The Wildlife in India is a mix of species of different types of organisms.

Apart from a handful of the major farm animals such as cows, buffaloes, goats, poultry and sheep, India has an amazingly wide variety of animals native to the country. It is home to tigers, lions,Leopards, pythons, wolves, foxes, bears,crocodiles, rhinoceroses, camels, wild dogs, monkeys, snakes, antelope species, deer species, varieties of bison and not to mention the mighty Asian elephant. The region's rich and diverse wildlife is preserved in 89 national parks, 18 Bio reserves and 400+ wildlife sanctuaries across the country.India has some of the most biodiverse regions of the world and hosts three of the worlds 34 biodiversity hotspots or treasure-houses that is the [2] Western Ghats, the Eastern Himalayas and Indo- Burma. Since India is home to a number of rare and threatened animal species, wildlife management in the country is essential to preserve these [3] species. According to one study, India along with 17 mega diverse countries is home to about 60-70% [4] of the world's biodiversity. India, lying within the Indomalaya ecozone, is home to about 7.6% of all mammalian, 12.6% of avian, [5] 6.2% of reptilian, and 6.0% of flowering plant species. Many ecoregions, such as the shola forests, also [6][7] exhibit extremely high rates of endemism; overall, 33% of Indian plant species are endemic. India's forest cover ranges from the tropical rainforest of the Andaman Islands, Western Ghats, and Northeast India to the coniferous forest of the Himalaya. Between these extremes lie the sal-dominated moist deciduous forest of eastern India; teak-dominated dry deciduous forest of central and southern India; and [8] thebabul-dominated thorn forest of the central Deccan and western Gangetic plain. Important Indian trees include the medicinal neem, widely used in rural Indian herbal remedies. The pipal fig tree, shown on the seals of Mohenjo-daro, shaded the Gautama Buddha as he sought enlightenment. Many Indian species are descendants of taxa originating in Gondwana, to which India originally belonged. Peninsular India's subsequent movement towards, and collision with, the Laurasian landmass set off a mass exchange of species. However, volcanism and climatic change 20 million years ago [9] caused theextinction of many endemic Indian forms. Soon thereafter, mammals entered India from Asia [8] through two zoogeographical passes on either side of the emerging Himalaya. As a result, among Indian species, only 12.6% of mammals and 4.5% of birds are endemic, contrasting with 45.8% of reptiles [5] and 55.8% of amphibians. Notable endemics are the Nilgiri leaf monkey and the brown and carmine Beddome's toad of the Western Ghats. India contains 172, or 2.9%, of IUCN-designated [10] threatened species. These include the Asiatic lion, the Bengal tiger, and the Indian white-rumped vulture, which suffered a near-extinction from ingesting the carrion of diclofenac-treated cattle. In recent decades, human encroachment has posed a threat to India's wildlife; in response, the system of national parks and protected areas, first established in 1935, was substantially expanded. In 1972, India enacted the Wildlife Protection Act and Project Tiger to safeguard crucial habitat; further federal protections were promulgated in the 1980s. Along with over 500 wildlife sanctuaries, India now hosts 15 biosphere reserves, four of which are part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves; 25 wetlands are registered under the Ramsar Convention. The varied and rich wildlife of India has had a profound impact on the region's popular culture. The common name for wilderness in India is Jungle, which was adopted into the English language. The word has been also made famous in The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. India's wildlife has been the subject of numerous other tales and fables such as the Panchatantra and the Jataka tales.

[1]

India is home to several well-known large mammals, including the Asian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Leopard, Sloth Bear and Indian Rhinoceros, often engrained culturally and religiously, often being associated with deities. Some other well-known large Indian mammals are: ungulates such as the rare Wild Asian Water buffalo, common Domestic Asian Water buffalo, Nilgai, Gaur, and several species of deer and antelope. Some members of the dog family, such as the Indian Wolf, Bengal Fox and Golden Jackal, and the Dhole or Wild Dogs are also widely distributed. However, the dhole, also known as the whistling hunter, is the most endangered top Indian carnivore, and the Himalayan Wolf is now a critically [citation needed] endangered species endemic toIndia. It is also home to the Striped Hyena, Macaques, Langurs and Mongoose species.

