Wildlife Conservation in India

The protection of wildlife is not a modern idea in India — it has a long tradition. Stories like the Panchatantra and the Jungle Books have carried this love for wildlife across generations, and they leave a deep impression on young minds. So the legal framework for wildlife protection came much later, but the cultural foundation was already there.

In 1972, a comprehensive Wildlife Act was enacted. This Act provides the main legal framework for the conservation and protection of wildlife in India. It has two main objectives. First, to provide protection to the endangered species listed in the schedule of the Act. Second, to provide legal support to the conservation areas of the country, which are classified as National Parks, Sanctuaries and Closed Areas. The Act was comprehensively amended in 1991, making punishments more stringent. The amendment also made provisions for the protection of specified plant species and for the conservation of endangered species of wild animals. Today, there are 107 National Parks and 573 wildlife sanctuaries in the country.

Wildlife conservation has a very large ambit, with unbounded potential for the well-being of humankind. But this can be achieved only when every individual understands its significance and contributes his or her bit. For the purpose of effective conservation of flora and fauna, the Government of India has initiated special steps in collaboration with UNESCO's 'Man and Biosphere Programme'. This collaboration led to the establishment of Biosphere Reserves.

A Biosphere Reserve is a special category of protected area. It is meant to conserve the biodiversity of a region while also allowing sustainable development of the local people. The objectives of a Biosphere Reserve are threefold: conservation of biodiversity, development of the region, and providing support for research and monitoring. The following table lists the Biosphere Reserves of India, along with the year of their designation and the states or union territories where they are located.

Some of these reserves — the ones marked with bold letters in the original list — have been included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO.

Beyond the Biosphere Reserves, the Government of India has launched special schemes for the conservation of specific species and their habitats in a sustainable manner. The two most important of these are Project Tiger and Project Elephant. …