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Environmental
Sciences
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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Module 22 Wildlife conservation projects in India
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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Paper 03 Biodiversity and Conservation
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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Paper 03 Biodiversity and Conservation
Module 22 Wildlife conservation projects in India
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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Module 22 Wildlife conservation projects in India
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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Paper 03 Biodiversity and Conservation
Module 22 Wildlife conservation projects in India
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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Paper 03 Biodiversity and Conservation
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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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Paper 03 Biodiversity and Conservation
Module 22 Wildlife conservation projects in India
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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Paper 03 Biodiversity and Conservation
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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.