countries: India,
Pakistan, Nepal, Russia, China, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia. Several
countries collaborated in the Population Assessment of the
World’s Snow Leopard (PAWS).
The Protected Areas include:

1. The Sacred Himalayan Landscape

2. Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Great Himalayan National Park
4. Hemis National Park
5. Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary
6. Pin Valley National Park

Project Tiger
The population of Indian Tigers was rapidly dropping at the end of
the twentieth century. As a result, a nationwide Tiger Census was
conducted in 1972 to estimate the tiger population.

Large-scale development operations like as dams, mines, railway

projects, and the construction of enterprises resulted in
deforestation and increased habitat loss. Tigers were slaughtered
in large numbers because their body parts are employed in
traditional Chinese medicine. All of these factors combined to
cause a drop in the tiger population.

Project Tiger was established in the Palamau Tiger Reserve, Jim

Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand, in 1973. This is a Ministry of
Environment and Forests-sponsored initiative. It is primarily
governed by the Wildlife Act of 1972. The National Tiger
Conservation Authority, which was founded in December 2005,
oversees the project.

The project’s goal is to save tigers from extinction by ensuring

that the animal has a viable population in its native habitat. The
Project began with nine reserves in 1973-74 and has now
expanded to fifty reserves. The Initiative has had tremendous
success in restoring the habitat and population of tigers in the
protected regions.

CONSERVATION STATUS OF TIGER

 Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Red List: Endangered.
  Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix I.

TIGER TASK FORCE

It is critical that a legislative authority with sufficient legal backing
be established for proper Project implementation. The National
Board for Wildlife suggested the formation of a Task Force to
investigate problems encountered during the execution of tiger
conservation projects across the country. The Tiger Task Force
was formed as a result of this. The TTF proposed the formation of
the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Project Elephant
Project Elephant is a federally funded program that began in
1992. Elephants are threatened with attrition rather than
extinction like Tigers are. The project intends to help with
elephant management and protection in states with free-roaming
wild elephant populations.

The Elephants’ Protection Act of 1879 was also drafted to

safeguard elephants throughout the country. Although India has
approximately 27,000 elephants dispersed over 26 elephant
reserves, only 65% of the elephant corridors are protected.

The protection of elephants is particularly crucial because it has

been classified as a national heritage of the country.

The Government of India did this in 2010, following the

recommendations of the Standing Committee on the National
Board of Wildlife. This step was done to raise awareness about the
elephant’s diminishing number so that people would actively
engage in its protection.

PROTECTION STATUS OF ASIAN ELEPHANT

 IUCN Red List: Endangered.

 Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.
 CITES Appendix I

The project’s goals are as follows:

  Preservation of elephants, elephant corridors, and their
habitats; prevention of man-animal conflicts; and
protection of domesticated elephants.
 This initiative is critical because it protects elephants
from poachers and hunters, hence reducing illegal ivory
trade.

ELEPHANT CORRIDORS

 Elephant Corridors are short swaths of forested terrain

that serve as a link between bigger elephant habitats.
This conduit is critical for elephant migration and
increasing the species’ survival rate in the wild.
 The corridors are divided into two categories: high
ecological priority and medium ecological priority.
 The classification is based on the frequency with which
elephants move, the size of the population, the area of
habitats connected, and the presence of other routes
nearby. The corridors are also rated for conservation
feasibility.

Indian Rhino Vision 2020

 Indian Rhino Vision 2020, which was launched in 2005,

was an ambitious initiative to achieve a wild population
of at least 3,000 larger one-horned rhinos scattered
throughout seven protected areas in the Indian state of
Assam by the year 2020.
 Kaziranga, Pobitora, Orang National Park, Manas
National Park, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Burachapori
Wildlife Sanctuary, and Dibru Saikhowa Wildlife
Sanctuary are the seven protected places.
 Wild-to-wild translocations were a crucial aspect of
IRV2020 – relocating rhinos from densely inhabited
parks like Kaziranga NP to ones in need of more rhinos,
like Manas NP.
 The International Rhino Foundation, Assam’s Forest
Department, the Bodoland Territorial Council, World
Wide Fund – India, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service
are among the organisations involved.
 Asia has three rhino species: Greater one-horned
(Rhinoceros unicornis), Javan, and Sumatran.
  Poaching for rhino horns and habitat destruction are the
two most serious risks to Asia’s rhinos’ survival.
 The five rhino range countries (India, Bhutan, Nepal,
Indonesia, and Malaysia) have signed the ‘New Delhi
Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019’ for species
conservation and protection.

