UNIT

ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSERVATION-I

Structure
20.1 Introduction
Objectives

20.2 Environmental Conservation

Concept of Conservation
Aims and Principles of Conservation

20.3 Wildlife Conservation

Reasons for Extinction of Wildlife
Need for Wildlife Conservation
How to Save Endangered Species

20.4 Wildlife Conservation in Our Country

Protected Areas: Definition and Laws
Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in India8
Project Tiger

20.5 Summary
20.6 Terminal Questions
20.7 Answers

In this course, so far, you have studied about the increase in.population, poverty and
pollution which are causing a rapid depletjon of natural resources. In order to sustain
the economic development of the nation, there is a strong need to preserve the
natural resources, both biological and physical. In this unit, you will study about the
conservation of biological resources (wildlife) and in the next unit, you will study
about the conservation of physical resources.
We begin this unit by defining environmental conservation. Conservation is the
planned management of man's surroundings to prevent its exploitation, destruction
or neglect. Man's impact on nature started becoming evident when he perfected the
art of hunting. With the development of farming and animal husbandry, man began
to control his environment. He exploited the natural resources of the earth to keep
pace with his physical and cultural needs. With increase in world population, there
was further depletion of natural resources. However, it took time for people to realise
that man's interference with nature had probably done more harm than good and
that man had been careless of the future. Enthusiasm for nature and wildlife surged,
laying the foundation of the conservation movement as we know it now.
In the present unit, the concept, principles and aims of conservation have been
explained. The need for rational use, restoration, integration and allocation of
resources has been stressed. The importance and advantages of conservation are also
discussed. Wildlife conservation with reference to India is discussed in detail. The
main factors which cause wildlife eqtinction are hunting, habitat destruction and
predator control. Wildlife has economic, medicinal and recreational value. They also
maintain the ecosystem stability. So there is a strong need for wildlife c~nservation.
To conserve wildlife many acts have been passed and reserve areas created. In India,
there are about 412 wildlife sanctuaries; 80 national parks and reserves to conserve
wildlife. 'Project Tiger', an operation to conserve the Indian tiger is also discussed in
this unit.

Objectives
After reading this unit, you wih be able to:
define, use and identify in proper context the terms: endangered species,
conservation, national park and sanctuary,
explain the aims and principles of conservation,
list reasons and describe the need for wildlife conservation,
explain the advantages of declaring some areas as wildlife parks and sanctuaries,
and
describe the state of wildlife conservation in India.

Management of Environment-I

20.2 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

The rapid decline in the quantity and quality of natural resources has led to a concern
for their management and conservation. Natural resources are raw materials obtained
or derived from nature. They are classified into renewable and non-renewable
resources. Renewable resources are replaced from time to time by natural processes,
like multiplication, recycling, etc. They are, in this sense, inexhaustible. Forests,
pastures, wildlife and aquatic life come in this category. However, it is necessary to
properly plan and manage their use. Non-renewable resources such as minerals,
metals, soil, coal, oil deposits, etc., are available in limited amdunts and in no manner
can be rebuilt or increased.
I

If man expects to have a future.on the earth, he must use the resources in the most
prudent manner possible. Conservation does not mean hoaiding. It means the wise
management of resources to provide a continuous supply for a long time into the
future. This implies continuous renewal of a resource and recovering, recycling or
reusing the products. Conservation of a natural area means its maintenance in a
natural state for the purpose of enjoyment or study in order to understand and
appreciate the complexities of ecological laws.

20.2.1 Concept of Conservation

Conservation is a broad concept which involves not only the scientific but ethical,
moral, economic and political aspects as well. Conservation has been variously
defined. Conservation for a petroleum engineer is largely minimising of waste from
incomplete extrachon and for a forester it may be sustained yield of products. In all
cases, conservation deals with judicious development and manner of use of natural
resources of all kinds. A generalised definition of conservation is "the maximisation
over time of the net s&al benefits in goods and services from resources". Although
it is technologically based, conservation cannot escape socially determined values.
Conservation may also be defined as the achievement of the highest sustainable
quality of living for mankind by the rational utilisation of the environment, protection
of nature to enrich the life of man and the control or elimination of environmental
pollution in its many manifestations. Conservation advocates practices that yill
perpetuate the resources of the earth on which man depends or in whose continued
existence he takes an interest. Conservation derives its tenets from a knowledge of
ecology, the science concerned with interrelationship between living things and their
environment.
But the question arises, why there is a need for conservation? The reasons are:
a) world population is increasing at an alarming rate,
b) world resources are being used up at an increasing rate due- to increase in
population,
c) pollution is increasing with the passage of time, and
d) damage caused by human activities is sometimes irrevtrsible.
Conservation involves perpetuation of the natural environment of man including the
infinite resources of air, water, soil and life forms. Conservation involves the
collective responsibility of governments, private organisations, industries and
individuals and the setting aside of funds, finances for ecological research and
execution of conservation projects.

