BIO-DIVERSITY CONSERVATION

O V E RV I E W

 The preservation of the diversity of numerous species

and organisms that are significant to nature constitutes
biodiversity conservation.
 The key goals of biodiversity conservation include:
o maintaining the diversity of species
o sustainable use of ecosystems
o sustainable use of species
 The conservation of biological diversity also helps to
maintain the integrity of food chains and vital ecological
richness. In-situ and Ex-situ conservation are the two
modes under which biodiversity conservation takes
place.
 M O D E S O F B I O D I V E R S I T Y C O N S E RVAT I O N

Ex-situ Conservation
 This method involves removing threatened animals and plants from
their native environment and relocating them to a designated location
where they can be protected and given specialized care.
 This is accomplished by zoological parks, botanical gardens, wildlife
safari parks, and seed banks.
 Many species of animals are nevertheless kept alive in zoological parks
despite going extinct in the wild.
 Ex-situ conservation has recently gone beyond the preservation of
vulnerable species.
 Now, utilizing cryopreservation technology, gametes of endangered
species can be kept in viable and fertile form for extended periods of
time.
 In vitro fertilization of eggs and tissue culture techniques for plant
propagation are also possible.
 In seed banks, seeds of several genetic strains of commercially
significant plants can be preserved for a long time.
 E X - S I T U C O N S E RVAT I O N

Advantages
 Organisms are completely protected from predators and poachers.
 Individuals' health can be tracked and medical assistance can be provided as required.
 Populations can be divided more effectively in the case of a disaster.
 The genetic diversity of the population can be measured.
 Selective breeding programs can be implemented.
Disadvantages
 Genetic diversity in captive populations is minimal.
 As the creatures are residing outside of their normal habitat, nutritional problems could occur.
 Animals can be exposed to a wide variety of various diseases.
 Animals might not behave normally.
 I N - S I T U C O N S E RVAT I O N

 The preservation of genetic resources in naturally occurring populations of a plant or animal species is known as in-situ
conservation.
 It keeps the material where it was originally discovered and preserves the natural process of evolution which is not the
case in ex-situ preservation.
 Biosphere reserves, national parks, sanctuaries, reserved forests, protected forests, and nature reserves are all forms of
legal protection for ecologically distinct and biodiversity-rich locations in India.
 Turkey appears to be the first nation to have a national strategy for the preservation of genetic variation in its natural
habitat.
Advantages
 Cost Efficient: In-situ conservation is an inexpensive and practical strategy to preserve biological variety.
 The species is allowed to develop in its native environment, where it has been developing for a long time, with the
elimination of factors that are harmful to the species' survival. This significantly lowers the cost of conservation activities.
 Protection of Entire Ecosystem: We safeguard the complete ecosystem or natural habitat in order to guarantee the
continued existence of the species.
 Naturally, the system needs a sufficient number of herbivores to provide food for the predators in order to protect a
population of carnivores.
 There must be plenty of green foliage for herbivores to eat in order to keep the number of herbivores stable. As a result, a
 I N - S I T U C O N S E RVAT I O N

Disadvantages
 Survival: Fragmented endangered habitats may not have enough space to guarantee the survival of these species.
 The Decline in Genetic Diversity: There may already be a significant decline in genetic diversity.
 Diseases and Interspecific Competition: There may still be diseases or interspecific competition, for example, that
threaten the local organisms.

For detail Information

https://wiienvis.nic.in/Database/npa_8231.aspx
 N AT I O N A L PA R K S

An area, whether within a sanctuary or not, can be notified by the state government to be constituted as a National
Park, by reason of its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, or zoological association or importance, needed
to for the purpose of protecting & propagating or developing wildlife therein or its environment. No human activity
is permitted inside the national park except for the ones permitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state under
the conditions given in CHAPTER IV, WPA 1972.
 They are the locations that the government has designated for the preservation of the environment.
 Compared to a wildlife sanctuary, a national park has additional restrictions.
 A national park's primary goals are to conserve biodiversity and the local natural environment.
 Their limits are set and clearly defined. No human activity is permitted here.
 Private tenancy rights and livestock grazing are prohibited in this area.
 There are 106 existing national parks in India covering an area of 44,402.95 km2.
 Jim Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand), Kanha Tiger National Park (Madhya Pradesh), and Kaziranga National
Park (Assam) are a few examples.
 W I L D L I F E S A N C T U A RY

