Environmental

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Paper 03 Biodiversity and Conservation

Module 22 Wildlife conservation projects in India

Paper No: 03 Biodiversity and Conservation

Module: 22 Wild Life conservation projects in India

Dr. Sunil Mittal

C

l University of P

Development Team

Principal Investigator

&

Co- Principal Investigator

Prof. R.K. Kohli

Prof. V.K. Garg & Prof. Ashok Dhawan

Central University of Punjab, Bathinda

Paper Coordinator

Dr Sunil Mittal

Central University of Punjab, Bathinda

Content Writer

Dr Sunil Mittal

Central University of Punjab, Bathinda

Content Reviewer

Prof. V. K. Garg

Central University of Punjab, Bathinda

Anchor Institute

Central University of Punjab

Environmental

Sciences

Paper 03 Biodiversity and Conservation

Module 22 Wildlife conservation projects in India

Description of Module

Subject Name Environmental Sciences

Paper Name Biodiversity and Conservation

Module Name/Title Wild Life conservation projects in India

Module Id EVS/BC-III/22

Pre-requisites

Objectives To learn about biodiversity conservation projects in India

Keywords Biodiversity, animal, conservation project

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Paper 03 Biodiversity and Conservation

Module 22 Wildlife conservation projects in India

Module 22: Wildlife Conservation projects in India

1. Introduction

2. Project Tiger

3. Project Elephant (PE)

3.1. The Major objectives of Project Elephant (PE)

3.2. Main activities under the Project are as follows (Ministry of Environment &

Forest)

3.3. Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme.

4. Project Hangul

5. Project Snow Leopard

6. Project One Horn Rhino

7. Project Ganges Dolphin

8. Crocodile Project

8.1 Objectives of the project Crocodiles

8.2 Project Sites

8.3. Protecting Gharials

9. Project Cheetah

10. Sea Turtle Project

11. Vulture Conservation

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Paper 03 Biodiversity and Conservation

Module 22 Wildlife conservation projects in India

1. Introduction

Wildlife means the entire flora and fauna growing in wild and not domesticated. It includes

animals, plants and microorganisms, which are not domesticated by humans. Wildlife is an

important component of biodiversity. India is unique in diversity of both its wild animal and

vegetation. But due to rapid industrialization, increasing population & pollution and high

demand of food, hunting etc. has led to over exploitation and extinction of some well-known

animals and plants from this nation. For prevention of extinction of species, conservation

efforts have been initiated. India has started wild life conservation programmes since 1930

with the establishment of Jim Corbett National Park. A large number of Projects have been

initiated by the Govt. of India to save animal biodiversity and prevent the extinction.

Wildlife conservation is the attempt to protect endangered animal and plant species, along

with their natural habitat. The present module focuses only on the various animal

conservation projects in India. The conservation projects discussed are:

1. Project Tiger

2. Project Elephant

3. Project Hangul

4. Project Snow Leopard

5. Project One Horn Rhino

6. Project Ganges Dolphin

7. Project Crocodile

8. Project Cheetah

9. Project Sea Turtle

10. Vulture Conservation

2. Project Tiger

‘Project Tiger’ is one of the most successful conservation projects not only in India but also

globally. The project was launched in the year 1973, based on the recommendations of a task

force, set up by the then Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi. When the project was

first initiated, 9 tiger reserves were settled to be covered under the project tiger. With the

time, these have increased to 50 (December 2016) and covered almost 71027 km2area. It is

spread in 18 states and covers around 2.21% of the geographical area of our country. Corbett

National Park was the first national park of India to come under Project Tiger on April 1st,

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Paper 03 Biodiversity and Conservation

Module 22 Wildlife conservation projects in India

1973. The names of tiger reserves with their states are shown in Table 1 and map in Figure

2.

Figure 1: Project Tiger

Table 1: Tiger Reserves in India (Source: Project Tiger)

Sl. No. Name of Tiger Reserve State Total area (In

Sq.Kms.)