20.2.2 Aims and Principles of Conservation

The aims of conservation are two-fold:
i) to ensure tqe preservation of a quality environment that considers aesthetics and
recreational as well as product needs.
ii) to ensure a continuous yield of useful plants, animals and
materials by
'
establishing a balanced cycle of hafvest and renewal.
Principles of Conservation
Conservation is achieved through measures adopted in favour of a natural resource
in order to increase its longevity and improve usage patterns. Some such measure
are as follows:

Ratlonsl use of the resouyes is one of the concepts in conservation of natural

resources in an essentially undisturbed condition because they are of scientific
interest, have aesthetic appeal or have recreational value. Preservation also
serves an ecological purpose by maintaining the function of the total
environment, for example, protection of forests assures a sustained yield of water
into urban reservoirs, and protection of estuaries perpetuates ocean fishery.
But rational use is not just preservation. It also implies the direct use of resources
for their commodity or recreational value. Thus, harvesting of forest crops,
livestock grazing of gr~ssland,catching fish and hunting wild animals can be
considered a legitimate part of the rational use of naiural resources, if they are
carried out in such a way that the resource is perpetuated and not endangered.
Concept of sustained yield is involved in these activities. This means cropping the
annual surplus of individuals so as not to endanger the breeding stock of game
animals or fish. Similarly, tree cutting or grazing of grass should remove only the
annual increment and no more.
Restoration is another important aspect of conservation. It is a widely familiar
conservation measure which is essentially the correction of past careless activities
that have impaired the productivity of the resource base. Deforested areas and
mined and barren lands can be revegetated with some effort. Depleted animal
and plant populations can recover if they are accorded protection. This measure
is familiar in modem soil and water conservation practices applied to agricultural
land.
Restoration is possible, however, only as long as species are protected and
genetic diversity of life is maintained. When species become extinct, the
restoration of past conditions become impossible.
Rotection of natural resources from commercial exploitation to prolong their use
for recreation, watershed protection, and scientific study. This is the concept
underlying the establishment and protection of parks and reserves of many kinds.
Reutbatbn is the reuse of waste materials, as in the use of industrial water after
it has been purified and cooled. The same process becomes recycling if the waste
material requires minor treatment before it canbe reused, as in the use of scrap
iron in steel manufacture.
Substitution, an important conservation measure, has two aspects: (i) the use of
a common resource instead of a rare one when it is for the same purpose, (ii) the
use of a renewable rather than a non-renewable resource when conditions permit.
Allocation concerns the strategy uf use--the best use of a resource. For many
resources and their products, the market price decides as to the use a resource
is put, but under certain instances, general welfare may dictate otherwise. The
allocation of resources may be controlled by government through the use of
quotas, rationing and outright permits.
Integration in resource management is a conservation measure because it
maximises over a period of time, the sum of goods and services that can be had
from a resource, or a resource complex such as a river valley. This is preferable
to maximise certain benefits from a single resource at the expense of other
benefits or other resources. Integration is a central objective of planning.
Try to answer the following SAQ to see if you have understood the concept and
principles of conservation.

SAQ 1
a) Why is there a strong need for environmental conservation? Give two reasons.

...........................................................................................................
b) Give three important principles of environmental conservation.

EH\ lronme~itnlc o n ~ e r \ ~ t i ~ n - I

20.3 WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

You have become familiar with the term 'wildlife' in Unit 7 of this course. The term
wildlife is commonly referred to represent the non-domesticated animals living in a
natural habitat. Our country was endowed with a particularly rich biological heritage.
But due to extinction of many species, the number of wildlife (flora and fauna) has
come down. In addition to many species having become extinct, some are endangered
and a few are threatened. Before discussing the reasons for extinction and the need
Endangered species are In danger
for
wildlife conservation, let us define the terms endangered, threatened and extinct.
of being ellmlnated, extinct species
Endangered
species are those that were once abundant but have since dropped
no longer exist.
drastically in number due to human activities, and now their very existence is in
The world losing one spelces
danger. Threatened species are those that are likely to become endangered species
every day and within next 20
within
the foreseeable future, throughout or in a significant portion of its range. The
years at least 25% of all forms of
threatened
or endangered species for which no conservation measures are taken
wildlife could be extinct.
become extinct. You can have a look at Table 20.1 for further clarification.
Table 20.1
Categories of Animals at risk
Classification

Meaning & Examples

Critically endangered

Will not survive without human assistance, examples: California condor,

Floridapanther, Great Indian Bustard

Endangered

In immediate danger or extinction, examples : whooping crane, red wolf,

key deer, blue whale, gharial
Abundant in parts of its range, but severely depleted in others, examples :
grizzly bear, horned rhino

Threatened
Rare

Not endangered at present, but at risk because of low numbers, includes

many island species

To conserve the endangered and threatened species, and thereby prevent extinction
of species is a major goal of wildlife conservation. You will study the reasons for
extinction of species, the need for conservation of species and the task of conserwation
in the following subsecti4ns.

20.3.1 Reasons for Extinction of Wildlife

Wildlife extinction results from many forces operating in the society, such as
economics, politics and psychology. Fig. 20.1, shows the specific activities that cause
extinction of species and the relative importance of each. Some factors affect wildlife
directly and others affect it indirectly. Let us examine each of these factors in a little
more detail.

