INTRODUCTION

India is rich in various bio geographical provinces, ranging from the cold deserts of Ladakh and
Spiti to the hot deserts of Thar, temperate forests in the Himalayas to the lush green tropical rain
forests of the low lands. India has also large freshwater bodies such as Wular and Manasbal lakes
in Kashmir, Chilka lake in Orissa and Kolleru lake in Andhra Pradesh and the rugged and rich
coastline and coral reefs of Deccan.

Wildlife plays a significant role in the ecosystem. It has crucial role in balancing the
environment . Wildlife conservation encompasses all human activities and efforts directed to
preserve wild animals from extinction. It involves both protection and scientific management of
wild species and their environment. Some species have become extinct due to natural causes, but
the greatest danger to wildlife results from the activities of man.

So we ourselves have created the need for conservation of wildlife. It can be viewed from several
angles such as, beauty,, economic value, scientific values for research and values for snivel. The
main causes of extinction of wild lives are poaching, enumerable animals and birds are hunted
for meat, skin, ivory, horns etc. ruthlessly.

In India, there are various laws for the protection and conservation of wildlife, as well overall
biodiversity. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is legislation that has been implemented for the
protection of wild animals, birds, and plants with a view of ensuring the ecological and
environmental security of India. In addition , a Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has also been
established to crub the illegal trade of wildlife , including endangered species.

Protected Areas are ecological/ bio geographical areas where wildlife is conserved. Their
habitats and natural resources are conserved and poaching is prevented. They are delimited to
protect biological diversity. They are cold desert (Ladakh and Spiti), hot desert (Thar), wetland
(Assam and N.E. States), saline swampy areas (Sunderbans, Rann of Kutch), mangroves,
temperate forests, subtropical forests, tropical forests, tropical wet evergreen forests, tropical
moist deciduous forests, tropical deciduous forests, tropical thorn, coral reef, etc. Protected Areas
include national parks, sanctuaries and biosphere reserves.

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 BIODIVERSITY IN INDIA

India is one of the world‟s most biologically and culturally diverse country. It is one of the
world‟s „mega diversity‟ countries. It is ranked ninth in the world in terms of higher plant species
richness. At the ecosystem level, India is also well-endowed, with ten distinct biogeographic
zones. It also contains two of the world‟s 25 biodiversity hotspots, because of their
extraordinarily high levels of species-richness and endemicity, and threatened status.

India has tremendous biodiversity, genetic as well as of species and ecosystems. It contains over
7 per cent of the world‟s biodiversity on 2.5 per cent of the Earth‟s surface. This diversity can be
attributed to the vast variety of landforms and climates resulting in habitats ranging from tropical
to temperate, and from alpine to desert.

The number of plant species in India is estimated to be over 45,523 representing about 11.8 per
cent of the world‟s flora. These include over 17,500 flowering plants of which 4,950 species are
endemic to the country. It is estimated that 32% of Indian plants are endemic to the country and
found nowhere else in the world. Among the plant species the flowering plants have a much
higher degree of endemism, a third of these are not found elsewhere in the world.

India is also considered as one of the world‟s eight centers of origin of cultivated plants. India
has 51 species of cereals and millets, 104 species of fruits, 27 species of spices and condiments,
55 species of vegetables and pulses, 24 species of fiber crops, 12 species of soil seeds, and
various wild strains of tea, coffee, tobacco and sugarcane. India is also the centre of origin for the
following crop species pigeon pea, egg plant cucumber, possibly cotton and sesame. But for
millennia, numerous other crop species have been introduced to India and adapted to localised
conditions.

Several hundred species of wild crop relatives are also distributed all over the country, especially
in the western and eastern Himalayas, the Western Ghats and the Malabar Coast, north-eastern
India, the Gangetic plain, and in the eastern part of the Deccan Plateau which is a major center
for wild rice, Citrus Indica, the most primitive species of citrus plants, is found in the Tura hills

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in Meghalaya.It is believed that the cultivated varieties of Citrus in India were perhaps developed
from this endangered species.

India‟s faunal wealth is equally diverse. The total number of animal species is estimated at
91,307, representing about 7.46 per cent of the world‟s fauna. India‟s known animal diversity in-
cludes about 8,61,696 insects, 21,723 fish, 240 amphibians, 460 reptiles, 1,232 birds and 397
mammals. In also includes about 86,413 invertebrates.