Conservation [edit]

One of the world's rarest monkeys, thegolden langur typifies the precarious survival of much of India's megafauna.

The need for conservation of wildlife in India is often questioned because of the apparently incorrect priority in the face of direct poverty of the people. However, Article 48 of the Constitution of India specifies that, "The state shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country" and Article 51-A 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 [11] for living creatures." Large and charismatic mammals are important for wildlife tourism in India, and several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries cater to these needs.Project Tiger, started in 1972, is a major effort to conserve [12] the tiger and its habitats. At the turn of the 20th century, one estimate of the tigerpopulation in India placed the figure at 40,000, yet an Indian tiger census conducted in 2008 revealed the existence of only [13] 1,411 tigers. 2010 Tiger census revealed that there are 1700 tigers left in India. The passing of the Forest Rights Act by the Indian government in 2008 has been the final nail in the coffin and has pushed the Indian tiger to the verge of extinction. Various pressures in the later part of the 20th century led to the progressive decline of wilderness resulting in the disturbance of viable tiger habitats. At the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources(IUCN) General Assembly meeting in Delhi in 1969, serious concern was voiced about the threat to several species of wildlife and the shrinkage of wilderness in India. In 1970, a national ban on tiger hunting was imposed, and in 1972

the Wildlife Protection Act came into force. The framework was then set up to formulate a project for tiger conservation with an ecological approach. Launched on April 1, 1973, Project Tiger has become one of the most successful conservation ventures in modern history. The project aims at tiger conservation in specially constituted 'tiger reserves' which are representative of various bio-geographical regions falling within India. It strives to maintain a viable tiger population in their natural environment. Today, there are 39 Project Tiger wildlife reserves in India covering an area more than of 37,761 km. Project Elephant, though less known, started in 1992 and works for elephant protection in India. of India's rhinos today survive in the Kaziranga National Park.
[14]

Most

The exploitation of land and forest resources by humans along with hunting and trapping for food and sport has led to the extinction of many species in India in recent times. These species include mammals [15] such as the Indian/Asiatic Cheetah, Wild Zebu, Javan Rhinoceros, and Sumatran Rhinoceros. While some of these large mammal species are confirmed extinct, there have been many smaller animal and plant species whose status is harder to determine. Many species have not been seen since their description. Some species of birds have gone extinct in recent times, including the Pink-headed Duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea) and the Himalayan Quail(Ophrysia superciliosa). A species of warbler, Acrocephalus orinus, known earlier from a single specimen collected by Allan Octavian Hume from near Rampur in [16][17] Himachal Pradesh, was rediscovered after 139 years in Thailand.

Biosphere reserves [edit]

The Indian government has established eighteen Biosphere Reserves of India which protect larger areas of natural habitat and often include one or more National Parks and/or preserves, along buffer zones that are open to some economic uses. Protection is granted not only to the flora and fauna of the protected region, but also to the human communities who inhabit these regions, and their ways of life. The Bioreserves in India are: 1. Achanakmar-Amarkantak 2. Agasthyamalai 3. Dibru Saikhowa 4. Dihang Dibang 5. Great Nicobar 6. Gulf of Mannar 7. Kachchh 8. Kangchenjunga 9. Manas 10. Nanda Devi 11. The Nilgiris 12. Nokrek

13. Pachmarhi 14. Simlipal 15. Sundarbans 16. Cold desert 17. seshachalam hills 18. Panna Eight of the eighteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based [23] on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) list. 1. Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve 2. Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve 3. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve 4. Nokrek National Park 5. Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve 6. Simlipal National Park 7. Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve 8. Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve

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. Hence, National Wildlife Action Plan has been adopted in 1983 for wildlife conservation. Many sanctuaries and National Parks have been established for the protection of dwindling wildlife.

Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks:

Wildlife Sanctuaries are places where the killing and capturing of any animal is prohibited except under order of the authorities concerned. National parks are set up for preserving flora, fauna, landscapes and historic objects of an area. At present, protected area network comprises 398 sanctuaries and 69 national parks covering four per cent of the total geographic area of the country. It is proposed to be increased to 4.6 per cent (1%

National Parks and 3.6% sanctuaries) by setting up more sanctuaries and parks. A list of some well known wildlife sancturies and national parks of is given in the table. List of some well known Wildlife Sancturies and National Parks in India SI. Name of No. Sanctuary National Park 1. Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary Place/ State Area Wildlife .) (Sq.Kms Conserved

SibasaaAssam

430

Rhinocerus, elephant, wild buffalo, bison, tiger, leopard, sloth bear, sambhar, pelican, stork, eagle.

2.

Manas Kamrup Assam Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve

540

Tiger, panther, wild dog, bear, rhinoceros, gaur, golden angur etc.

3.

Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary

Jalpaiguri West Bengal

65

Rhinoceros, gaur, elephant, tiger, leopard, deer, birds adrepriles.

4.

Kolameru Bird Sanctuary

Tadepallegudum Andhra Pradesh

A breeding place for pelican and other visiting marine birds.

5.

Chilika Lake

Chilika, Orissa

100

Waterfowl, duck, cranes, ospreys, golden plover, sandiper, stone curlews, flamingoes, etc.

6.

Vendant Hangal Bird Sanctuary

Madras Tamilnadu

0.30

Flamingoes, pelicans black buck, chitals, vvildboars.

7.

Point Calimer Wildlife Sanctuary

Thanjavur Tamirnadu

0.30

Panther, tiger, sambhar, chitals.

8.

Mundanthurai Tirunelveli Sanctuary Tamilnadu

520

Elephants, gaurs, sambhar,leopards,ack Nilgirilangur, grey hornbill,egret

9.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Periyar, Kerala

777

-Elephant, gaurs, sambhar, leopards, black nilgirillangur, grey hornbill, egret.

10.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary

Bharatpur Rajasthan

29

Cormorants, Spoonbils, whiteibis, Indian darters, egrets, open billed stork, geese, duck, Siberian cranes, deer, black duck, pythopri. blue bull wild boar

11.

Palamau National Park

Dattongunj West Bengal

345

Tiger, panther, sloth bear, elephant, chital, gaur, nilgar, chinkara, leopard, deer, birds adrepriles. chowsingha.

12.

Hazaribagh National Park

Hazaribagh, Bihar

184

Wild board, sambhar, Nilgai, tiger, leopard. Hyena, gaur etc.

13.

Similipal National park

Similipal, Orissa 2750

tiger, tiger, elephant, deer, chital, peafowl, talking myma, sambhar, panther, gaur, hyena and both bear.

14

Guindy National Park

Madras Tamil nadu

Albinos or black duck, chitals.

15

Kanha National Park

Banjar Valley Madhya Pradesh

940

Tiger, chital, panther, sambhar, black duck etc.

16

Tanoba National Park

Chandrapur

166

Tiger, sambhar, sloth bear, barking deer, blue bull, chinkara, bison, pea fows etc.

17.

Corbett National Park

Nainital, U.P.