Hunting for commercial

products 21%

Introduction
of alien and
domestic
species 16%

Pet trade 5%

Hunting for
sport 12%
Pest and predator
control 7%

Hunting for
food 6%

Fig. 20.1 : An approdmnte breakdown of the human a d v i t l a Uut kd to cttlactioa d rpcdcrc

More th- one actlvity b orten involved, however.

a) Alteration of habitat: Destruction of the habitat of a particular wildlife species

intentionally or unintentionally leads to extinction of species. The habitat may be
destroyed by deforestation, drainage, oiergrazing, expanding agriculture, urban
and suburban development, highway construction, dam building, etc. As a result
of destruction of its habitat, the species must either adapt to the changes, move
elsewhere or may succumb to predation, starvation or disease and die.

En\lronmcntul Conrer\u?loll-:

b) Commercial sport and subsistence, hunting: Nature has great diversity. It has
created, over many millions of years, a large number of species of plants and
animals. But it is man who is responsible for the extinction of plant and animal
species either directly or indirectly.
It may be a coincidence that all the motives for killing animals begin with the
letter 'F': food, fats, finery (fur and feathers), fun, financial gain and fear. From
time immemorial, man has hunted for food. It is only in relatively recent times
that man is killing animals on a large scale for economic gains or even for sport.

'

Commercially, animals are hunted for their fur, hides, tusks, antlers and various
other body parts. Rhinoceros is hunted for its horns. Gharial and crocodile are
hunted for their skin, which is used for various purposes. One of the most
publicised commercial hunts is that of a whale. The "whalebone" or "baleen"
was used to make combs and other products.
Hunting for sport is also a factor in wildlife extinction, Poaching of wildlife for
sport and profit is widespread.

c) Introduction of foreign species: The introduction of foreign or alien species into

new territories can often lead to ecological and economic disaster. An introduced
species' niche may overlap that of a native species, the newcomer may
out-compete the native species, resulting in its extinction. Though, species are
often intentionally introduced to improve fishing and hunting, it can lead to
problems also.
d) Control of pests and predators: Natural predators remove the aged, sick and
injured members of the prey population. In contrast, human beings generally
remove the strongest specimens. Such predation will diminish the genetic vigour
of a population. Thus human being and natural predators have opposing effects
on population of prey. Natural predators make the prey population stronger,
human beings make it weaker. Predators or pests are also important biotic
components of the ecosystem and so great care should be taken while dealing
with these components. Human beings hunt, trap and poison predators and pests.
such as bears, wolves, lions, etc. In general, predator and pest control measures
have two major impacts: (i) they kill natural predators that are a part of the
balanced ecosystem, (ii) they can indiscriminately poison non-target species,
having a ripple effect on organisms higher in the food chain.

e) Collection for zoos, private collections and research: Animals and plants are
gathered throughout the world for zoos, private collectors and researchers in
biology and medicine. Amongst the legally exported animals there are many
endangered, threatened and rare species. Researchers throughout the world use
a variety of animals for their studies, many of which come from the wild.
Particularly primates such as monkeys and chimpanzees are sacrificed for
research. Primates are desired because of their anatomical, genetic and
physiological similarity to human beings. The chimpanzee, for example, is being
used in work on human reproduction and cancer detection. Research animals
often d o not breed in captivity. They also have a high mortality, resulting in
continual loss of wildlife.
Moreover, the regulations for the supply of animals are poorly enforced. The
hunters also know very little about effective live capture; therefore, deaths and
injuries during capture are not uncommon. It is not only animals but plants like
cacti and orchids are also being uprooted for sale elsewhere.
f)

Pollution: Pollution alters the habitat of plants and animals and play a significant
role in extinction. Water pollution is especially harmful to the organisms living
in estuaries and coastal zones. Toxic wastes entering the food chain can have
devastating effect on their population. Insecticides and pest~cidescan also affect
the plants and animals.

Rab"S
pets In
Australia because of no
predator
over them.

Other Ecological factors: There are other. ecolpgical factors that contribute to
species extipction. Some of these are as follows:
i) Degree of specialisation is an impol'tant factor. The more specialised an
animal or plant is, the more vulnerable it is to extinction.
ii) Location of the organism in the food chain is also important. The higher the
animal is in food chain, the more susceptible it becomes. Larger animals are
more profitable to hunt and they are easy targets because they are less fearful
of human beings.
iii) The distribution range also affects extinction. The smaller the range, the
greater the threat of extinction. Population on islands are particularly
susceptible.
iv) Reproductive rate is also an important factor. Large organisms tend to
produce fewer offspring at widely spaced intervals. Their offspring also tend
to reach reproductive age late.
v) Animal's tolerance of h d a n presence or specific behavioural patterns also
play an important role.
SAQ 2
a) In the followingTable, put the appropriate term filling the demiptionr of speder
given on left-hand column:

Specie! llkely to become endmpered npeder.

b) Wildlife extinction is caused due to a number of reasone. Oive four important

reasons.

.........................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................
...