Among amphibians found in India, 62% are unique to this country. Among lizards, of the 153
species recorded, 50% are endemic. High endemism has also been recorded for various groups of
insects, marine worms, centipedes, mayflies and fresh water sponges.

The ancient practice of domesticating animals has resulted in India‟s diverse livestock, poultry
and other animal breeds. India has 26 breeds of cattle, 40 breeds of sheep, 20 breeds of goats, 8
breeds of camels, 6 breeds of horses, 2 breeds of donkeys and 18 breeds poultry birds. India also
contains vast microbial diversity.

In our country, animal variation is extremely high. Most of the higher vertebrates one can find in
forests or similar wild habitats and in Zoo gardens. India is one of the country rich in mammals,
birds, reptiles, butterflies and diverse marine life forms.
Among the mammals Sambar, Chital, Swamp deer, Barking deer, Black buck, Chinkara,
Rhinoceros, Leopard, Asiatic Elephant, Jackal, Fox, Wolf, Royal Bengal tiger, bonnet macque,
rhesus macaque, langur are most common forms.

Identically the common birds were hornbills, parakeets, barbets, bulbuls, flycatchers, flamingo
and pelicans. Common reptiles were represented by Monitor lizard, Water monitor, Russell‟s
viper, Tortoise, Charials and house lizards. Bull frog, tree frog and toads were quite common
amphibians. India have wide varieties of grasshopper, battles, ants, bees and butterflies.

The marine fauna of India is also fairly very high in number. They represents almost all
categories of animals. Crabs, shrimps, fishes, whale, sharks and dolphins are also very common
faunal forms of marine habitats.

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 NEED OF WILDLIFE

Wildlife is a precious gift of God to this planet. The term „wildlife‟ not only caters to wild
animals but also takes into account all undomesticated lifeforms including birds, insects, plants,
fungi and even microscopic organisms.

For maintaining a healthy ecological balance on this earth, animals, plants and marine species are
as important as humans. The eco-system is all about relationships between different organisms
connected through food webs and food chains. Even if a single wildlife species gets extinct from
the eco-system, it may disturb the whole food chain ultimately leading to disastrous results.
Thus, saving wildlife plays a great role in ensuring a check on the ecological balance thereby,
maintaining a healthy eco-system.

A huge number of plants and animal species are used to benefit humans in one way or the other.
Many of the medicines such as aspirin, pencilin, morphine have been derived from uncultivated
plants. Many of the extracts from animal species are rich in nutrients and anti-oxidants. The oil
from lever of cod fish is rich in omega 3 and omega 6 anti-oxidants that helps fight ageing,
venom of cobra is used as cure of leprocy. For medicinal values it is important to preserve
wildlife.

Human population largely depends on agricultural crops and plants for its food needs. The
fruits and vegetables that we get from plants are a result of a process called pollination, a
reproduction system in plants wherein the pollen grains from male flower is transferred to the
female flower, resulting in production of seeds. For the pollination to occur, birds, bees and
insects, which are few of the tiniest species on this planet, play an important role. It is through
these insects and birds that the pollens are transferred between flowers as they move from one
flower to the other. The crop growth can be significantly affected if the pollen carrying birds and
insects are reduced in numbers for whatsoever reason. 90 percent of world‟s apple crop is
dependent on honey-bee pollination. Besides pollination, many birds also play an important role
in controlling pests by feeding on them.

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Wildlife also plays a significant role in keeping the environment clean and healthy. Many micro-
organisms, bacteria, slime moulds, fungi and earthworms feed on plant and animal wastes,
decomposing them and releasing their chemicals back into the soil, thus, replenishing it with
nutrients which in turn, are taken up by roots of plants enabling them to grow and develop.

Wildlife also plays an important role in improving the economy of the country. Inviting tourists
from all across the globe to witness endemic and rare species through their offerings for game
safaris and birding tours; wildlife reserves and forests greatly contribute to inflow of foreign
exchange thereby, increasing country‟s GDP. It is not only wildlife safaris or bird watching that
contributes to the country‟s economy, many other activities such as trekking, fishing and river
rafting require government permits and licences, the cost of which goes into government‟s
account. The cost of tourist‟s travel, local transportation, food, accommodation and sight-seeing
– all indirectly contributes a significant amount to the nation‟s economy. With influx of tourists,
seasonal job opportunities for localites also increases significantly that again adds as a
contributing factor to improved GDP.