525

Tiger, panther, sloth bear, hyaena, elephant, blue deer, barking deer, Indian antelope, procupine, pecker barbet,

crocodile, python etc. bull swamp bulbul, wood

The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 is implemented throughout India except J & K for wild life conservation and protection of endangered species. J & K has its own Wildlife Protection Act. Project Tiger: 'Project Tiger', a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in April 1, 1973 to save tigers. It is one of the world's most successful projects for conservation of tigers. Presently there are 45,334 of tigers surviving in 18 tiger reserves in 13 States, covering over 28, 017 sq. kms. Various steps have been initiated to protect tigers. A tiger cell has been set up to collect data. Hunting is strictly prohibited and eco-development programmes have been initiated to increase tiger population. Along with tigers, the flora, fauna or the biodiversity as a whole is able to be conserved. Hence Project Tiger has set an example for environmental conservation. The 'Project Elephant' is an outcome of the success story of the 'Project Tiger'. Project Elephant: The Asian elephant, which has shared a special bond with men since time immemorial, is now facing an uncertain future. Hence "Project Elephant" has been formulated in 1992 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests to protect the elephants in India. It covers in principles the entire elephant population of the country. However, eleven elephant reserves have been identified us priority areas for special attention and financial assistance under this project. At present, India holds the largest number of Asian elephants with 20,000 to 24,000 in wild and nearly 3,000 in captivity. Fisheries: Fisheries in India are comprised either inland or marine. The rivers and their tributaries, canals, ponds, lakes and reservoirs are the main sources for the inland fisheries. The rivers extend over about 17,000 miles and to these subsidiary water channels comprise 70,000 miles. The Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean are responsible for total marine resources. Indian fish production has a steady increase from 7.52 lakh tones in 1950-51 to 41.57 lakh tonnes in 1991-92. But this production is far from adequate. It is only 9 per cent of the total supply of fish in Asia whereas Japan alone contributes to the extent of 43 per cent and China coming next, to about 18 per cent. We have the vast fishery resources of 6,500 km. coastline and about 2.12 million lives in

2,408 villages draw their livelihood. The numbers of fishermen engaged in direct fishing are 4.7 lakhs. So the resources are vast, but we cannot be able to exploit it properly. Hence during the sixth plan, the fisheries programme is given special attention to family based business. Much emphasis has been given on inland and brackish water fisheries and improving the harvesting from seas by stimulating the growth of country boats, mechanized boats and deep sea trawlers. Development of Fisheries: Fisheries play an important role in the economy of the country. Increase in foreign exchange earning, generating employment, augmenting food supply and raising international value by adding proteins to the food are the important contributions of fisheries. Hence the Government of India has embarked on various programmes for mechanization and modernization of the fishing industry, considering the imperative task of improving the socio-economic conditions of nearly two million fisher folks. The emphasis has been shifted from heavy infrastructure and industry to more comprehensive programmes, aimed at providing basic services to the fishing community and achieving better income distribution within these. In terms of projects design, much attention was given in all the sectors, both traditional and new, to income distribution and employment, development of local resources and institutions, training of personnel and R & D efforts. Inland Fisheries: Inland fisheries is an important rural economic activity, catering to the domestic market and giving gainful employment for over 1.75 million persons. Projections of domestic demand of fish form 12.5 million tonnes to 20 million tones by the turn of the century have been made. But a lot of constraints have been observed during last two' decades that bring stagnation and a steady decline in fisheries. The degradation of fish habitat, the excessive flow of industrial, urban and agricultural wastes into the river water and the consequent deterioration in quality and overfishing are the important ones. Hence drastic steps are to be taken to rectify the situation. During the fifth plan, the Govt. of India sponsored Fish Farmers Development Agencies (FFDA) to popularize fish farming in tanks and ponds. There are 147 FFDAs functioning in 17 States, bringing about 101 thousand hectares of water area under intensive fish culture and there is a target of increasing in fish yield from 50 kgs per hectare in 197 1 to 3000 kgs per hectare by the erid of this century. The three major areas of inland fisheries; reverie fisheries, reservoir fisheries and aquaculture have positive potential for expansion. A properly planned, development programme encompassed under a national fisheries policy, could aim at achieving a four to five folds increase in production from the present level of a million tones in the coming decade.