20.3.2 Need for Wildlife Conservation

You will be curious to know why we should save endangered species. Why is it that
all policy makers, scientists and interested citizens argue that species extinction is one
of the most serious environmental problerhs? The importance of the need for
protecting endangered species is discussed in detail in this section.
i) ,Value as a genetic resew*
Plants and animals possess undiscovered or
undeveloped traits which are very important for the survival of a particular
species. When all the genes of all the individual members in a given mulation
are added together, a gene pool is created which is representative of that species.
It is important to preserve all gene pools as they might prove useful to us in
future. In any case, we do not know enough about interspecies relationships and
ecosystem balance and its stability to allow any gene pool to get eroded or.
obliterated.
Large gene pools are also important to agriculturists. All domestic crws and
livestock have originated from native plants and animals. All those native species
are still needed to provide the new genetic characteristics that we need to help
solve our present and future food production problems. If steps are not taken t a
preserve endangered species then these gene pools will be swept away.
ii) Value in maintaining ecosystem stability: As you know, ecosystem includes
abiotic factors like temperature, humidity etc. and biotic factors like plants and
animals. The emsystems maintain a deIicate balance of nature. Each species
interacts with other species and plays a role in the transfer of energy and
materials within and between ecosystems, hence each one, in its own way,
contributesto the stability of ecosystems. The function of a species whether plant

or animal is very critical to ecosystem stability. As you know, the plants occupy
the base of food webs, so extinction of a single plant species may lead to the
extinction of animal species dependent an that particular plant species. A species,
lost here and there may be of little consequence for overall ecosystem stability,
but in the long run, the cumulative effect of such losses may some day threaten
our existence. If we think that each species by itself is dispensable, then bit by
bit we will destroy the rich biological world in which we live.

iii) Economic value: In our daily life, we use m a y things which are products of
wildlife. Many plants have medicinal value, for example, we get, penicillin from
Pencillium, quinine from Cinchona, morphine from opium poppy. A chemical
derived from the skeletons of shrimps, crabs and lobsters may serve as a
prpventive medicine against fungal infection.
Important plant and animal genes are needed to improve domestic crops and
livestock. Many genetic reservoirs located in the tropics and subtropics are the
source of virtually all the common valuable plants and animals. They provide
genetic material needed in the continual battle to improve plant and animal
resistance. Lossvlf these centres would have a global impact on food supplies.
3ish is a source of inwme to fishing lodges and sporting goods stores. Wildlife is
a soyce of income to recreation and tourism industry. The most popular tourist
attractions are national and state parks and forests.
~ l t h o u the
h economic value of s given species may not be apparent, We cannot
assert that a species has no economic value.
iv) Aesthetic value: Aesthetic value of a species also promotes its preservation. For
example, the taste of wild bemes, the refreshing fragrance of wild flowers and
the softness of a bed of mogs have no monetary value, but still their aesthetic
value compels us to preservq them.
v) ~nherentvalue: Each species has a right to exist. So, if a species exists, then it
has a fundamental right to continue to exist without being driven to extinction
by human activities. The inherent value of a species cannot be measured merely
by the extent to which human beings can get aloqg without it.
Before taking up various measures to save the endangered species, try the
forbowing SAQ.

S ~ 3Q

a)

Why are more maqmal species, specially primates, becoming extinct as

compared to other animals?

b) State four important reasons for saving endangered species.

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20.3.3 How to Save Endangered Species?

Preserving species is not a simple matter. The problems of wildlife mahgement are

v:ry complex and there is much work on three overlapping levels, i.e., technical,
legal and personal.
To achieve a desired abundance of a particular species of wildlife, it is imperative to
save their habitat because wildlife populations respond very sensitively to their
habitats. Thus, habitat management is an efficient technique. So, we can say that
wildlife management includes habitat management.

..

Msns~emmtor ~nvlronment-I

Integrated species management programme is the best way for protecting wildlife.
This approach is a diversified attack on the cause of extinction. Some of the tasks of
integrated species management are given in the following Table. (Table 20.2).
Table 20.2 : Integrated Spcdts Monrgement: Some Mewurn
1. Reduce habitat destruction by careful selection of urban and other development.
2. Establish preserves to protect nesting grounds and other critical habitats.
3. Reduce commercial and trophy hunting when evidence shows that the hunted species # rare,
threatened, or endangered and when synthetic products can replace those acquired from these
.
animals and plants.
4. Improve wildlife management, including programmes to protect and manage non-game species.
5. Control the introduction of alien species, especially on islands.

6. Design careful predator and pest control management programme so as not to indiscriminately
eliminate non-target species.
7. Rtduce pollution
8. Increase public awareness of the value of wildlife and what factors cause extinction.
9. Fund captive breedlng programmes to raise endangered species for release.
lo. Establish breeding programmes to generate research animals.
1 11. Impose toughpenaltjes, and increase the policing of animal and plant trade and poaching.
12. Promote international codperation to curb the trade oiendangered species.
( 13. Increase expenditures for all protective measure^, possibly through new taxes; and
14. Intensify research efforts to learn more about ecosystem stability and to identify critical
planti and animal habitats.