Any area other than area comprised with any reserve forest or the
territorial waters can be notified by the State Government to constitute as
a sanctuary if such area is of adequate ecological, faunal, floral,
geomorphological, natural. or zoological significance, for the purpose of
protecting, propagating or developing wildlife or its environment. Some
restricted human activities are allowed inside the Sanctuary area details
of which are given in CHAPTER IV, WPA 1972.
 There are 567 existing wildlife sanctuaries in India covering an area of
125564.86 km2.
 Wildlife Sanctuaries are similar to national parks.
 Additionally, it is a protected area set aside for wildlife conservation. At
wildlife sanctuaries, endangered species are given special attention.
 It also protects the plant species, allowing for the legalization of human
activities like timber harvesting, small forest product production, and
private property rights.
 In India, further initiatives include Project Rhino, Project Indian
Bustard, and a few eco-developmental initiatives have been started.
 On April 1st, 1973, Kailash Sankhala introduced Project Tiger, one of
the most effective conservation initiatives, to India.
 B I O S P H E R E R E S E RV E S

 Protection of wildlife and flora has become crucial. Although it

can be difficult, protecting and conserving animal and plant
species is essential if humans are to survive.
 The term "biosphere reserve" refers to a protected area of land or
a coastal environment where the land is divided into separate
zones for a variety of uses.
 Core Area: Unaltered ecosystems are legally protected as part of
the natural or core zone.
 Buffer Zone: The buffer zone encircles the core region. It
supports a wide range of resource use tactics.
 Transition Zone: The transition zone is located at the very edge.
It is a protected area for the local populations of animals, plants,
and people.
 Nanda Devi (Uttarakhand), Manas (Assam), Dibru Saikhowa
(Assam), Great Nicobar, Sunderbans (West Bengal), and
Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh) are few examples of India's
biosphere reserves.
 Biosphere reserves are sites established by
countries and recognized under UNESCO's Man
and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme to promote
sustainable development based on local
community efforts and sound science.
 The programme of Biosphere Reserve was
initiated by UNESCO in 1971. The purpose of the
formation of the biosphere reserve is to conserve
in situ all forms of life, along with its support
system, in its totality, so that it could serve as a
referral system for monitoring and evaluating
changes in natural ecosystems.
 The first biosphere reserve of the world was
established in 1979, since then the network of
biosphere reserves has increased to 631 in 119
countries across the world.
 Presently, there are 18 notified biosphere reserves
in India.
 I M P O RTA N C E O F B I O D I V E R S I T Y C O N S E RVAT I O N

 Promotion of Human Culture: The diversity of living things is crucial to the health of our ecosystem. It encourages
the growth of the human culture.
 Sustainable Development: Every organism is connected to another in some way, according to the ecological role. They
work together and support one another for greater sustainable growth. Some species rely on other organisms for
nourishment while others use sunlight to produce food for themselves.
 Maintenance of Nature’s Balance: The equilibrium of natural cycles, such as the movement of water and nutrients
through an ecosystem, is maintained by species.
 The likelihood of their survival increases with the diversity of the ecosystem.
 Economic Role of Biodiversity: Biodiversity has a vital role in human existence and the economy. It offers the
resources. The diversity of crops is crucial to human survival. Humans can obtain food, medicines, and other goods
from biodiversity's resource pool. Due to its widespread use, this also causes biodiversity declines. Humans take
advantage of biodiversity for their own gain.
 Scientific Role of Biodiversity: Biodiversity is crucial because it teaches us about the origins, processes, and evolution
of diverse natural phenomena.
 It also aids in understanding how a species behaves. Participating in the extinction of other species is wrong. They have
the same right to live on the planet as humans have.
 T H R E AT S T O B I O D I V E R S I T Y C O N S E RVAT I O N

 Consumption of Natural Resources: The overall consumption of natural resources has increased as the human
population has grown in recent years.
 Deforestation: To meet the demands of the expanding population, deforestation and overexploitation have intensified.
 Destruction of Tropical Forests: Only the tropical forests of the world are home to almost half of all species. Massive
catastrophes could result from their destruction.
 Natural Disasters: Natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, droughts, etc. can also
affect species. These disasters have an impact on flora and animals.
 Use of Chemical Pesticides: The extensive use of chemical pesticides in agriculture and the industrial waste that is
dumped into the rivers endanger a variety of local animals.
 Pollutants: Hydrocarbons and other harmful substances are among the pollutants that kill delicate and vulnerable
animals.
 Exotic Species: The term "exotic species" refers to species that are introduced to a location as residents rather than
existing there naturally. Since they were not found and grown there, they were unable to survive and eventually went
extinct. Certain species are also incapable of surviving in an unfamiliar environment. Therefore, the introduction of
foreign species can occasionally harm the ecology.
 Poaching: Additionally, it has been seen that poachers hunt creatures like elephants, tigers, crocodiles, minks, and birds
mercilessly for their tusks, horns, etc. As a result, several species are now considered endangered.
 M A J O R S T E P S TA K E N AT G L O B A L L E V E L

