UNIT 4: BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION

INTRODUCTION:
It is defined as “the variety and variability of living organisms and the ecological complexes in
which they exist.”
Thus, Biodiversity is the totality of genes, species and ecosystems of a given region.
It was coined by Edward Wilson.
In other words, the term biodiversity refers to the occurrence of several ecosystems, different
organisms, their species, along with the entire range of variants adapted to different environment,
climate, etc.; along with their processes and interactions. Thus, biodiversity consist of genetic
variability and diversity of life forms such as microbes, plants, animals, etc. living in the wide
range of ecosystem.
LEVELS OF BIODIVERSITY:
1. Genetic Diversity – It includes variation in the type and number of genes; and
chromosomes present in different species. The magnitude of diversity increases with the
increase in environmental parameter and size of the habitat.
Greater the genetic diversity among organisms of a species, more sustenance it has against
environmental perturbations.
 Genetically uniform populations are highly prone to disease harsh environment.
 Rauwolfia vomitoria shows genetic variation in terms of concentration and potency of
chemical reserpine
 Rice varieties
 There are more than 50,000 varieties of rice and nearly 1000 varieties of mangoes.
Importance of Genetic Diversity
 It helps in evolution or speciation of new species.
 Genetic diversity is important for productivity and development of agriculture.
 It is important in adaptation to change as per the change in surroundings.
2. Species Diversity – It describes the richness and variety of species in a particular region.
It is defined as “the number of species per unit area.”
e.g. The total number of species
1. Species richness: It refers to the number of species per unit area.
2. Species Evenness: It refers to the relative abundance with which each species is represented
in an area. The variety and number of individuals determine the level of diversity of an
ecosystem.
3. E.g. The Western Ghats have a greater diversity of amphibian species than the Eastern
Ghats.
 4. The richness of species explains the extent of biodiversity and provides several methods
for comparing different sites.
5. The richness of species depends on the conditions of climate.

Following image shows the species diversity of butterflies in a particular ecosystem:

3. Ecosystem Diversity – It describes the interaction and assemblage of species living
together and the physical environment of that area.
 Ecosystem diversity relates to biotic communities, habitats and ecological processes in the
entire biosphere.
 This diversity is also referred as landscape biodiversity because it consists of size and
placement of different ecosystems.
 India has greater ecosystem diversity than any other Scandinavian country.
 India has several biomes like alpine meadows, rain forests, deserts, wetlands,
mangroves…etc..
Example of Ecological Diversity – The landscapes such as mountains, grasslands, deserts, display
ecosystem diversity. This diversity is due to tropic levels, diversity of niches and several ecological
processes (i.e. food webs, nutrient cycle, role of dominant species, energy flow, and several other
biotic components).

BIODIVERSITY : INDIA AS A MEGADIVERSE COUNTRY

 India, a megadiverse country with only 2.4% of the world's land area, accounts for 7-8%
of all recorded species
 India is one of the twelve mega biodiversity countries of the world.
 There are about 45,000 species of plants and about 90,000-1,00,000 species of animals.
 New species are yet to be discovered and named.
  Applying Robert May’s global estimate, only 22% of the total species have been recorded,
India has probably more than 1,00,000 species of plants and 3,00,000 species of animals
to be discovered and described.

BIOGEOGRAPHIC CLASSIFICATION OF INDIA

Our country can be divided into ten major regions, based on the geography, climate and pattern of
vegetation seen and the communities of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibian, insects and other
invertebrates that live in them.
 Each of these regions contains a variety of ecosystems such as forests, grasslands,
lakes, rivers, wetlands, mountains and hills, which have specific plant and animal
species.
 Biogeography classification of India was done by Rodgers and Panwar in 1988.
 The classification was done using various factors such as altitude, moisture,
topography, rainfall etc.
 Among the biologically rich nations, India stands among the top 10 or 15 countries for
its great variety of plants and animals, many of which are not found elsewhere.
 The highest diversity of cultivars is concentrate in the high rainfall areas of the Western
Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Northern Himalayas and the North-Eastern hills.