1 NagarjunsagarSrisailam Andhra Pradesh 3296.31

2 Namdapha Arunachal Pradesh 2052.82

3 Kamlang Tiger Reserve Arunachal Pradesh 783.00

4 Pakke Arunachal Pradesh 1198.45

5 Manas Assam 3150.92

6 Nameri Assam 344

7 Orang Tiger Reserve Assam 492.46

8 Kaziranga Assam 1173.58

9 Valmiki Bihar 899.38

10 Udanti-Sitanadi Chattisgarh 1842.54

11 Achanakmar Chattisgarh 914.017

12 Indravati Chhattisgarh 2799.07

13 Palamau Jharkhand 1129.93

14 Bandipur Karnataka 1456.3

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15 Bhadra Karnataka 1064.29

16 Dandeli-Anshi Karnataka 1097.514

17 Nagarahole Karnataka 1205.76

18 BiligiriRanganatha Temple Karnataka 574.82

19 Periyar Kerala 925

20 Parambikulam Kerala 643.662

21 Kanha Madhya Pradesh 2051.791

22 Pench Madhya Pradesh 1179.63225

23 Bandhavgarh Madhya Pradesh 1598.1

24 Panna Madhya Pradesh 1578.55

25 Satpura Madhya Pradesh 2133.30797

26 Sanjay-Dubri Madhya Pradesh 1674.502

27 Melghat Maharashtra 2768.52

28 Tadoba-Andhari Maharashtra 1727.5911

29 Pench Maharashtra 741.22

30 Sahyadri Maharashtra 1165.57

31 Nawegaon-Nagzira Maharashtra 653.674

32 Bor Maharashtra 138.12

33 Dampa Mizoram 988

34 Similipal Odisha 2750

35 Satkosia Odisha 963.87

36 Ranthambore Rajasthan 1411.291

37 Sariska Rajasthan 1213.342

38 Mukandra Hills Rajasthan 759.99

39 Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tamil Nadu 1601.542

40 Anamalai Tamil Nadu 1479.87

41 Mudumalai Tamil Nadu 688.59

42 Sathyamangalam Tamil Nadu 1408.4

43 Kawal Telangana 2019.12

44 Amrabad Telangana 2611.39*

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45 Dudhwa Uttar Pradesh 2201.7748

46 Pilibhit Uttar Pradesh 730.2498

47 Amangarh (buffer of Corbett

TR)

Uttar Pradesh 80.6

Corbett Uttarakhand 1288.31

48 Rajaji TR Uttarakhand 1075.17

49 Sunderbans West Bengal 2584.89

50 Buxa West Bengal 757.9038

TOTAL 71027.10

The tiger (Figure 1) is a national animal of our country. It is a symbol of an intrinsic part of

our culture. The world tiger day is celebrated every year on 29 July. The largest tiger reserve

in India is Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve.

For improving of project strength, National Tiger Conservation Authority has been also set

up in different states to monitor the project. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

is constituted to regulate project tiger at national level. It is an administrative body of project

tiger. In 2006, 1,411 tigers are reported in India, which increased to 1,706 in 2011 and 2,226

in 2014. In 2016, according to World Wildlife Fund and Global Tiger Forum, the total

number of wild tigers has increased to 3,891.

Tiger Conservation is the most significant wildlife project of India. Govt. of India provides

all the financial and technical support through the Project Tiger. The Ministry of

Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) provides all the important decisions and

funding support through ‘Project Tiger’. International Union for Conservation of Nature and

Natural Resources (IUCN) has also been carried out for independent assessment of tiger

reserves which is based on 45 parameters designed by the World Commission on Protected

Areas. The Govt. of India is continuously coming forth to take immediate steps to implement

the major recommendations from the task forces for strengthening efforts towards protection

of tiger, convicting wildlife criminals, checking poaching, and reducing the smuggling of

body parts of tigers in the international market.

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Module 22 Wildlife conservation projects in India

Figure 2: Map Showing Tiger Reserves (Source: Project Tiger, Govt. of India)

3. Project Elephant (PE)

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Project Elephant (PE) was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and specialized

help to significant elephant states among the nation for the security of elephants, their

environments, habitats and corridors (Figure 3). The project additionally covered the issues

of human-elephant conflict and welfare of domesticated elephants. Currently, 32 Elephant

Reserves (ERs) are existing and occupied 69,583 square kilometers area. The list of state-

wise Elephant Reserves with area is shown in Table 2.