A group of techniques specifically designed for benefiting one target species for each
area knd for achieving the specific objectives is called systems appronch. The systems
approach involves:
a) intensive study and research by experts to isolate the problem,
b) definition of goals,
c) education of the public by all the media,
d) programmes to retain and improve the habitat,
In Kazlmnga, where one horned
rhlno breed succccuhlly, art
recently mlgrated to Tamhl,
when probab~lltyuf increaw In
rhlno gkpulatlon a n more.

e) goal-oriented game harvest regulations or population control programmes',

f) manipulation of sex and age ratios as well as density of animals, to achieve desired
population change,
g) action by agents to deter or apprehend poachers or game law violation,
h) control of disease and parasites and to select individual predators, and
i) well-researched transplanting of wildlife from areas where it has bred successfully
to areas with high potential for population building.

20.4 CONSERVATION IN OUR COUNTRY

Indian wildlife is rich and diverse and hence deserves protection. There are 45,000
species of plants in this country, of which 7000 are endemic to India. Animal species
number at around 75,000 of which 850 are mammals which include the mighty
elephant, the gigantic Himalayan sheep, the Indian bison or gaur, the spotted deer
or cheetah, the black-buck, the four-homed antelope, the one-homed rhinoceroe and
the prestigious lion and the tiger. But with the passage of time, the number of wildlife
came down due to man's interference wit! nature. Some species have become extinct
and some are endangered or threatened. Though the list of endangered species in
India cannot be exactly determined, it is estimated that the existence of 150 mammals
and 150 birds is threatened. An unknown number of insects and flora too are in
danger of becoming extinct. A list of endangered species of amphibians, reptiles.
birds and mammals is given below (Table 20.3). The figures of some of the
--3

----

?--

---

-I--

-2

If?.-

.If\

.
I

.In

?\

Table 20.3
A Few Endangered Speclea d Reptlles, Blrds and Mammals
Reptilea
Gharial
Green Sea Turtle
Pythons
Tortoire

Mammlr
Black Buck
Lion-tailed Macaque
Wild Ass

Blrdr
Great Indian Bustard
(Fig. given in Unit 7)
Oreat Indian Hornbill

Hyaena
Sloth Bear

Brown Headed Gull

Mountain Quail

Tiger
Cheetal
Sambar

Peacock

FIB. 20.6 IBlack Buck

Peafowl
Pelican
Siberian White Crane

Plg. 20.7 : Llon-talted Macaque

With time, the concept of wildlife has been changed. Now wildlife is considered as a
'thing of beauty' and a 'gift of nature' which rieeds to be preserved rather than a
'game' to be hunted as considered before. This new concept of wildlife has resulted
in its protection in the protected areas, i.e. national parks, sanctuaries and reserves.
You will study about these in the following sub-sections.

20.4.1 Protected Areas: National Parks and Sanctuaries

Natural communities, little affected by man's activities, are thought to be worth
preserving for a variety of reasons. By declaring some areas as national parks or
wildlife sanctuaries, the natural community along with its ecosystem is preserved. Let
us first define national parks, sanctuaries and reserves. A national park is an area
dedicated to conserve the environment, natural and historical objects and to conserve
the wildlife therein, and at the same time, to provide for enjoyment from them, in
such a manner and by such means, as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment
of future generations. In national parks, all private rights are non-existent and all
forestry aperations and other usages such as grazing of domestic animals are
prohibited.
In a wildlife sanctuary, killing, hunting, shooting or capturing of any species of birds
and mammals is prohibited except by or under the control of the highest authority in
the department responsible for management of the sanctuary. Private ownership
rights may be allowed to continue in a sanctuary and forestry and other usages
permitted to the extent that they do not adversely affect wildlife.
Any area where special protection is offered to wildlife is declareda protected area.
Such as:
\
a) River valley projects and other imgational works $hat attract water birds and
other wildlife.
b) An area where protection is offered to wildlife in or around large towns of sacred
places.
Reserves are areas demarcated especially for the protection af wildlife.
Advantages of Protected Areas
There is much scientific benefit to be derived by studying the ecosystem in a protected
area particularly the functioning of the biosphere. From studies of undisturbed
ecosystems, much can be learnt about the behaviour of these systems. Only with such
a control can man gauge how much danlage he has caused to his environment.
Furthermore, more or less undisturbed communities are important to the continued
operation of the systems that man has created. Thus, watershed forests are protected
to maintain stream flow and avoid siltation of reservoirs. Similarly, protected
estuaries guarantee continued production of marine life important to man for food
and other purpose. Outdoor activities in a natural setting or contact with plants and
animals in a wild state appears to be important to man's psychological well being. So,
protected areas are of aesthetic and recreational values too.

By declaring certain areas as protected, the laws to regulate that protection should
apply automatically. It becomes easier to monitor the population of the species living
in the area, prevent poaching and also avoid exploitation of the area into
consideration by excessive tree felling or overgrazing.
W F operates on a global scale
and Is represented in 25 countries.
The WWF ralses money for eonservetion prbJe~tsIn all part8 d
the world, with pmtkulsr
emphasis on endangered species
and habitats. WWF caiis for
edvlce h m IUCN, a repmentatlve group of expem from
government and exeeutim
agencles In over 100 countries.