 Earth Summit: The Convention on Biodiversity was signed during the Earth Summit in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
which also included the participation of the Government of India and 155 other countries.
 Numerous steps have been suggested by the global conservation strategy to preserve biodiversity.
 Wild Life Protection Act, 1972: The Indian government created the Wild Life Protection Act in 1972 to protect
wildlife, plants, and forests.
 Numerous sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, and national parks have been established as a result of this act.
 Mega Diversity Centers: Tropical regions are among those with high biodiversity. Mega Diversity Centers is the name
given to them.
 Twelve nations—India, Mexico, Columbia, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar,
China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia—are home to these "mega diversity centers.
 International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources: IUCN (International Union for the
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) has identified hotspots in these vulnerable regions that need to be
conserved.
 B I O D I V E R S I T Y C O N S E RVAT I O N I N I N D I A

 India is signatory to several major international conventions relating to conservation and management of wildlife. Some
of these are Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES) etc.
 India is one among the 17 mega diverse countries of the world. But many plants and animals are facing threat of
extinction.
 To protect the critically endangered and other threatened animal and plant species, Government of India has adopted
many steps, laws and policy initiatives.
 In India, commendable efforts have been made for in-situ conservation of biodiversity. Under Protected Area network,
now we have 13 Biosphere Reserves set up in different biogeography regions of the country, besides 485 wildlife
Sanctuaries and 87 National Parks. Some special projects were also started for providing protection to wildlife in their
natural habitats.
 Four of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots are located in India: The Himalayas, Western Ghats, Indo-Burma area,
and Sundaland. Two of these, the Indo-Burma area and Sundaland, are distributed throughout South Asia and are not
precisely contained within India's formal borders.
 I N D I A N A C T S T O C O N S E RV E E N V I R O N M E N T A N D B I O D I V E R S I T Y

Some policy and legal frameworks recently developed to protect the biodiversity are The Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, The
Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, The Environment (Protection) Act 1986, The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
(NBSAP) 1999 and Biological Diversity Bill 2002.
The Bill provides for the constitution of a separate high-power National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) to be set up at Chennai.
Indian Government has taken various biodiversity protection steps. Important measures include:
1. Fisheries Act 1897
2. Indian Forests Act 1927
3. Mining and Mineral Development Regulation Act 1957
4. Prevention of cruelty to animals 1960
5. Wildlife protection act 1972
6. Water (prevention and control of pollution) act 1974
7. Forest Conservation Act 1980
8. Air (prevention and control of pollution) act 1981
9. Environment Protection Act 1986
10. Biological Diversity Act 2002
11. Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers (recognition of rights) act 2006.
 ACTS & PLAN

 The Central Government enacted the Wild Life (Protection) Act, in 1972. The Act, inter alia, provides for the
creation of Protected Areas for the protection of wildlife and also provides for punishment for hunting of specified
fauna specified in schedules I to IV thereof.
 Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2010 have been framed for the protection of wetlands, in the States.
 The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-System also provides
assistance to the States for the management of wetlands including Ramsar sites in the country.
 The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has been established for control of illegal trade in wildlife, including endangered
species.
 Wildlife Institute of India, the Bombay Natural History Society, and the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural
History are some of the research organizations undertaking research on the conservation of wildlife.
 The Indian Government has banned the veterinary use of diclofenac drug which has caused the rapid population
decline of Gyps vultures across the Indian Subcontinent. Conservation Breeding Programmes to conserve these
vulture species have been initiated at Pinjore (Haryana), Buxa (West Bengal), and Rani, Guwahati (Assam) by the
Bombay Natural History Society.
 ACTS & PLAN