India’s Biogeographic Zones

1. Trans Himalayan region

 Immediate north of the great Himalayan Range called Trans Himalayas.
 Sparse vegetation
 The cold mountainous snow covered.
 5.7% of country’s landmass.
 It is an extension to the Tibetan plateau.
 This region harbors the high- altitude cold desert in Ladakh (J & K) and Lahaul
Spiti (Himachal Pradesh).
 Wild sheep, snow leopards, migratory black-necked crane.
2. The Himalayan range
6.4%. Youngest and loftiest mountain chains in world.
High altitude, steep gradient and rich temperate flora.
 Valleys of Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam and other North
Eastern States.
 No vegetation above snowline.
 Chief species wild sheep, goats, shrews and Tapir, Ibex, Bharal, Markhor.
 Red Panda and Snow Leopard, Bears, Hangul.
3. The Gangetic and Brahmaputra plains.
 Alluvial plains. One of the most fertile regions of the world.
 Humid and semi/pre-humid regions
 Thickness varies considerably
 Great plains covers an area of about 72.4m ha
  Trees like Sal, Shisham, Teak, Mahua, Khair etc
 Densely populated
 Buffaloes, Hog deer, Rhinos, Elephants, Hare etc.
4. The Thar Desert of Rajasthan:
 It occupies 6.9% of the country’s land mass.
 Extremely dry parts of Rajasthan, Kutch, Delhi and parts of Gujarat.
 Dry area west of the Aravalli hill range, comprising of both salty desert of Gujarat
and the sandy deserts of Deccan plateau.
5. The Semi arid regions
 It occupies 15.6% of the country’s land mass.
 Transition zone between the desert and the Deccan plateau.
 It includes the Aravalli hill ranges.
 Discontinuous vegetation cover
 Open arear, bare soil, soil-water deficit
 Thorny shrubs, grasses and some bamboos. Ephemerals
 Birds, jackals, leopards, Sambar, Chital, eagles, snakes, foxes, wild buffaloes
 Supports highest wildlife biomass-dominant grass and shrub-herb layers.
6. The Deccan plateau.
 Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
 This is the largest unit of Peninsular India
 Highlands covered with different types of forests.
 Deccan includes Satpura ranges on south that extends up to southern tip.
 Anai mudi is the highest peak of this region.
 Deccan is surrounded by western and eastern ghats
 Western ghats includes e.g. Sahyadri, Nilgiris, Anamalai and Cardamom hills.
 Chital, Sambar, Barking dear, Elephant, Swamp deer.
7. The Northeast States of India.
 5.2% is one of the richest flora regions in the country.
 Several species of orchids, bamboos.
 Heavy rainfall
 Wild relatives of cultivated plants like banana, mango, citrus and pepper.
 Covers the hotspots of Eastern Himalayas
8. The Western Ghats
 Extends from the southern tip of Gujarat in north to Kanyakumari in south.
 This section covers extremely rich and diverse range of biotic provinces and
biomes.
 Covers 160,000 sq km. i.e. 5.8% of the country’s land mass.
 Mountains 900 – 1500 m above sea levels.
 Intercepts monsoon winds from southwest and greates rain shadow regaions to the
east.
 Evergreen forests e.g. rubber, coffee, tea
 14 endemic species of amphibians
 Nilgiri Tahr, Lion tailed Macaque, Grizzled Giant Squirrels, Malabar Grey
Hornbill.
  Amongst 34 biodiversity hot spots.
9. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
 0.3% of landmass cover
 Arabian sea islands-remnants of the old mass & subsequent coral formation
 Islands only about 220kms
 Bay islands-deeper in sea-volcanic eruptions and cooling
 Narcondam hornbill
10. The Coasts:
 The long western and eastern coastal belt with sandy beaches, forests and
mangroves.
 7516.4kms coast line
 West coast is narrow except at Gulf of Cambay and Gulf of Kutch.
 Wider at south Sahyadri
 Extensive deltas of Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri
 Mangrove forests. Estuarine tracts
 E.g. coconut trees and rubber

IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity is important because it helps in preventing the extinction of species.
 It allows the organisms to adapt according to the environment and provide wider range of
material and food for survival.
 It is the biodiversity that provides vast genetic pools that helps in preserving existence of
life on earth.
 Rain forest comprises of around 50% of entire world. Animal and plant species and
biodiversity of these forest helps in regulating the weather pattern of earth.
 Biodiversity prevents against erosion and drought and regulates the chemical composition
of the soil. It helps in determining the reproductive season of different animals as well as
the growth cycle of plants.
 Biodiversity helps in maintaining equilibrium in the environment and also defines the
manner in which different organisms interact with each other.
 It helps in maintaining the balance by recycling and storage of nutrients, stabilizing climate,
forming and protecting soil, combating pollution and thereby maintaining eco-balance.

Value of Biodiversity
It is important to conserve biodiversity because of its several benefits it offers that are essential to
live. It provides
1. Consumptive Value
 The direct utilization of timber, food, fuelwood, fodder by local communities.
 Around eight percent of the food supplies come from 20 kinds of plants but we use
around 40,000 species for clothing, food and shelter.
 It is the biodiversity that provide us the variety of food.
2. Productive Value
 Marketable goods.
 Biodiversity helps in providing several industrial materials as well. It includes fibers, dyes,
rubber, oil, food, paper and timber.
 Biodiversity plays an integral role in the discovery of drugs and medical resources.
Medicines from the nature accounts for eighty percent of the usage in the entire population
of the world.
 e.g. like aspirin comes from willows, the medicine for the treatment of malaria is produced
from Cinchona tree, etc.
 Under one category like food around 7,000 species are involved and we are mainly
dependent on 12 major crops.
 Fibers are used in making clothing, ropes, webbing, sacking, netting, etc.
 These are made from plants like Agave plant, cotton plant, flax plants, Corchorus plant,
etc.
3. Social Value
 Biodiversity boosts recreational activities like trekking, bird watching, fishing, etc. It
inspires musicians, painters, as well.
 Conservation implies protection of nature.
 The biodiversity effects cultural development as well.
 In different areas, different cultures are dominant and influence diet, language, occupation
and various other types of activities.
 During travelling, we observe and enjoy biological diversity.
 e.g. Bishnoi groups protecting and worshipping Khejari trees and black buck
 Mythology worships figures cast in the imagery of nature, trees, rivers, mountains, wildlife
etc.
4. Ethical Value
All forms of life have the right to exist on earth. Live and let live others in harmony and
mutual coexistence.
HOT SPOTS
“Hot Spots refer to the area with high density of diversity or mega diversity which are
threatened at present.” Biodiversity hotspots are defined as regions “where exceptional
concentrations of endemic species are undergoing an exceptional loss of habitat”
 These are areas with high species richness as well as their high susceptibility for endemism.
 The concept was given by Norman Myers in 1988 when he identified that the tropical
forest losing its plants species as well as habitat.
 IUCN prepares ‘Red Data Book’.
 These hotspots represent only 2.3% of the total Earth's land surface.
 They are important because Biodiversity underpins all life on Earth.
 There are around 35 hot spots, out of which four are located in India by the name Western
Ghats and North-East Himalayas. These hot spots are determined on the basis
of four factors –
1. Degree of expectation
2. Degree of endemism
3. Number of species diversity
4. Degree of threat to habitat as a result of fragmentation and degradation.
  It must have at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics which are to say, it
must have a high percentage of plant life found nowhere else on the planet. A
hotspot, in other words, is irreplaceable.
 It must have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation. In other words,
it must be threatened.