Wildlife have an important roles in imparting beautiful asthetics to our planet. Forests, rivers,
oceans, birds and animals; all contribute in beautifying the earth in a major way. If there are no
forests, rivers and animals or birds, earth would turn into a barren land with no traces of life.
Therefore, if we want to live in a place which is bustling with life, colours and happiness, it is
necessary to preserve wildlife.

But, sadly today, many of the animals and birds are getting endangered. The natural habitats of
animals and plants are being destroyed for land development and farming by humans. Poaching
and hunting of animals for fur, jewellery, meat and leather are other great factors contributing to
wildlife extinction. If soon, no stringent steps are taken to save wildlife, it would not be long
when they will find a place only on the list of extinct species. And that would not be all! The
extinction of wildlife species will certainly have a fatal impact on human race as well. So, for us
as humans, it becomes a great responsibility to save the wildlife, our planet and most
importantly, our own selves.

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 INDIAN CONSTITUNAL LAW ARTICLE 48 AND 51

At the time when the Constitution was enacted, there was no specific provision, act or article that
deals with the protection of environment law. Only in the preamble of the Constitution, it is
mentioned that India is a Socialist Country. So, the State pays more attention to Social problems
in comparison to individual provisions. And because of rapid Industrialization, Environment
pollution came as major problem which was considered as a social problem so the duty came on
State by the Preamble to provide standard of living in a pollution-free environment. After some
year Preamble again interpreted as it deals with the security of citizens by providing justice. And
Justice also include Environment Justice. Then after the Stockholm Conference held globally for
the protection of Environment increased the awareness among various countries toward
environment. Then the Indian government introduced various Acts such as the Wildlife Act
1972, Water Act 1974, Air Act 1981 etc. And after five years the Constitution of India was
amended by 42nd amendment in 1976 which include provisions for environment directly under
Fundamental Duties which was Article 51A and Directive Principle of State Policy which was
Article 48A.

Article 48A– it comes under the Directive Principle of State Policy. It says that “the State shall
endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of
the country”. This article imposed duty on State to protect the environment from pollution by
adopting various measures.

Article 51A- It states that “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the
natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for
living creatures” . This article is similar to Article 48A, only difference is it is the fundamental
duty of citizens whereas Article 48A is the duty of the State to protect environment. This article
says that we get a pollution-free environment from nature so it is our duty to not only protect the
environment from pollution but also improve its quality. In M.C. Mehta vs. Union of India,
Supreme court stated under Article 51A(g) to provide compulsory teaching lessons for one hour
in a week on environment in all educational institutions.

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 MAJOR NATIONAL PARKS

The national parks of India are treasure troves for nature lovers, containing a wide range of
geographical and climatic diversity. Within India‟s boundaries you can find the soaring
Himalayan mountain range, the lush rainforests of the Western Ghats, the arid Thar Desert, and
4,600 miles of coastline. Though the forest cover in India is only at about 22%, the
subcontinent is home to about 10% of the world‟s species.

The country‟s first national park (now known as Jim Corbett National Park) was created in
1936. Up until 1970, there were only five national parks of India. But in 1971, much to
everyone‟s shock, it was discovered that there were only about 1,800 wild Tigers left in India.
Within two years, both the Wildlife Protection Act and Project Tiger were created, which has
led to a substantial increase in India‟s tiger population. Today, there are 103 national parks and
50 tiger reserves in India. They preserve and protect an astonishing degree of biodiversity that
includes 70% of the world‟s wild tigers, white lions, sloth bears, hundreds of bird species, and
much more flora and fauna.

Jim Corbett National Park

Jim Corbett National Park, which is a part of the larger Corbett Tiger Reserve lies In the
Naintal district of Uttarakhand. The magical landscape of Corbett is well known and fabled for
tiger richness. Established in the year 1936 as Hailey National Park, Corbett has the glory of
being Oldest and most prestigious National Park. It was named after the legendary naturalist
and conservationist Jim Corbett. It was being honoured as the place where Project Tiger was
first launched in 1973. This unique territory is best known as the father who gave birth of the
Project Tiger in India to protect in India to protect the most endangered species and Royal
Tiger in India to protect the most endangered species and the Royal of India called tigers.