Acv to Protect Wildlife: Realising the importance of the wildlife resources and to
prevent gene erosion, our country has from time to time taken steps by way of
enactment of various wildlife Acts. As a result of worldwide convrn, the
International Union for Conservation of Natural Resources (IUCN) was formed, as
also its appendage, the Survival Service Commission, which sought to supply
up-to-date information about every species of animal in danger of extinction. The
World Wildlife Fund now called World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), affiliated to
IUCN, is also closely concerned with conservation problems.
%

You will study about environmental legislation in detail in Unit 23 of Block 6. Here,
we will give you the titles of some Acts related to wildlife.
Indian Board of Wildlife was set up in 1952. There was enactment of an All India
Wildlife Protection Act in 1972, becoming a party to the "Convention on International
7'rade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora" (CITES, 1976), launching a

national component of the UNESCO's "Man and the Biosphere Programme" (MAB,
1971). Conservation projects for individual endangered species like Hangul (1970),
Lion (1972), Tiger (1973), Crocodiles (1974) and Brown-antlered Deer (1981) were*
initiated.
Through the efforts of the Central and the State Governments and by cooperation of
the voluntary agencies, wildlife is sbught to be carefully protected and planned in the
protected areas. Although, the establishment and proper management of parks and
reserves permits the survival of certain species in certain areas, general programme
of rational management covering the use of all lands and species is essential to the
survival of wildlife throughout the world.

SAQ 4
.r
a) Give one word for the following:
i) An area where special protection is given to wildlife ............................
ii) An area where killing, hunting or shooting of animals is prohibited but
private ownership rights may be allowed .............................
iii) An area dedicated to conserve the environment, natural and historical
objects and where all private rights are non-existent
b) Expand the following abbreviations:

.............................

IUCN

............ .......
.
.
.
...............................................................

20.4.2 Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in India

It is gratifying to note that the numberof national parks and sanctuaries has risen
from a mere 33 in 1952 to a totalof 221 by the end of December 1980, covering 2-3%
of the total geographical area and 10% of the total forest area of the country.
Today, India has 80 national parks and 412 wildlife sanctuaries'In addition, there
are 17 tiger reserves. The protected area is, thus, altogether over 4% of the
geographical area of the country.
In recent years, there has been an increasing realisation that wildlife conservation is
a total concept involving animals, plants, micro-organisms and soil as also other
lphysical elements of environment, in which they live and on which they depend.
b u t even t h e a t h e conse_~tIonis concentrated mainly on animals and that too on
mammals; plants have been taken for granted and have been left out of consideration
in any meaningful programme of wildlife conservation. There is one gene sanctuary
each for citrus and pitcher plants, both located in northeast India. The reason for
emphasis on conservation of animals is apparent. It is assumed that "if all is well with
the apex, the base of the ecosystem will also be alright". In other words, if the tiger
is flourishing, then it is reasonable to assume that Chital and otheq herbivorous prey
are also flourishing and all plant life as also lesser forms of life are also flourishing.
Plants are critical to the very existence of all life on the surface of earth.
Some of the important wildlife sanctuaries and national parks are listed in the
followitlg table (Table 20.4).
Table 20.4 : Important national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India with indications of
some of the more important animals
State

Name of national parks/

sanctuaries

Fauna

Andhra Pradesh

Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary

Tiger, panther, hyaena, fox, jungle cat,

chawsingha, etc. Horned games, aquatic
birds, including spot bill.

Assam

Kaziranga National Park

Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros,

wild buffalo, gaur, swamp deer, hog
deer. sambar. elephant. tiger. leopard
cat, wild boar, langur. pelican. florican,
patridge. python, etc.

Environmental cunnervut~un-I

State

Name of mtlond p.rW rsnchurkf

Fauna

. Same
as in Kabrrmga,Tiger, golden
langur, pigmy hog, water monitor; rich

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

and interesting bird life

Bihar

Hazaribagh National Sanctuary

Tiger, leopard, sloth bear, wild dog,

hyaena, sambar, barking deer, chital,
chawsingha, neelgai, civet cat, wild
boar, etc.

Gujarat

Gir National Park

Indian lion, panther, hyaena, sambar,

chital, neeljai, chawsingha, chinkam,
wild boar, langur, crocodile.

Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary

Sultanpur Lake Bird Sanctuary

Water birch
Molt of tKe birds are migratory,

Jammu &
Kashmir

Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary

Karnataka

Bandipur National Park

Hangul, musk deer. Himdayan Mack

bear, brown bear, pine martip, other
' avian fauna.
Elephant, gaur, sambar, chitat, barking
deer, chawsingha, wild boar, tiger,
loopud, sloth bau, jungle cat,Iangu,
wild dog, bird life quite rich.

Ranganthitto Bird Sanctuary

Openbill, stork, white ibls, little egret.

cattle egret, darter, connorma, Aver
tern, spoon MIl, crocodile,

Kerala

Perlyar Wlldllfe Sanctuary

Madhya Pradesh

Kanha ~ a t i o n dP u k

Elephant, d m , bopud, sloth bear,

wild dog, p u r , neelgd, smbu, W n g
deer, wild boar.
-leopard,
gaur, swamp, deer of
h u d proud umbu,c h i d , black buck
etc.

Shlvpurl Nadond P u k

Tiger, leopard, neelgai, chawringh;,

cunbu, & i d etc.