PROTECTION STATUS OF RHINO

 According to the IUCN Red List, the Javan and Sumatran

rhinos are severely endangered, while the Greater one-
horned (or Indian) rhino is vulnerable.
 All three are listed in Appendix I. (CITES).
 The Larger One-Horned Rhinoceros is protected in
Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

Project Hangul
The Jammu and Kashmir governments, in collaboration with the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and World
Wildlife Fund (WWF), developed a program in the 1970s to protect
and conserve the Kashmir Red Stag and its habitat. This initiative
was dubbed Project Hangul.

The Hangul, also known as the Kashmir Red Stag, is a subspecies

of the Central Asian Red Deer that is native to northern India. It is
typically found in the deep riverine forests of Kashmir Valley,
Himachal Pradesh, Sindh Valley, Dachigam National Park, and the
Kishtwar forests.

 The effort began after Hanguls were added to the

IUCN’s list of severely endangered species. The species
is spread across 141 square kilometers of Dachigam
National Park.
 It has been considered one of the most
endangered mammal species in the Indian
subcontinent since the 1950s.
 The Hangul has been designated as a protected species
under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of
1972.
 The project’s goal was to build enclosures for the
species’ artificial breeding.
Crocodile Conservation Initiative
Crocodilians were threatened in India because of an increase in
indiscriminate kills. They were poached for commercial interests,
causing their population to plummet dramatically. Aside from
that, there has been a loss of habitat due to increased
development and industrialization.

In response to this scenario, Project Crocodile was launched in

1975. The primary emphasis was on captive breeding and rearing.
The initiative was launched by the Indian government in
collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Organization and the
United Nations Development Fund. Crocodile populations have
increased as a result of the project’s implementation, saving them
from extinction. National Chambal Sanctuary and Katerniaghat
are two of the protected sites.

Crocodiles are classified into three types:

GHARIAL OR GAVIALIS GANGETICUS

 IUCN Red List- Critically Endangered

 CITES- Appendix I
 Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 Schedule I

MUGGER OR CROCODYLUS PALUSTRIS

 IUCN Red List- Vulnerable

 CITES- Appendix I
 Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 Schedule I

SALTWATER CROCODILE OR CROCODYLUS POROSUS

 IUCN Red List- Least Concern

 CITES -Appendix I
 Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 Schedule I

The technique selected for the rehabilitation of these species was

to offer them protection in their original habitats. Captive rearing
was used, and the animals were eventually freed. The ‘grow and
release’ and rear and release’ strategies were used.
This initiative aims to safeguard the species’ remnant population,
promote research that will aid in better management, promote
habitat reconstruction, and stimulate local public participation.

The project spared the species from extinction, as it was

designated as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. It has
also aided in the establishment of wetland sanctuaries, which has
resulted in the active management of other species.

The Manipur Brow-antlered Deer Project

This was started in Manipur in 1981 to conserve the brow-antlered
deer (Cerevus eldi eldi), which is on the verge of extinction.

 The ecosystem consists of 35 square kilometres of park

and sanctuary. The deer population has expanded from
18 to 27.
 The brow-antlered deer, or sangria, is the state animal
of Manipur.
 The animal’s coat is a dark reddish brown in the winter
and a much lighter tint in the summer.
 These animals, which are native to Cambodia, China,
India, Laos, and Myanmar, were previously widely
distributed over ecosystems in south and southeast
Asia.
 Depending on the country, deer habitat can range from
shrubland and grassland to dry forests and wetlands.
These animals can only be found in Manipur’s renowned
Loktak Lake.
 While habitat degradation has been a major worry in the
conservation of this deer worldwide, hunting poses an
added challenge in Manipur.

PROTECTION STATUS OF MANIPUR BROW-ANTLERED DEER

 Endangered according to the IUCN Red List.

 WPA 1972: Schedule-I
 CITES Appendix I

Project Himalayan Musk Deer

This was started in 1981 to conserve the endangered musk deer,
which is on the verge of extinction. Captive breeding has shown
positive effects.

The musk deer, which was previously abundant throughout the

Himalayas, has been persecuted by man for its musk used in the
manufacture of perfumes and medicine. This, combined with
habitat degradation, resulted in a significant drop in its
population. With the collaboration of the Government of India, a
conservation project was initiated at the Kedarnath sanctuary in
Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand) under the International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Natural Resources’
Endangered Deer Programme.