Endemic species are species concentrated in particular region. 60% of the endemic species
are found in the Himalayas and Western ghats of India. e.g. Lion tailed macaque, nilgiri
langur, brown palm civet
Hotspots in India:
1. Indo-Burma Hot spot:
 South of Brahmaputra
 North East India. South and Western China. Cambodia and Vietnam. Vast majority of
Thailand
 Distinct seasonal weather
 6 large mammal species
 >1300 bird species
2. Western Ghats-Sri Lanka Hot spot:
 Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerela
 2012-Western Ghats were included in the world heritage sites
 40% of the world endemic plant species
 62% amphibians
 50% lizards
 Major centres of diversity e.g. Agastyamala Hills, Silent Valley
 6.8% forest remaining
3. Himalayas:
 Varied topography-rich species diversity & endemism (orchids)
4. Sundaland-Andaman Nicobar Islands:
 Nicobar group of islands. Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei & Philippines
 25,000 sp of vascular plants; 60% endemic

IUCN AND INDIA: Red Data list

 (IUCN) is an international organization (NGO) working in the field of nature

conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
 It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, lobbying and
education.
 The organization is best known for compiling and publishing the IUCN Red List, which
assesses the conservation status of species worldwide.
 Its headquarters are in Gland, Switzerland.
 India became a State Member of IUCN in 1969, through the Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
 The IUCN India Country Office was established in 2007 in New Delhi.
 Objectives: IUCN India works with Members and Commissions
 to reduce ecosystem and species loss by providing the necessary tools and knowledge
 to value, conserve and use biodiversity sustainability;
 enhance governance and policy for better management of ecosystems and habitats,
including protected areas;
 and address challenges related to poverty alleviation, food security and climate change.

IUCN Red List

 The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, founded in 1964, is the world’s most
comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.
 When discussing the IUCN Red List, the official term “threatened” is a grouping of three
categories: Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable.

 The pink pages in this publication include the critically endangered species.
 As the status of the species changes, new pages are sent to the subscribers.
 Green pages are used for those species that were formerly endangered but have now
recovered to a point where they are no longer threatened.
 With passing time, the number of pink pages continue to increase.

Species are classified by the IUCN Red List into nine groups
Nine Groups in IUCN Red List

Nine Groups in IUCN Red List

 Extinct (EX) No known individuals remaining.

 Extinct in the wild (EW) Known only to survive in captivity, or as a naturalized population
outside its historic range.
 Critically endangered (CR) Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

 reduction in population (greater than 90% over the last 10 years),

 population size (number less than 50 mature individuals),
 quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in wild in at least 50% in their
10 years, and
 it is therefore considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
 E.g Himalayan Brown bear, pygmy hog, Andaman white toothed shrew, Kondana Rat,
Namdapha flying squirrel, Malabar Civet, Kashmir stag-Hangul, Rhinoceros,
 Endangered (EN) High risk of extinction in the wild. e.g. Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion, Red
Panda, Asiatic/Indian wild dog, brow antler deer, golden langur, white bellied-musk deer, lion
tailed macaque, Nilgiri Tahr etc.
 Vulnerable (VU) High risk of endangerment in the wild.
 Near threatened (NT) Likely to become endangered in the near future.
 Least concern (LC) Lowest risk. Does not qualify for a more at-risk category. Widespread
and abundant taxa are included in this category.
 Data deficient (DD) Not enough data to assess its risk of extinction.
 Not evaluated (NE) Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria.

LOSS OF BIO-DIVERSITY :
The biodiversity of earth is in danger and we, human beings are the most dangerous cause of
destruction. According to Edward Wilson, HIPPO is the major cause of destruction. HIPPO
stands for “Habitat destruction, Climate change, Invasive species, Pollution, Human
overpopulation and Over-harvesting.”
 The colonization of tropical Pacific Islands by human has led to the extinction of more than
2000 species of native birds.
 15,500 species are facing the threat all around.
 At now 31% gymnosperms,32%amphibians,12% bird species and 23% of mammals face
the threat.
Loss of bio-diversity in a region leads to:
(1) decrease in plant production.
(2) less resistance to environmental disturbances such as droughts.
(3)increases variability in ecosystem processes like plant productivity, water use, pest
and disease cycles etc.