3.1. The Major objectives of Project Elephant (PE):

Protect elephants environment, habitat & corridors

Address issues of man-animal conflict

Welfare of captive elephants

The Project is being implemented in 16 States / UTs, viz. Andhra Pradesh , Arunachal

Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand , Karnataka , Kerala , Meghalaya , Nagaland , Orissa , Tamil

Nadu , Uttaranchal , Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

3.2. Main activities under the Project are as follows (Ministry of Environment &

Forest):

Ecological restoration of existing natural habitats and migratory routes of elephants

Development of scientific and planned management for conservation of elephant

habitats and viable population of Wild Asiatic elephants in India

Promotion of measures for mitigation of man elephant conflict in crucial habitats and

moderating pressures of human and domestic stock activities in crucial elephant

habitats;

Strengthening of measures for protection of Wild elephants form poachers and

unnatural causes of death

Research on Elephant management related issues

Public education and awareness programmes

Eco-development

Veterinary care

Elephant Rehabilitation/Rescue Centers

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Figure 3: Elephant Project

Table 3: Elephant Reserves in India (Source: Ministry of Environment & Forest)

S. No. Reserve Name State Area Covered

(Sq Km)

1 Mayurjharna West Bengal 414

2 Singhbhum Jharkhand 4,530

3 Mayurbhanj Orissa 3,214

4 Mahanadi Orissa 1,038

5 Sambalpur Orissa 427

6 Baitarni Orissa 1,755

7 South Orissa Orissa 1,049

8 Lemru Chhattisgarh 450

9 Badalkhol-Tamorpingla Chhattisgarh 4,216

10 Kameng Arunachal

Pradesh 1,892

11 Sonitpur Assam 1,420

12 Dihing-Patkai Assam 937

13 South Arunachal Arunachal 900+

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Pradesh

14 Kaziranga-

KarbiAnglong Assam 3,270

15 Dhansiri-Lungding Assam 2,740

16 Intanki Nagaland 202

17 Chirang-Ripu Assam 2,600

18 Eastern Dooars West Bengal 978

19 Garo Hills Meghalaya 3,500

20 Khasi Hills Meghalaya 1,331

21 Mysore Karnataka 6,724

22 Wayanad Kerala 1,200

23 Nilgiri Karnataka 4,663

24 Rayala Andhra Pradesh 766

25 Nilambur Kerala 1,419

26 Coimbatore Tamil Nadu 566

27 Anamalai Tamil Nadu 1,457

28 Anamudi Kerala 3,728

29 Periyar Kerala 3,742

30 Srivilliputtur Tamil Nadu 1,249

31 Shivalik[5] Uttarakhand 5,405

32 Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh 744

Total 69,583

3.3. Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme:

MIKE program started in South Asia in the year 2003 to provide information for elephant

range states to make appropriate management and enforcement decisions. The aim of this

program was to build institutional capacity within the range States for the long-term

management of their elephant populations.

The main objectives of the MIKE are:

1. To measure levels and trends in the illegal hunting of elephants;

2. To determine changes in these trends over time; and

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3. To determine the factors causing or associated with such changes, and to try and

assess in particular to what extent observed trends are a result of any decisions taken

by the Conference of the Parties to CITES

Project Elephant has been officially implementing MIKE programme of CITES in ten

Elephant Reserves in India since 2004. These consist of Shiwalik (Uttarakhand), Mayurbhanj

(Orissa), and Nilgiri (Tamilnadu). Ripu Chirang and Dehing-Patkai (Assam), Garo Hills

(Meghalaya), Deomali (Arunchal Pradesh, Eastern Dooars (West Bengal), Wayanad (Kerala),

and Mysore (Karnataka)

4. Project Hangul

Hangul project was initiated in the year 1970 with the help of World Wide Fund (WWF) .

Hangul also called as Kashmir Stag (Cervus affinis Hanglu) is a state animal of Jammu and

Kashmir (Figure 4).

Hangul is a subspecies of central Asian Red Deer. It is native to Northern Parts of India and

found in dense riverine forest, mountains of Kashmir valley and Northern Chamba in

Himachal Pradesh. Initially the project failed due to lack of participation of local people,

cement factories & militancy dealt.

Further, this project was again launched with the name of “Save Kashmir’s Red Deer

Hangul” in 2009. Another attempt to save the Hangul was to breed it in captivity. Funds

were sanctioned for captive breeding. Under the Species Recovery Programme, conservation

breeding centres are opened at Sikargah Tral, Pulwama District and Kangan. But there is not

much progress on increasing the numbers.