PROTECTION STATUS OF MUSK DEER

 It is under lower risk (near threatened) status of the

IUCN Red List of threatened species
 Appendix I of Convention on International Trade of
Endangered flora and fauna (CITES)
 Protected species of National Parks and Wildlife
Conservation Act, 1973, Nepal (HMG/Nepal 2002).

Lesser Cats Project

The project was initiated in 1976 with the aid of WWF in India for
the protection of four species of smaller cats found in Sikkim and
the northern portion of West Bengal, namely, Felis bengalensis
Kerr, Felis marmorta Martin, Felis lemruinki Vigors Horsfield, and
Felis viverrine Bennet.

The Gir Lion Sanctuary Project

The Asiatic lion, which previously roamed the northern and
central Indian subcontinents, is now confined to Gujarat’s Gir
forest. This last remaining habitat of the species sustains roughly
two hundred Asiatic lions which were under great threat due to
over-grazing by domestic livestock, depletion of prey species, etc.
The Gujarat State Government created a management system for
the Gir lion sanctuary in 1972, complete with conservation rules.
The Central Government gives help for habitat protection and
enhancement.
PROTECTION STATUS OF ASIATIC LION

 IUCN Red List: Endangered

 CITES: Appendix I
 Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule I

Sea Turtle Project

Every winter, a major fraction of the world’s Olive Ridley Turtle
population migrates to Indian coastal waters to breed, primarily
along the eastern coast.

With the goal of conserving olive ridley turtles and other

endangered sea turtles, the MoEF launched the Sea Turtle
Conservation Project in 1999 in conjunction with UNDP, with the
Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun serving as the implementing
agency.

The project is being carried out across ten coastal states of the
country, with a particular emphasis on the state of Orissa.
The project assisted in the creation of an inventory map of sea
turtle breeding locations, the identification of nesting and
breeding habitats along the beach line, and the formulation of
guidelines to protect and minimize turtle mortality.

One of the significant accomplishments has been the

demonstration of the use of Satellite Telemetry to locate the
migratory route of Olive Ridley Turtles in the sea, as well as
sensitizing fishermen and the State Government to the use of
Turtle Exclusion Devices (TED) in fishing trawlers to reduce turtle
mortality in fishing nets.

OLIVE RIDLEY SEA TURTLE STATUS

Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and most numerous sea
turtles on the planet. The name of these carnivorous turtles
comes from their olive-colored carapace.

 Protection Status Wildlife Protection Act of 1972

Schedule I
 IUCN Red List -Vulnerable
 CITES Appendix I
Ganges Dolphin
The Ganges River Dolphin has been designated as the National
Aquatic Animal by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu River
systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh are home to the river
Dolphin.

The Ganges Dolphin is one of the world’s four “obligate”

freshwater dolphins, the others being the ‘baiji’ of the Yangtze
River (China), the ‘bhulan’ of the Indus (Pakistan), and the ‘boto’
of the Amazon River (Latin America).
Although most marine dolphin species have ranges that include
some freshwater habitats, these four species only reside in rivers
and lakes.

CONSERVATION STATUS

 Indian Wildlife (Protection), Act 1972: Schedule I.

 International Union for the Conservation of Nature
(IUCN): Endangered.
 Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES): Appendix I (most endangered).
 Convention on Migratory Species (CMS): Appendix II
(migratory species that need conservation and
management or would significantly benefit from
international cooperation).

The Ganges River Dolphin is threatened in India by river water

pollution and siltation, unintentional entanglement in fishing nets,
and oil poaching. Furthermore, river modifications such as
barrages and dams are isolating populations.

Conclusion
It can be concluded that animal protection is critical to
maintaining ecological stability. The extension of human activities
into the habitats of these species has resulted in substantial
damage to the ecosystem.

Wildlife legislation must be enforced more strictly. Wildlife

conservation projects aim to preserve and use natural resources
in a sustainable manner to ensure that future generations can
benefit from these resources.

Through these Wildlife conservation projects, an attempt has

been made to mitigate the damage and prevent future
interruptions. Being the most intellectual species on the planet,
we must ensure that our actions and omissions do not harm
nature.

Extinction of species can pose serious threats to the entire world.

When one critical part of the ecosystem is removed, the entire
planet suffers.