Dhakna-KolkazWildlife Sanctuary
(now under Project Tiger)

Tilter.panther, gaur, sunbar, barking

Orissa

Simlipal National Park (proposed)

Punjab
Rajasthan

Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary

Ranthambore (Tiger project)

Elephant, lambar, barking deer,

leopard,
etc.
Black buck and several species of birds.

Maharashtra

deer, chawsingba, sloth bear, wild bau

and c h i d amfined to flat tracts, rich
bird life.

Tiger, leopard, jungle cat, sloth bear,

neelgai, sambar, chital, wild boar, etc.

Sariska

Tiger, leopard, hyaena, jungle cat,

sambar, neebai, chawsingha, etc.
About 300 species of migratory-and
resident birds. Also black buck, wild
boar, sambar, chital, etc.

Ghana Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

VedanthangalWater Bird Sanctuary

Several species of Water birds.

Uttar Pradesh

Corbett National Park

Tiger, Iwpard, sloth bear, elephant,

Dudwa National Park

West Benga!

SunderbansTiger Reserve
Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary

Tiger, leopard, elephant, p u r , sambu.

chital, sloth bear, wild dog.

sambar, chital, hog deer, barking ideer,

chawsingha, wild boar, crocodile, rich
bird life.
Tiger, leopard, sloth bear, swamp deer,
sambar ,chital, hog deer, barking deer,
neelgai.
Tiger, sambar, chital, wild boar, several
species of birds and crocodiles.
Rhinoceros. elephant, tiger, leopard, wild
boar, gaur, sambar, barking deer, hog
deer.

'The species underlined are important protected species in the sanctuary/national park.

Location of wildlife sanctuaries in India is shown in the following figure ( Fig. 20.8 ).

NATIONAL PARKS, SANCTUARIES

AND BIOSPHERE RESERVES
IN INDIA (MAINLAND)

NATIONAL PARK

A BIOSPHERE RESERVE
SANCTUARY

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

NILGIRI
GULF OF MANNAR
SUNDERBANS
KAZIRANGA
MANAS
NANDA DEVI
GREAT NICOBAR

Fig. 20.8 : National Parks Sanctuaries and Biosphere Reserves in India (Mainland)

'G

After going through the above table and figure carefully, answer the following SAQ.
SAQ 5
a) Give two examples of endangered species of each of the following:

i)

'

Mammals

ii) Birds

iii) Reptiles

...........................................................................................................

b) Complete the following table:

Ssnctusry~stlondPark

Place

A n M Cowrwd

Dachigam
Gir
Dudwa
Simlipal
Mudumalai
Kaziranga

c) Fill in the blanks in the following:

i) Total number of wildlife sanctuaries in India is
ii)
iii)

..........................
Total number of national parks in India is ..........................
India Wildlife Protection Act was passed in year ..........................

20.4.3 Project Tiger

'Project Tiger'is one of the successful operations which indicates what one can attain
once all resources are pooled together in a coordinated manner. It is a known fact
that nature is both ruthless and opportunistic due to which no species can be
guaranteed indefinite persistence.
There was a decline in the population of world tigers, from 40,000 at the turn of the
century down to 1827 in 1972. The main reasons for extinction of tigers are hunting,
habitat destruction by deforestation and taming the rivers for human needs. So a
strong need was felt to keep the tigers with us in perpetuity. Hence, a long-term
strategy based on principles of genetics and evolution was proposed which was named
"Project Tiger". This project was aimed not only at increasing the number of tigers
but also giving the tiger the requisite inherent genetic evolutionary resistance to
successfully face future environmental onslaughts.
,

This centrally-sponsored multimillion dollar project was initiated on April I., 1973. It
was funded by the Worldwide Fund for Nature.
The objectives of this project are:
a) ensuring the maintenance of a, viable population of tigers in India for scientific,
economic, aesthetic, cultural andecological values, and
b) preserving for ali times, areas of such biological importance as a national heritage
for the benefit, education and enjoyment of people.
This project concentrated on protecting good tiger habitats by creating sanctuaries
and extending the existing' ones.
Under this project, 18 tiger reserves have been set up in India (Table 20.5); 4334
tigers (recorded in 1990) living in these reserves, testify to the success of the project.

NamedfbeReserve

Tiger PopStion
1973

1979

1984

71

Simlipl

Orha

17

6s

Palamau

Bihar

22

37

62

Bandipur

Karnataka

10

39

53

Kanha
Mei$hat

Madhya Radesh

43

71

109

Maharashtra '

27

63

80

Ranthambhore

Rajasthan

14

25

38

Corbett

Uttar Pradesh

44

84

90

Sunderbans

West Bengal

60

205

264

Manas
Periyar

Assam
Kerala

31

69

34

123
44

Sariska

Rajasthan

19

26

Buxa

West Bengal

15

lndravati

Madhya Radesh

38

NICorjunasagar

Andhra Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh

65

Nvdapha

Total (Number is increasing)

268

71 1

1121

43

SAQ 6
I

a) In column I names of Tiger reserves are given and in I1 the States in which these
tiger reserves are situated. Match column I with 11.
Column I
Column I1
A) Periyar
i) Assam
B) ' b a a
ii) Bihar
C) Bandipur
iii) U.P.
D) Palamau
iv) Kerala
E) Corbett
v) West Bengal
F) Sunderbans
vi) Karnataka
b) Fill in the blanks.