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Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga National Park is located in Assam. It is inhabited by the world‟s largest population
of the one-horned rhinoceros, as well as many mammals, including tigers, elephants, panthers
and bears, and thousands of birds.

Kaziranga National Park represents one of last unmodified natural areas in the north-eastern
region of India. Covering 42,996 ha and is single largest undistributed and representative area
in Brahmaputra Valley floodplain. The fluctuations of the Brahmaputra river result in
spectacular examples of riverine and fluvial processes in this vast area of wet alluvial tall
grassland interspersed with numerous broad shallow pools fringed with reeds and patches of
deciduous to semi-evergreen woodlands. It one of the finest wildlife refuges in the world.

On the UNESCO Natural Heritage list for India, Kaziranga is a great conservation success
story, having saved the one-horned rhino from the brink of extinction The park also harbors
several other endangered species, such as Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, sloth bears, Gangetic
dolphin, and many migratory birds.

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Bandhavgarh National Park

Bandhavgarh National Park is located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh .

Bandhavgrah , with an area of 105 square kilometres was declared a national park in 1968 and
then become tiger reserve in 1993 . The current area is spread over 716 square kilometres. It is
very picturesque, and popular with photographers and wildlife enthusiasts. It‟s always on the
lists of the top national parks in India. But the magnificent cat is not the only attraction here.
There are also 36 other mammals, including leopards, chital, dhole and nilgai (“blue bulls”),
more than 150 species of birds, and around 80 species of butterflies.

Maharaja Martand Singh of Reva captured the first white tiger in this region in 1951. This
white Tiger Mohan is now stuffed and on display in the palace of Maharajas of Rewa.
Historically villagers and their cattle have been at threat from the tiger . Rising mining
activities around the park are putting the tigers at risk. The park derived its name from the most
prominent hill of area which is said to have been given by Lord Rama to his brother Laxman to
keep a watch on Lanka.

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Kanha National Park

Kanha National Park is a paradise for wildlife lovers. This vivacious land has been source of
inspiration for Rudyard Kipling , a famous writer for his outstanding creation,‟‟ Jungle book”
It is located in Madhya Pradesh state. It‟s the largest national park in Central India. It‟s also
considered one of the most well-managed. The park extends over 122 square miles of the
central highlands at an elevation of about 2000 to 3000 feet . Originally established as the
Banjar Valley Sanctuary in 1935, it become a national park in 1935 and enlarged in 1964.
Rolling, sometimes rugged hills that tend to be flat topped enclose on three sides a large
meadow like grassland . Although there are occasional patches of bamboo, dense bush, or tall
grass high on the slopes and on the hilltops, much of the park consist of dry deciduous
woodlands. Fauna includes langurs, wild dogs , Bengal tigers, Indian leopards, wild pigs,
sloth bear, barking deer, chitals, sambars, swamp deer, gaur, quail, red and gray jungle fowl ,
peafowl, Barasingha and dhole . It is also the first Tiger Reserve in India to officialy introduce
a mascot, Bhoorsingh to Barasingha .There are observation towers, or machans, and elephants
are used for transport in the park, especially when motorable tracks become impassable during
summer monsoon rains.

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 THREATS TO WILDLIFE

Humans now the greatest threat to Earth, are destroying the planet and has killed 80% of all wild
mammals, plants and marine life. Habitat destruction is the direct loss of Indian wildlife by
removal of trees, polluting the rivers, leading the human wildlife conflict along with list of major
environmental issues.Natural floods are another killer of India‟s wildlife, Floods in Assam put
the life of wild Indian animals of Kaziranga National Park in danger .

Deforestation

Deforestation or removal of a forest for urban use and plantation is the biggest threat to the
wildlife of India, India is one of the top 10 countries in the world in the amount of forest loss in
2009, affected the wild animals and birds.

Habitat Loss

Habitat destruction by human activity like mining for natural resources is one of the primary
cause of wild species extinction in India and disturbance of ecosystem.

Poaching

Poaching is one of the way of illegal hunting of wild animals for trophies, Ivory, Fur of several
animals and claw. Top endangered species of India like elephants, tiger and Rhino are prime
target of poaching in India for wildlife trade.

Hunting

Hunting or killing of wild animals for food, recreation and bush meat is the illegal killing.
Killing and hinting of India‟s majestic wild animals is not only an environmental crime but also a
threat to the wildlife cycle.