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Figure 4: Kashmir Stag - Hangul

5. Project Snow Leopard

Snow Leopard also known as Mystical Apex Predator (Figure 5). The project was launched

in January 2009 in five states of Northern Himalayas. The project was initiated in hilly areas,

high altitude areas above the forest in Himalayas (J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand),

Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. It is a highly endangered species. They are mostly found in

China and Mongolia other than India. This was an Indian initiative for strengthening wildlife

conservation in the Himalayan Region.

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Figure 5: Snow Leopard

WWF India in partnership with Tata Housing Development Company in January 2014

launched ‘Save Our Snow Leopards’ project.

Ladakh becoming role model in protecting Snow leopard

The Ladakh region has set an example as a role model for the rest of the country to protect

the endangered Snow Leopard. This is an excellent example of cooperation among

government and local community for success of any project. With the help of local

community, the Wildlife Department and several Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

succeeded to prevent man-animal conflict and discouraged killing of the exotic wild cats or

Snow leopards found in Trans Himalayan-Karakorum Mountains of the region and central

Asia. There are more than 400 wild cats found within the Indian Territory in Ladakh.

6. Project One Horn Rhino

The Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is also called the greater one-horned

Rhinoceros (Figure 6). It is listed as a vulnerable species under the IUCN Red List. Indian

Rhino Vision 2020, was initiated by the Department of Environment and Forests, Assam with

the BODO autonomous council. This project will be supported by the WWF, Asian Rhino

and Elephant Action Strategy (AREAS), International Rhino Foundation (IRF) and Local

NGOs to save rhinos. The main vision of this project is to increase the number of Rhinoss in

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Assam at least to 3000 by the end of year 2020. The project also ensures that rhinos should be

distributed over to at least 7 protected areas to provide future visibility. It also involves

transfer of Rhinoss from one protected area to another. Manas National Park was the first

park selected for the translocation of Rhinos.

Figure 6: One Horn Rhino

7. Project Ganges Dolphin

The ministry of Environment and Forest has notified the Ganges River Dolphin as the

National Aquatic Animal (Figure 7).On 5th October 2009, the honorable Prime Minister of

India had declared the Ganges River Dolphin as India’s National Aquatic animal.

The River Dolphin inhabits the region in Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and

Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India and Bangladesh.

It is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).

The Ganges River Dolphin was once present in tens of thousands of numbers but

deistically decreased to less than 2000 in the last century due to direct killing, river

water pollution, accidental entanglement in fishing nets and poaching.

WWF India started to work with the local communities for the conservation of

Ganges River Dolphin in 1997. This campaign is highly popular and local community

has contributed to a great extent.

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Figure 7: Ganges Dolphin

Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is located in Bhagalpur District of Bihar, India. It is

a protected area for the endangered Gangetic dolphins in Asia. West Bengal is in process to

establish the country’s first community reserve for the mammal to protect the endangered

Gangetic river dolphins.

8. Crocodile Project

Project Crocodile was started in 1975 with support from the Food and Agriculture

Organization (FAO) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This project is

resultant of enactment of Wild Life Protection Act 1972. All three species of crocodile come

under the project:

1. Crocodiles (Gharial, Gavialisgangeticus, Mugger crocodile

2. Crocodylus palustris

3. Saltwater crocodile

8.1. The objective of Project crocodile are:

To protect the remaining population of crocodilians in their natural habitat by creating

sanctuaries.

To rebuild natural population quickly through ‘grow and release’ or ‘rear and release’

technique.

To promote captive breeding.

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Figure 8: The Gharial

8.2. Project Sites

In 1976, it is conducted in river system of Bhitakanika area and Mahanadi (Orissa). The

captive breeding program was carried out for Gharials, Crocodiles, and Mugger.

a. Baula Project: It was conducted at Dangamal in Bhitakanika sanctuary of Orissa state.

Baula is an Oriya term, which means salt Crocodile. The eggs were collected locally and

young ones are released in estuaries and creeks.

b. Mugger Project in Ramathirtha: Started 1984 for care to Mugger species. It is fish eater

but harmless to humans. It lives in deep water. It is found in Indian Sub-Continent and being

totally extinct from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan and Burma.

8.3. Protecting Gharials: Gharial comes under critically endangered category of IUCN. In

1940s around 10,000 adult gharials were estimated in the north of the Indian subcontinent.