 Under the ‘Recovery of Endangered Species’ component of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘Integrated
Development of Wildlife Habitats’ for the recovery of endangered species viz. Hangul in Jammu and Kashmir, Snow
Leopard in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh, Vulture in Punjab, Haryana
and Gujarat, Swiftlet in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Nilgiri Tahr in Tamil Nadu, Sangai Deer in Manipur, the
government has to spend lakhs of rupees.
 Protected Areas, viz, National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves, and Community Reserves all over the
country covering important habitats have been created as per the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to
provide better protection to wildlife, including threatened species and their habitat.
 Financial and technical assistance is extended to the State Governments under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes,
viz, ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’, ‘Project Tiger’, and ‘Project Elephant’ for providing better
protection and conservation to wildlife.
 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been empowered under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, of 1972 to
apprehend and prosecute wildlife offenders.
 The State Governments have been requested to strengthen the field formations and intensify patrolling in and around the
Protected Areas.
 S P E C I E S B A S E D C O N S E RVAT I O N

Project Tiger
 In order to preserve our country's symbol, the tiger, Project Tiger was established in 1973 with 9 tiger reserves with the
financial assistanceof WWF.
 Presently, 50 plus placese are covered by Project Tiger, dispersed over 18 states with active tigers.
 The core/buffer technique was used to create the tiger reserves.
 The buffer or periphery regions are a mixture of forest and non-forest land, administered as a mixed-use area, while the
core parts have the legal character of a national park or a sanctuary.
 The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change has an ongoing centrally sponsored program that gives tiger
states central support for tiger protection in designated tiger reserves.
 Besides preserving the tiger and its varied habitats, the wild fauna and flora of these habitats have also benefited from
the project.
 Other wild animals which have been protected and rehabilitated through such projects are the Asiatic lion, the
Blackbuck, the Rhinoceros, the Musk deer, the Hangul and the Ghariyal. India is also a party to CITES (Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species).
Project Elephant
 Project Elephant was launched in 1992 to ensure the long-term survival of a viable population of elephants in their
natural habitats in north and northeastern India and south India. It is being implemented in 12 States
 The government offers assistance to the states that have a population of wild elephants roaming free through the Project
Elephant program in terms of elephant management and protection.
 It guarantees the preservation of elephant migration routes and habitats to ensure the sustainability of the wild elephant
population.
Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project
 The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classifies the Asiatic lion as an endangered
species.
 The Indian Government's Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project seeks to preserve Asiatic lions by returning them to the
wild. In India, this project is also referred to as the "lion project."
 The government adopted this action to reintroduce the endangered Asiatic lions to other woods in an effort to lessen the
threat to the current population.
 Asiatic lions are currently restricted to Gujarat's Gir National Park. They are vulnerable to floods, diseases, droughts,
etc. since they are restricted to just one location in India.
Olive Ridley Turtles
 Every year at Gahirmatha and two other sites on the Orissa coast, hundreds of thousands of Olive Ridley turtles
congregate on the beach, between December and April, for mass nesting. This was the largest nesting site for the Olive
Ridleys in the world.
 After its ‘discovery’ in 1974, the beach was notified as a Sanctuary (the Bhitarkanaika Sanctuary) and was closed for
hunting.
 Recognising the threats to turtles from fishing by large trawlers, the Orissa Marine Fisheries Regulation Act was passed
in 1982. This Act prohibits trawling within 10 km of the coastline throughout the state and makes it mandatory for all
trawlers to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs).
Crocodile Conservation
 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.
 SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

Chipko Movement
 It is a social-ecological movement that used hugging trees to stop them from falling as a form of peaceful resistance and
Gandhian satyagraha.
 Early in the 1970s, when awareness of rapid deforestation grew, the contemporary Chipko movement was born in
Uttarakhand's Garhwal Himalayas.
 On March 26, 1974, a group of peasant women in Reni village, Hemwalghati, in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India,
took action to stop the cutting of trees and reclaim their traditional forest rights that were threatened by the contractor
system of the state Forest Department.
 This action is considered the turning point in this conflict.
 Numerous such acts were sparked by their deeds at the local level around the area.
 By the 1980s, the movement had extended over all of India, which helped to shape people-sensitive forest policies that
ended open tree-cutting in places like Vindhyas and the Western Ghats.
 However, the first known instance of Chipko was in the village of Khejarli in the Jodhpur area in 1730 AD when 363
Bishnois under the leadership of Amrita Devi gave their lives to hug green Khejri trees, which were revered by the
locals.
 SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

Appiko Movement
 In India, the Appiko movement was a groundbreaking environmental conservation movement.
 The peasants of the district of Karnataka province in southern India started a similar initiative to safeguard their forests
after being inspired by the Chipko movement in Himalayan Uttarakhand.
 Salkani men, women, and kids "hugged the trees" in Kalase forest in September 1983 (In Kannada, "hugging" is
referred to as "appiko").
 Southern India saw a new consciousness as a result of the Appiko movement.