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Plastic Pollution

Like most of the countries , India is also struggling with the quantities of plastic waste generated
by human. India as a big country is facing massive waste management challenge due to Plastic
Pollution and leading to killing of sacared cows, elephants, birds .

There are 500 times more pieces of microplastic in the sea than there are stars in our galaxy.
Eight hundred million tonnes of plastic are dumped into the ocean each year, washing up on
previously pristine parts of the planet and is a threat to the survival of more than 600 species of
marine wildlife

Climate Change

From more regular and fiercer storms to more prolonged and more intense droughts, the impact
of climate change is rising ocean temperatures and diminishing Arctic sea ice affecting marine
biodiversity, shifting vegetation zones and forcing species to adapt to new conditions .

Habitat Destruction

The fires that swept across the Amazon and Australia rightly drew attention to just how fragile
the most important ecosystems are. Half of the world‟s original forests are gone, and what
remains is being cut down ten times faster than it can be replaced .

Rail Track

Railway Tracks in India cross list of wildlife sanctuary and jungles, Chapramari track in West
Bengal killed 17 Indian elephants in 2013 plus there are list of several incidents where wild
animals have been killed by trains in India.

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 MAJOR CONSERVATIONS PROJECTS

Conservation has not been defined in Indian statutes per se, but in a general sense means
„preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment and of wildlife‟ .In this era of
the climate crisis, the destruction of nature, environment, and wildlife is highly evident. There is
an irreversible depletion of natural resources due to industrialization and globalisation.
Conservation projects are an effort to maintain and use natural resources in a sustainable manner.
This is to ensure that future generations have access to these resources. Wildlife is a part of
nature and therefore there is a need to protect them. Conservation projects are established to
integrate evolutionary theory with environmental reality. This helps in predicting how wildlife
will react to current and future environmental changes. It is established for their survival since
global warming, farming, population growth, pollution and hunting pose a great danger to to
them.

Project Tiger
The population of Indian Tigers was drastically declining towards the end of the 20th century.
Resultantly, a nation-wide Tiger Census was conducted in 1972 to estimate the population of
tigers. Large scale development activities including dams, mines, railway projects and
establishment of industries led to deforestation and further loss of habitat. Since the body parts of
the tigers are used for traditional Chinese medicine, they were killed in high numbers. All these
factors collectively led to a decline in the population of tigers. The acts of poaching, killing,
maiming, etc. of any animal are offences under Section 428 and Section 429 of the Indian Penal
Code, 1860. The punishment under S.428 is imprisonment for two years and under S.429,
imprisonment for five years.

In 1973, Project Tiger was launched in the Palamau Tiger Reserve, Jim Corbett National Park,
Uttarakhand. This is a centrally sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. It
is primarily governed under the Wildlife Act, 1972 itself. The project is administered by the
National Tiger Conservation Authority, which was established in December 2005.

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The aim of the project is the protection of tigers from extinction, by ensuring that there is a
viable population of the species in their natural habitats. The Project began from nine reserves in
1973-74 and has substantially grown to fifty reserves. The Project has seen significant success in
the recovery of the habitat and the population of the tigers in the reserved areas.

In 2019, the Tiger Census has shown that there are 2967 Bengal Tigers in India.

Measures Taken For Conservation of Tigers under the Wildlife Act, 1972
Legal Measures

1. The Project has been converted into a statutory authority by providing enabling
provisions in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. A National Tiger Conservation Authority
has been constituted under Section 38L of the Act. The Tiger and Other Endangered
Species Crime Control Bureau has also been established under Section 38Z of the Act.
2. The punishment for offences related to tiger reserves and its core areas has been
enhanced.
3. Several treaties have been signed with neighbouring countries such as Nepal, China, and
Bangladesh for controlling trans-boundary illegal wildlife trade and for tiger
conservation.

Administrative Measures

1. Anti-poaching activities have been strengthened, especially monsoon patrolling. This

involves deploying anti-poaching squads.
2. A National Tiger Conservation Authority has been constituted.
3. A Special Tiger Protection Force has been established.
4. Tiger Conservation Foundation has been created.

Financial Measures

Pecuniary measures include the provision of financial and technical help via Centrally Sponsored
Schemes through the Project itself and Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats.