Reasons of Loss of Biodiversity

1. Habitat loss and fragmentation

2. Over-exploitation
3. Alien species invasion
4. Co-extinction
5. Poaching and hunting
6. Human wildlife conflict

1. HABITAT LOSS AND FRAGMENTATION

 Destruction of habitat is the primary cause of extinction of species.
 The tropical rainforests initially covered 14% of land but now only 6%.
 The Amazon rain forest is also called ‘‘The lungs of the planet’’.
 When large sized habitats are broken or fragmented due to human settlements, buildings
of roads, digging of canals etc.., animals requiring large territories and some animals with
migratory habitats are badly affected.
2. OVER-EXPLOITATION
 When biological system is over exploited by man for the natural resources ,it results in
degradation and extinction of the resources , e.g Steller’s sea cow, passenger pigeon etc.
3. ALIEN SPECIES INVASIONS.
 Some alien invasion has become invasive and causes maximum harmful impact and the
extinction of the indigenous species.
 Introduction of African catfish for aquaculture purposes is posing a threat to the existing
species of catfishes of Indian rivers.
4. CO-EXTINCTIONS
 When a species become extinct, the plant and animal species associated with it in a
obligatory manner, also become extinct.
 For example, if the host fish species becomes extinct, all those parasites exclusively found
on it will also become extinct.
 Recent extinctions
 Quagga, Africa
 The Dodo Bird, Mauritius
 Thylanine ,Australia
 Steller’s sea cow.
 Dugong resembling the steller’s sea cow
5. POACHING AND HUNTING
 Illegal trade and killing of wildlife e.g. furs, tusks, skins, rhino horn, herbal products etc.
 e.g. cost of elephant tusk is 100 $/kg
 Leopard fur coat $100,000 in Japan
 Hunting in older times for recreation. E.g. lead to the extinction of Indian Cheetah.
6. HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICTS
 Encroachment
 Conversion of forest land into agricultural land
 Food scarcity for wildlife
 Electric fencing-killed elephants
 Lack of animal corridors
 Inadequate compensation-by the govt. when there is loss to crops due to wildlife invasion.
CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY:
Biodiversity is continually being depleted due to various reasons. However, in order to reap the
benefits of biodiversity, it is important to adequate actions for the perseverance of biodiversity. We
need to prevent destruction and degradation of the habitats by maintaining biodiversity at the
optimum level.
There are three main objectives of Conservation of Biodiversity –
1. To preserve the species diversity
2. Make the sustainable utilization of species and ecosystem
3. Maintain the important ecological process and life supporting systems
There are two basic approaches for the conservation of biodiversity.
1. In-situ Conservation
2. Ex-situ Conservation
In situ conservation:
a) Biosphere reserves: Out of 425 biosphere reserves in the world, 14 are in India. Hot spots
are the areas / regions of high endemism and very high levels of species richness. There
are 34 hot spots in the world, of which three are in India; namely Western Ghats and Sri
Lanka, Indo-Burma and Himalaya.
(b) National parks and wildlife sanctuaries: There are 589 Protected Areas in India of which
90 are National Parks and 500 are Wildlife Sanctuaries. They include a variety of
 ecosystems and habitats. Some have been created in order to protect highly endangered
species of wild plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.

Ex-situ Conservation:

India has 35 botanical gardens and 275 zoological parks. By using Cryopreservation (-1960 C)
technique, sperms, eggs, animal cells, tissues and embryos can be stored for long
period. Plants are propagated by using tissue culture methods called micropropagation.

Conservation of cultivars and livestock Breed is meant to prepare a seed bank or germplasm
for the conservation of good variety of crops, breeds etc. This aids to future crop improvement
and afforestation.

