Wildlife in India

Introduction

• The wildlife in India consists of the variety of plants (flora) and animals (fauna) living in a geographic area and working together to form a chain of life. In India nearly 7-8% of all plant and animal species are found. 

CLASSIFICATION OF SPECIES

Now, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) it can be classified as shown: 

• Normal Species: When the population is moderate for their existence those species are known as normal species of the wildlife in India. Sal, Rodents, Pine Cattle are some of the examples
• Vulnerable Species: The species that are not yet endangered but may become endangered because of unfavorable circumstances which may harm its breed. Example: Nilgiri Langur, Nicobar Flying Fox, Barasingha, etc
• Rare Species:  Rare species are species that are in a very small population and may become endangered if unfavorable circumstances continue affecting them. Desert Fox, Wild Asiatic Buffalo, Hornbill, and the Himalayan Brown Bear are some of the examples of rare species
• Endangered Species: The species that are at risk of extinction because of a sudden decrease in their population are known as endangered species. Examples: Black Buck, Crocodile, Lion Tailed Macaque, Indian Wild Ass, Sangai (Brow-antlered deer in Manipur), Indian Rhino, etc
• Endemic Species: The species of plants and animals which exist in a particular geographic region and are isolated by natural calamities are known as endemic species. Examples: Nicobar Pigeon, Andaman Wild Pig, Mithun in Arunachal Pradesh, the Andaman Teal, etc
• Extinct Species: Extinction Species are those species of plants and animals that are completely gone and can no longer be found. Example: Asiatic Cheetah, Pink Head Duck, etc

Through research, it has been found out that the wildlife sanctuary in India has been able to exceed the number 89000 and there are almost 1361 species of bird in preservation. The elephants are the most commonly seen animals in the subtropical humid forests of Kerala, Assam, and Karnataka. They are found in the muddy and waterlogged lands of West Bengal and Assam. The animals such as Camels and Wild Asses are found in the Thar Desert and Rann of Kutch.

• The only country in the world that has both lions and tigers in India. Some species of deer such as Indian Bison, Nilgai, Chausingha, and Gazel are found in India
• India has a variety of species and living things because of its different and favorable geographical factors.  India is the home to about 7.6% of mammals, 14.7% of amphibians, 6% of birds, 6.2% of reptiles, and 6.0% of flowering plant species.India’s forest lands nurture about 500 species of mammals and 2000+ bird species.. India hosts 4 biodiversity hotspots: the Himalayas, the Western Ghats, the Indo-Burma region and the Sundaland. These hotspots have numerous endemic species.As India is home to many rare and vulnerable animal species, a wildlife sanctuary in India has been set up to keep the animals safe and to protect them from any harm
• India ranks 17th as the megadiverse country in the world that lies within the Indomalaya ecozone and along with the 16 countries; it is a home for about 60-70% of the world’s biodiversity. In India, about 12.6 % of birds, 6.2% of reptilian, 7.6% of all mammals, and 6.0% of flowering plant species are found
• The Sunderbans in West Bengal, The Nanda Devi in Uttrakhand, the Nilgiri (Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu), and the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu are the four out of eighteen Indian Biosphere Reserves that have been included in the world network of biosphere reserves

• The remaining other forest cover in India are as follows: Gulf of Mannar, Sunderbans, Dihang-Dibang, the Nilgiri, Nanda Devi, Nokrek, Simlipal, Great Nicobar, Manas, Agasthyamalai, Dibru, Saikhowa, Kanchenjunga, Pachmarhi, Cold Desert, Rann of Kutch, Panna, Achanakmar Amarkantak,  Seshachalam

• Many eco-developmental projects have been introduced like Project Tiger, Project Great Indian Bustard, and Project Rhino
• The wildlife has been extensively threatened by humans in the past few years. So, to stop this movement the Wildlife Protection Act, national parks, and forest cover in India which were first recognized in the year 1935 have been expanded widely
• The Wildlife Protection Act was passed in 1972 by the Parliament of India for the rescue and protection of plants and animal species from being threatened. The further initiative taken by the Government of India was introducing Project Tiger in 1973, with the aim that the population of Bengal tigers is to be well-maintained in their natural habitats

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Extinction of Species

• In recent times, the capturing of animals and exploitation of forests have caused the extinction of many animals
• Those species include Northern Sumatran Rhinoceros, Javan Rhinoceros, Indian Wild Zebu, and Indian/ Asiatic Cheetah
• The extinction of numerous large mammalian species has been confirmed and the status of many small plants and animal species is difficult to find out
• The only living population of the Asiatic Lions in the world is in the Gir Forest in Gujarat
• The Himalayan Quail and the Pink-headed Duck are some of the species of birds that have gone extinct in the recent period

National Parks and Tiger Reserves:

• The most strictly protected wildlife conservations are the National Parks and Tiger Reserves in India which allow no better way other than wildlife conservation

• The pasturing and private land tenure rights are not allowed in the National Parks while this can only be approved in wildlife sanctuaries at the freedom of the Chief Wildlife Warden of the State

• The Tiger Reserve In India is constituted by countries that promote development based on local community efforts. It was recognized under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) in 1971

Also see

• UPSC question paper 2022
• UPSC question paper 2020

Conclusion

The Indian Wildlife has a variety of plants and animals living in a geographic area and working together to form a chain of life. In India nearly 7-8% of all plant and animal species are found. India is the only country in the world that has both lions and tigers in India. Some species of deer such as Indian Bison, Nilgai, Chausingha, and Gazel are found in India.The only living population of the Asiatic Lions in the world is in the Gir Forest in Gujarat.The Wildlife Protection Act was passed in 1972 by the Parliament of India for the rescue and protection of plants and animal species from being threatened. India is home to a large variety of wildlife. It has a diverse biodiversity Hotspot  with its various ecosystems ranging from the Himalayas to the evergreen rain forests, the sands to the marshy mangroves of the east.