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Tiger Task Force

It is essential that for proper implementation of the Project, a statutory authority having sufficient
legal backing is established. The National Board for Wildlife recommended the set-up of a Task
Force to look into the issues arising in the implementation of tiger conservation initiatives across
the country. This led to the creation of the Tiger Task Force. The TTF recommended the
establishment of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Project Elephant
Project Elephant was launched in 1992 and is a centrally sponsored scheme. Elephants face the
threat of attrition, as opposed to extinction faced by Tigers. The project aims at assisting the
management and protection of elephants in the States which have free-ranging populations of
wild elephants. The Elephants‟ Preservation Act, 1879 has also been formulated for the
protection of elephants across the country. India has over 27,000 elephants spread over 26
elephant reserves but only 65% of the elephant corridors are in protected areas.

The protection of elephants is also important because it has been declared as a national heritage
of the country. This was done by the Government of India in 2010 after the Standing Committee
on the National Board of Wildlife gave its recommendations. This step was taken to create a
wareness about the dwindling population of the elephants so that people would actively
participate in its conservation.

The objectives of the project are:

1. Protection of Elephants, Elephant Corridors and their Habitats;

2. Prevention of Man-Animal Conflicts; and
3. Ensuring the welfare of domesticated elephants.

Ecological restoration of the natural habitats and migratory routes is another important feature
of this project. An elephant task force was also established by the Ministry of Environment and
Forests to spread the idea of friendship between elephants and people (Take Gajah to the Prajah).

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Crocodile Conservation Project
The species of crocodilians was threatened in India due to the increasing number of
indiscriminate killings. They were poached for commercial purposes, which led to a drastic
decline in their population. Apart from this, there was a loss of habitat due to the increasing
development projects and industrialization.

In light of this situation, Project Crocodile was introduced in 1975. The primary focus was on
breeding and rearing in captivity. The initiative was taken by the Government of India in
association with the Food and Agriculture Organization and United Nations Development
Fund. Due to the implementation of this project, there is an increase in the population of
crocodiles, which has saved them from extinction. The protected areas include National Chambal
Sanctuary and Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. The strategy adopted for rehabilitation of these
species was to offer them protection in their own habitats. The practice of captive rearing was
followed and subsequently, they were released. The methods of „grow and release‟ and „rear and
release‟ were used. The objective of this project is to protect the remaining population of the
species, to promote research which would help in improving management, to promote the
rebuilding of their habitat and to encourage local public participation. The project has saved the
species from the verge of extinction, as they were enlisted as critically endangered in the IUCN
Red List. It has also been helpful in the creation of wetland sanctuaries which has led to active
management of other species as well. These species include turtles, Gangetic dolphins, lizards
and others.

Project Snow Leopard

The species of Snow Leopard inhabits the Himalayan landscape as well as states such as Jammu
and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh. Schedule I of the
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and IUCN declare the species as a „vulnerable‟ category.
Additionally, the species is listed in CITES and CMS which reveals that the highest conservation
status has been accorded to them, both nationally and internationally.

The International Snow Leopard Day is celebrated on 23rd October each year. The Government
of India launched the „First National Protocol on Snow Leopard Population Assessment‟ in 2019.

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This involves the use of technology such as camera traps and scientific surveys. This initiative
was developed under the global protocol of Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection
Program. This program is an intergovernmental alliance of 12 snow leopard range countries,
India, Pakistan, Nepal, Russia, China, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia. The Population Assessment of World‟s Snow Leopard (PAWS) is a
collaborative effort of these countries.

The primary threats to snow leopards were loss of habitat, poaching, and man-animal conflict.
Project Snow Leopard launched in 2009, aims to promote inclusivity and participatory approach
for the conservation of the species.

To add to this project, SECURE Himalaya (Securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use
and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystems) is another initiative taken to conserve high
altitude biodiversity. This is operational in Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu
& Kashmir. The key component of the project is the protection of snow leopards and other
endangered species. The six-year-long project also focuses on securing livelihoods of the local
public and enhancing enforcement to reduce wildlife crime. The government has allocated 130
crores for the project, to protect around 200 snow leopards in the Trans and Greater Himalayan
Regio . The Protected Areas include The Sacred Himalayan Landscape , Kibber Wildlife
Sanctuary, Great Himalayan National Park, Hemis National Park, Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary,
Pin Valley National Park.