1. National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resource

2. National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resource
3. National Facility for Plant Tissue Culture Repository
Strategies for the Conservation of Biodiversity
 It is important to focus on conservation of all type of food, timber plants, forage, agricultural
animals, livestock, microbes, etc.
 The entire organism which is economically important should be identified and conserved.
 Perseverance process needs to be prioritized and critical habitats of each and every species need
to be identified and safeguarded.
 The international trade of wildlife needs to be regulated followed by sustainable utilization of
available resources.
 Hunting and poaching of wildlife need to be prevented and it is important to focus on the
development of reserves and protected areas.
 We need to control the emission of pollutants and this can be done by increasing the awareness
of biodiversity amongst the people.
 Different habitat of migratory birds should be protected by multilateral agreement and it is
important to first focus on endangered species.
 Efforts need to be made to set up more and more national parks, wild life sanctuaries, etc. in
order to safeguard genetic diversity. Useful animals, plants and wild relatives need to be
maintained both in the form of natural habitat and zoological botanical gardens.

Project Tiger:
  Project Tiger was launched by the Government of India with the support of WWF
International in 1973 and was the first such initiative aimed at protecting this key species
and all its habitats.
 It started as a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme in 9 Tiger Reserves across the country.
 It is administered by Natinal Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) provided in the
Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2006. Ministry of Environment & Forest is the statutory body
that notifies areas as Tiger Reserve.
 Project Tiger was initiated in nine Tiger Reserves in different ecosystems of the country.
 It covers an area of 16339 sq km.
 By 2001 the number of Tiger Reserves increased to 27, covering an area of 37761 sq km.
 The tiger count climbed from 268 in 1972 in the nine Tiger Reserves, to around 1500 in
1997 in the 23 Tiger Reserves.
 Currently, there are 43 tiger reserves in 17 states
 The Project tiger recognized the fact that tigers cannot be protected in isolation, and that to
protect the tiger, its habitat needed to be protected.
 Objectives:
 To ensure maintenance of viable population of Tigers in India for Scientific,
economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values.
 To preserve for all times, the areas of such biological importance as a national
heritage for the benefit, education & enjoyment of people.
 Tiger Census was done in 4-phases:
Phase I- Field data collection at the beat level by trained personnel.
Phase II- Analysis of habitat status of tiger for using satellite data
Phase III- Camera trapping to identify individual tigers from their stripes
Phase IV- intensive, annual monitoring of important ‘source’ populations of tigers. (i.e at
tiger reserve level) -use statistically sound procedures to estimate numbers of both tigers
and their prey. -developed by NTCA & WII, on consultation with experts

Project Elephant:

 Project Elephant was launched in 1992.

 Objectives:
 To ensure the long-term survival of a viable population of elephants in their
natural habitats in north and northeastern India and south India.
 to protect Elephants, their habitats & corridors
 to address issues of man- animal conflict
 to ensure welfare of domesticated animals
 It is being implemented in 13 States.
 There are 25 reserves in 13 states.
 More than 80 elephant corridors have been identified. This help in increasing the
population of elephants.
 In spite of this, our elephant herds are at threat as their habitat is shrinking and their
migration routes are disrupted by human activities.
 Reasons for decline in elephant population
◦Poaching for elephant ivory
 ◦Disruption of habitat & man – elephant conflict
◦Mining activities in Central India
 MIKE, Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants
Mandated by a resolution of CITES
◦Started in South Asia in 2003
◦Implemented in 10 ERs since 2004
objective- to measure the levels & trends in illegal hunting if elephants
 Hathi Mere Sathi is launched by MoEF and Wildlife trust of India
Objectives:
◦to sensitize people on the importance of saving our National Heritage Animal & its impact
on the overall biodiversity of the country
◦to sensitize both urban & rural populace on threats to the elephant & its habitat
◦to work with the government, communities & stakeholders on an awareness campaign in
order to protect & secure increasingly fragmented & shrinking elephant habitats
Crocodile Conservation:

 Cold blooded creatures

 No alligators in India
 Instead 3 species of crocodiles ◦Gharial ◦Mugger ◦Saltwater Crocodile
 Gharial ◦Gavialis gangeticus ◦found in rivers of North India ◦endemic to Indian
Subcontinent (India & Nepal)
 Crocodiles have been threatened as their skin is used for making leather articles.
 This led to the near extinction of crocodiles in the wild in the 1960s in India.
 A Crocodile Breeding and Conservation Program was initiated in 1975 to protect the
remaining population of crocodilians in their natural habitat and by creating breeding
centers.
 It is perhaps one of the most successful ex situ conservation breeding projects in the
country. Crocodiles have been extensively bred in over 30 captive breeding centers, zoos
and other sites where successful breeding takes place.
 Thousands of crocodiles of all three species have been bred and restocked in 20 natural
water bodies.
 Project Crocodile , 1975
o Government of India + UN Development program + FAO
o Crocodile Rehabilitation Centres and Crocodile Sanctuaries
o Captive breeding & rearing ◦Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary (Uttar Pradesh)
Chitwan National Park (Nepal)

Other Conservation programs:

 Programmes have been launched for the conservation of

Red Panda, Musk Deer, Wild Yak, Chiru, Tibetan Gazelle, Hangul, Black necked crane,
Brahmin ducks, Brown headed ducks

 Project Hangul (1975)-by J& K govt. + IUCN + WWF

Kashmir Stag- a subspecies of Asian Red Deer
State animal of Jammu & Kashmir
 Dachigam National Park near Srinagar

 Vulture Breeding Programme

 9 species of Vultures in India
 3 are “critically endangered” i. White Backed Vulture ii. Slender Billed Vulture iii. Long
Billed Vulture
 Vulture brought under IDWH, Integrated Development of Wildilfe Habitat
 Priorities of SAVE
◦Advocacy to more effectively remove diclofenac from veterinary use
◦Creation of Vulture Safe Zones
◦Breeding Centre & release programmes
 The vulture research facility at Pinjore, Haryana became Asia’s first Vulture Conservation
Breeding Centre in 2005.
 At present, India has four vulture breeding facilities
 Rani, Guwahati (Assam),
 Pinjore (Haryana),
 Buxa (West Bengal), and
 Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh)
 There are four more centers managed by Central Zoo Authority: in Junagarh in Gujarat,
Nandankanan in Orissa, Hyderabad in Telangana and Muta in Ranchi.
 Vulture Safe Zones:
A Vulture Safe Zone (VSZ) is a geographical area of at least 100 Km radius, which is
designated as natural habitat of wild vultures and is made free of the presence of the drug
diclofenac in animal carcasses.
 Objectives of Vulture Breeding Program
In order to make the vulture conservation programme sustainable, BNHS has identified a
set of action points as part of its India blueprint.
o Intensifying policy and public advocacy for drug ban enforcement
o Continued research for safer alternatives to the banned drugs
o Ensuring survival and scaling up of conservation breeding initiative Exploring a
sustainable livestock sourcing project for feeding captive vultures through a community
o Viable expansion of vulture safe zones
o Releasing captive-bred birds in safe zones
o Strengthening sensitization and monitoring activities

Ganga River Dolphin

 National Aquatic Animal
 inhabits parts of Ganga-Brahmaputra River system
 among the 4 obligate freshwater dolphins
 said to represent the purity of Ganga as it can thrive only in freshwater
 main reasons for decline in population
◦poaching for oil
◦habitat degradation due to declining flow
◦heavy siltation, sand mining
◦construction of barrages causing physical barrier
 Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctaury in Bihar
 Sea Turtle Conservation Project, 1999
 mainly Olive Ridley Turtles
 Comes to nest & lay eggs on the eastern coast of India in winter
 GoI + UNDP
 Implemented across 10 states special emphasis in Odisha
 Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha

Indian Rhinoceros
 One horned Rhino
 Around 3000 in the world,
 >2000 in Assam, mainly Kaziranga
 Indian Rhino Vision 2020
◦to increase Rhino population in Assam to 3000 by 2020, distributed over at least 7
Protected Areas to ensure long term viability
Govt. initiatives for biodiversity conservation
INITIATIVES FOR THE CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY IN INDIA
The Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976.
Article 48 A “The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard
the forests and wild life of the country”
Fundamental Duty- Article 51 A (g) “it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and
improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have
compassion for living creatures

1. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (1992) “the variability among living

organisms, inter alia, terrestrial, marine, & other aquatic ecosystems & the ecological
complexes of which they are part of; this includes diversity within species, between
species & of ecosysytems”

2. Biological Diversity Act (2002) "biological diversity" means the variability among
living organisms from all sources & the ecological complexes of which they are part, and
includes diversity within species or between species & of eco sysytems”
conservation of biological diversity,
sustainable use of its components
fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of biological resources
meet the obligations under Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and National
Biodiversity Authority

Highlights of the Act

all foreign national require approval from NBA for obtaining Biological Resources
Indian individuals/entities to seek approval before transferring knowledge / research and
material to foreigners.
 Prior approval of NBA before applying for any kind of IPR based on research conducted on
biological material and or associated knowledge obtained from India
Indians required to provide prior intimation to State Biodiversity Boards for obtaining
biological material for commercial purposes. SBB can regulate such access
Growers and cultivators of Biological Diversity and vaids and hakims who are practicing
Indian system of medicines and local people exempted

3. May 22nd –International Day of Biological Diversity. UN declared 2010 as a decade on

Biodiversity

Schemes by India:
Wildlife protection has launched 5 schemes under two broader sector:
1. Central Sector, (CS) :
(a) Strengthening of Wildlife Divisions
(b) Animal Welfare
2. Centrally Sponsored Scheme, (CSS) :
(a) Integrated development of wildlife habitats
(b) Project Tiger
(c) Project Elephant
Under CSS program for protection of wildlife, 11th five year program (FYP), Integrated
Development of Wildlife Habitat (IDWH) is launched. It focuses on the development of wildlife
habitats
Objectives:
i. Support to Protected Areas (National Parks, WildLife Sanctuaries, Conservation
Reserves & Community Reserves)
ii. Protection of Wildlife outside Protected Areas
iii. Recovery programs for saving critically endangered species & habitats
iv. Financial & technical assistance to states to protect threatened species, like ◦Snow
Leopard ◦Hangul ◦Dugongs ◦Edible Nest Swiftlets ◦Asian Wild Buffalos ◦Manipur –
Brow Antlered Deer ◦Vultures ◦Asiatic Lion

SAVE SILENT VALLEY

was a social movement aimed at the protection of Silent Valley, an evergreen tropical forest in the
Palakkad district of Kerala, India.
It was started in 1973 by an NGO led by school teachers and the Kerala Sastra Sahithya Parishad
(KSSP) to save the Silent Valley from being flooded by a hydroelectric project.
The valley was declared as Silent Valley National Park in 1985.
After the announcement of imminent dam construction the valley became the focal point of Save
Silent Valley Movement, India's fiercest environmental debate of the decade.
Because of concern about the endangered lion-tailed macaque, the issue was brought to
public attention.
Romulus Whitaker, founder of the Madras Snake Park and the Madras Crocodile Bank, was
probably the first person to draw public attention to the small and remote area.[1]
 1976, National Council for Environmental Planning studied fusibility of hydroelectric
project.
 1977, Kerala Sastra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP) adopted the resolution to save the Silent
Valley form water projct.
 1977 the Kerala Forest Research Institute carried out an ecological impact study of the
Silent Valley area and proposed that the area be declared a biosphere reserve.
 1978 Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, approved the project, with the condition that
the state government enact legislation ensuring the necessary safeguards.
 Also, that year the IUCN (International Union of conservation of nature) passed IUCN
adopted the resolution to urge the Indian govt. to protect and save, recommending
protection of lion-tailed macaques in Silent Valley and Kalakkad and the controversy
heated up.
 1979 the Government of Kerala passed legislation regarding the Silent Valley Protection
Area (Protection of Ecological balance Act of 1979) and issued a notification declaring the
exclusion of the hydroelectric project area from the proposed national park.
 March 15, 1980 was considered as Silent Valley day
 In 1983, the project was shelved.
 September 7, 1985 notified it as National Park.