But today, these are limited to nearly 200 adult individuals. It was reported in 2008, dozens

of the gharial are turning up dead on the banks of the Chambal River. Prague Zoo works

together with an international organization called Gharial Conservation Alliance (GCA) to

protect the last wild populations. This organization plays a key role in gharial conservation on

the Chambal River; its activities, however, are not limited to that zone, but extend throughout

India.

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Gharial Project at Tikarpada: Capacitive breeding program carried out and has resulted in

increase the number of gharials.

9. Project Cheetah

Beginning of the twentieth century, the extinction of Cheetah was making headlines.

Government of India took an initiative as Project Cheetah to get back to their original state. It

is the only large mammal which has been extinct from India in recent history. Supreme Court

in 2012 set forth the Cheetah Reintroduction Program by which the Ministry of Environment

and Forests had proposed to import Cheetah to India. The cheetah is found only in Africa,

arid regions of eastern Iran in Asia (Figure 9).

Figure 9: Cheetah

Kuno Palpur and Nauradehi Sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh and Shahgarh landscape in

Jaisalmer in Rajasthan have been selected by the Wildlife Institute of India as most suitable

sites for the reintroduction project. Government of India is talking to Islamic Republic of Iran

& African countries to export of Cheetah.

10. Sea Turtle Project

The project was implemented by an NGO called Project Swarajya located at Cuttack in

Orissa.

The sea turtles (Figure 10) migrate from ocean to ocean and do not have any particular habit

except the female ones who instinctively returns to the same beach year after year for laying

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its eggs. It feeds at the bottom of the ocean and comes outside periodically outside the ocean

only to replenish the oxygen.

Figure 10: Turtle

Today, 7 species of sea turtles such as Flatback, Olive Ridley, Kemp’s Ridley Green

Hawksbill, Leatherback and Loggerhead are existing. Altogether, 5 out of the 7 species of sea

turtles are found in the oceans of the Indian sub-continent, the Olive Ridley being the most

populous amongst them. Gahirmatha Beach on the coast of Orissa, along the Bay of Bengal is

the place where 1000 of them come during December and February to lay eggs.

MoEF initiated the Sea Turtle Conservation Project in collaboration of UNDP in 1999

with Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, as the Implementing Agency.

The project is being implemented in 10 coastal States of the country with special

emphasis in State of Orissa.

The project has helped in preparation of inventory map of breeding sites of Sea

Turtles, identification of nesting and breeding habitats along the shore line and

migratory routes taken by Sea Turtles, development of guidelines to safeguard and

minimize turtle mortality.

One of the important achievements have been demonstration of use of Satellite

Telemetry to locate the migratory route of Olive Ridley Turtles in the sea and

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sensitizing the fishermen and State Government for the use of Turtle Exclusion

Device (TED) in fishing trawlers to check turtle mortality in fishing net.

11. Vulture Conservation

Vultures are those types of birds, who feed on dead animals. It is found across the world,

including Indian subcontinent. These have ecological, social and cultural significance in

India. It is nature -scavenger and helps to keep the environment clean. Presently, they are one

of the most endangered bird species inIndia. This is a matter of great concern as vultures are

natural scavengers and play a crucial role in the ecosystem, and are also essential for the

overall well-being of the environment and life support system.

In 1998, observations and counts of vultures at Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, indicated

a decline in number of vultures. In 1999, it was found that there is a sharp decline in number

of vultures in India, Pakistan and Nepal. Research was focused around food shortages,

poisoning, use of pesticides, disease or other factors. The report of the Department of Animal

Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries made a shocking revelation on the population of vultures

that has decimated in the entire region of South Asia. One of the major causes of decimation

of the population of vultures is the pharmaceutical drug, diclofenac, which is toxic to the bird

even at relatively low dosage.

In May 2006, the Government of India, initiated preventive actions to curb further decline in

the population of vultures which also includes banning the use of diclofenac in veterinary

sector. The government had released the “Vulture Recovery Plan” in 2006. The Bombay

Natural History Society (BHNS) has led the movement of vulture conservation in India.

In Asia, the first vulture Conservation Breeding Centre was opened at Pinjore, Haryana in

2005. At present, India has four vulture breeding facilities:

1. Rani, Guwahati (Assam)

2. Pinjore (Haryana)

3. Buxa (West Bengal)

4. Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh)

There four centers are managed by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in Junagarh in Gujarat,

Nandankanan in Orissa, Hyderabad in Telangana and Muta in Ranchi.