WWF-India installed around 13 Predator Proof Corral Pens which positively impacted the
families living in 13 villages of Ladakh. Corrals are enclosures for capturing or confining
livestock. It was established through a study that if people were compensated for the loss of their
livestock, they would not resort to „revenge-killing.‟ This has led to less killing of the snow
leopards. The Jammu and Kashmir forest officials, in 2018, began working on estimation of the
population of snow leopards in Ladakh. This estimation is based on the protocols of All India
Tiger Estimation. This initiative requires a combined effort of the State Forest Department,
Ministry of Environment and Forest at the Centre and Wildlife Institute of India.

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ROLE OF NGOs AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

The geographical diversity in India is the corollary to the biodiversity that makes it home to a
huge variety of plants, land and marine animals. History of killing and poaching of wildlife in
India is as long and as varied as its biodiversity. The predominance of princely states, an
overdose of invasions and colonialism and a lack of general awareness have stripped India of
much of her wealth in every sense. Much of the wealth that India was naturally endowed with
has disappeared. However, it is never too late when the security of our foundation on earth
comes under the scythe. A number of NGOs have come forward to put an end to the gory
business of poaching and wildlife trafficking in India. With the help of their seminars and
symposia they have been successful to a large extent in drawing the administration's attention
towards this problem. Legal activism on their part has led to certain worthwhile legislation in this
regard. The ban on ivory and snakeskin trade and the listing of the whale shark in the WPA
schedule are some of the legal initiatives taken by the state.Some of the NGOs that have played
an active role in the conservation and preservation of wildlife in India are TRAFFIC India fights
wildlife trafficking in India, Wildlife Trust of India have been very vocal about the Red Jungle
fowl and Golden Haired Langur, Wildlife First works for the conservation of wildlife in
Karnataka, Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) collaborate with state governments to
monitor illegal wildlife trade, Greenpeace

The civil society always plays an important role in helping build larger, stronger and more active
local citizenries, recognizing that they are critical to achieving long-term sustainable
development and influencing rightful governance of common public good. Civil Society must be
a integral part of the Conservation process. This includes developing platforms and coalitions for
environmental governance, conservation of wildlife and monitoring, influencing political
management in support of sustainable development, promoting common men‟s leadership in
environment and development to secure the rights of future generations.. An important aspect of
this session is to strengthen the role of civil society as conservation partners, and ensure that
environmental sustainability is one of the core principles of development cooperation.

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 CONCLUSION

Forests wildlife is also a natural resources which not only helps in maintaining the ecological
balance but is also beneficial from economic, recreational and aesthetic points of view. There was
a time when human interference was minimum, the number of wild animals was quite high and
there was no problem of their protection or conservation. But with the expansion of agriculture,
settlement, industrial and other developmental activities and mainly due to greed of man the
number of wild animals gradually became lesser and lesser. Let us not forget that the Wildlife
Protection Act is for securing protection of the wild life.

The way the wild animals are vanishing from the Earth, there is an absolute urgent need to stop
hunting or killing of wild animals in general and endangered species in particular. Several species
of animals have been pronounced extinct and several others are at the verge of extinction.
Deforestation is also one of the reasons for the loss of wildlife. Mass scale killings of wild animals
for their meat, bones, fur, teeth, hair, skin, etc. are going on throughout the world. Therefore, the
need for wildlife conservation has now become a necessity. It is in this regard that a stricter action
needs to be taken against all such offenders even at the level of granting of bail, lest such offenders
may harbour the idea that they can always commit offences and wriggle out of the clutches of the
judicial system.

Wildlife conservation is necessary for sustainable development. Various efforts have been made
at the international and national level. In India also various efforts have been made like: project
Tiger, Project Elephant, Captive breeding program etc. India also adopts various methods and
policies at international level or in the line of international agreements and convention.

Wildlife is an integral part of our planet. Wildlife plays a significant role in the ecology and the
food chain. Disturbing their numbers or in extreme cases, extinction can have wide-ranging
effects on ecology and humankind. Valuing and conserving forests and wildlife enhance the
relation between man and nature. We want our future generation to be able to hear the lions roar
and peacocks dancing with their extravagant feathers and not just see them in picture books. We
must take steps today or else it will be too late and we should always remember

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 REFERENCE

Websites

 TourmyIndia.com
 Exodus Travels
 WalkthroughIndia.com
 Worldanimalprotection.org
 Ipleaders
 Psc notes
 Vedantu

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