i) .............................. is an endangered mammal in our country.

ii) T h e Project Tiger was launched in the year ............................
and
financed by ...............................
iii) There are ..............................tiger reserves in India.

a.5

SUMMARY

What we have learnt in this unit can be summarised as follows:

Environmental conservation is the planned management of man's surroundings to
prevent its exploitation, destruction or neglect.
Conservation involves a planned, rational use of the environment, ensuring a
sustained yield from it in a manner maintaining its ecological balance. It involves
recognition and usage of multiple values of a natural resource and the restoration
of depleted lands or living species.
Conservation aims to preserve the environment for aesthetic and recreational needs
and to ensure a continuous yield of useful materials from the enviro~ment.
A delicate ecological balance is maintained between the ecosystem and its living
community. Any interference -with or disruption of this balance can have
far-reaching effects.
Threatened species are likely to become endangered species. Endangered species
are those that were once abundant but have since dropped drastically in number.
They are in danger of being eliminated.

The main reasons for extinction of wildlife are habitat destruction, hunting,
predator and pest control, introduction of foreign speCies and other ecological
factors. But wildlife has economic, medicinal, aesthetic, and inherent value. They
make a 'gene pool'. They ?re of great value for man's welfare or survival in the
future so there is an urgent need for wildlife conservation.
For wildlife conservation in India, there are 67 national parks and 397 wildlife
sanctuaries covering 4% of the country's total land area. "Project Tiger" was
launched in the-year 1973 to protect tigers. Under this project 17 tiger reserves have'
been set up to provide a safe and suitable habitat for tigers to increase in numbers.

20.6 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

1. Define "Conservation".

............................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................
............................................................................................................
What are the two important aims of conservation?

...........................................................................................................
......................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................
3. How does habitat destruction cause extinction of wildlife?

4. Wildlife includes both plants and animals. But why is emphasis given on
conservation of wild animals and not on wild plants ?

20.7 ANSWERS
Self Assessment Questions
SAQ 1
a) There is a strong need for conservation because
i) pollution is increasing at alarming rate

ii)
b) i)
ii)
iii)

population is increasing due to which world resources are being used up.
The rational use of the resource
Restoration
Integration
\

SAQ 2

a)

krlptron

Term

Species in danger of being eliminate&

Endangered specles

Species no longer exists

Extinct
Threatdned specles

Species likely to become an endangered species

b) i)
ii)
iii)
iv)

Alteration of habitat
Hunting
Introduction of alien species
Control of pests and predators

SAQ 3
a) Mammals, especially primates, are desired by researchers because of their
anatomical, genetic and physiological similarity to humans.

b) Endangered species should' be saved because of their value:

a) as genetic reservoir
b) in maintaining ecosystem stability
c) for economic value
d) for promoting aesthetic sense
SAQ 4
a) i)
ii)
iii)
b) i)
ii)

Protected area
Wildlife sanctuary,
National Park
World Wide Fund for Nature
International Union for Conservation of Natural Resources.

SAQ 5
a) i) Tiger, Black buck
ii) Great Indian bustard, Siberian crane
iii) Gharial, Tortoise
b,

Soachury/Natlmd P u k

Da~higam

Jammu & Kashmir

Gujarat

Hangul. Musk deer. Brown bear

Indian Lion. Chital. Wild boar

U.P.

Tiger, Leopard

Gir
Dudhwa

Simtipal
Mudumalai

Orissa
Tamil Nadu

Kaziranga

Assam

c) i) 412.

ii) 80.

SAQ 6
a) A - iv
B-i
C - vi
D
ii
E - iii
F-v

b) i) Tiger
ii) 1972, WWF
iii) 18

iii) 1972.

Anlmd Conserved

Elephant. Tiger
'

Tiger, Leopard, Elephant

One-homed Rhinoceros.
Elephant

Environmental Conserration-l

Terminal Questions

1. Conservation may be defined as the achievement of the highest sustainable

quality of living for mankind by the rational utilisation of the environment,
protection of nature to enrich the life of man and the control or elimination of
environmental pollution in its many manifestations. A generalised definition of
conservation is "the maximisation over time of the net social benefits in goods
and services from resources"

2. The two important aim of conservation are:

i) to ensure the preservation of a quality environment that considers aesthetics
and recreational as well as product needs.
ii) To ensure a continuous yield of useful plants, animals and materials by
establishing a balanced cycle of harvest and renewal.

3. Habitat destruction intentionally or unintentionally leads to species extinction.

Because when the habitat of a particular species is destroyed, then to survive in
that area, it is a must that a species should adapt to the changes. But, if it cannot
adapt then it should move elsewhere or may succumb to predation, starvation or
disease and die. Thus, it leads to species extinction.

4. The conservation of animals is emphasised as compared to plants because in the

food chain, the order is plants + herbivores -+ carnivores. In other words, plants
occupy the base of the food chain. It is assumed that if all is well with the apex,
the base of the ecosystem is alright. For example, if tiger is flourishing then it
can be assumed that herbivores and plant life are a 6 flourishing.