Marine Fisheries: High priority is being given continuously to the development of marine fisheries. The programme of mechanization of fishing crafts, providing subsidy up to 33 per cent of the cost of vessels to fishermen, permitting use of foreign fishing vessels and joint ventures, constructing 23 minor fishing harbors and 96 fish landing centers apart from four major fishing harbors i.e. Cochin, Madras, Vishkhapatnam and Roychowk for landing and breathing and developing proper facilities for preservation are the major steps taken to intensify the marine fish production. India has vast potential of marine fishing resources comparing 20 lakh sq. kms. Of Exclusive Economic Zone for deep sea fishing. If proper developmental programmes based on latest technologies are adopted sincerely, it can bring about a quantum jump in fish production. Brackish Water Aquaculture: Utilization of country's vast brakish water resource for fish and prawn culture is the main objective of this scheme. Aquaculture in about one million hectares of brakish water, at the production rate of two tone's a hectare, can produce two million tones of prawns. At a price of Rs.100 a kgs, this would yield Rs. 20,000 crores and can employ four million persons. Role of Fisheries in Rural Development: At policy, planning and executive levels, the Centre and State Governments have accepted that fisheries can play an important role in rural development and generating employment in the hinterland. This places greater responsibilities of fishery institutes, fishery scientists, technicians and banks. It is necessary to select a few thrust areas such as reproduction and fish genetics to develop hybrids which have desired traits for reproduction, disease control and higher food conversion ratio. Fisheries development in rural areas needs simple technique, low investment and quick return. Adoption of this approach by banks to give institutional finance, can help in reversing the current trend in which the Government controls the major production resources and the fishermen and entrepreneurs contribute to exploitation and marketing only. This will help in bringing about an exponential growth in fish production and generate income and employment. In this change, bank officials can render valuable service by understanding, evaluating and supporting the schemes which are commercially viable making way for sustained development of the fishery resources in the rural areas, putting an end to the migration of the rural people to urban areas. Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA): Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), a unit of ICAR had its beginnings in the Central Inland Fisheries Research Substation, Cuttack in 1949, which was later upgraded to Freshwater

Aquaculture Research and Training Centre (FARTC) in 1976, shifted to Kausalyaganga near Bhubaneswar in 1980 and was given a status of an independent institute in the seventh plan on 1 April, 1987. It is considered as a Regional Lead Centre on Carp Farming under the FAO/UNDP Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia (NACA). The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Nonconventional Energy Sources (DNES), World Bank/ NARP (Phase-Ill) NORAD, NABARD have funded this institution in several programmes and schemes in development of aquaculture. Objectives: The new Institute has the following objectives: (1) To conduct research, more specially in fish nutrition, physiology, genetics, pathology, pond environment monitoring and aquaculture engineering. (2) To conduct specialized training and extension programmes in freshwater aquaculture to enable economic utilisation of the cultured and cultivable fresh water aquatic resources in the country. Facilities: The Institute has its headquarters at Kausalyaganga, 12 kms. From Bhubaneswar, is located an sprawling 147 hac. with a building complex comparing 40 laboratories, conference room, library, aquarium, hatcheries, feed mill, wet laboratory, auditorium and a fish farm with about 50^ponds including 5 reservoirs, 15 stocking ponds, 51 rearing ponds, 166 nursery ponds and 253 experimental ponds. Production Division: The Division has been endeavoring to maximize the production rates of fish and shell fish, i.e. carps, catfishes, prawns and fresh water pearl cultures. Available technologies: CIFA can provide consultancies to the entrepreneurs in the following areas: 1. Carp breeding and hatchery management. 2. Intensive carp culture. 3. Catfish breeding and culture. 4. Freshwater prawn breeding and culture. 5. Freshwater pearl culture. 6. Fish feed formulation and production.

7. Fish diseases diagnosis and control.

Indian wildlife:The wildlife of India is a mix of species of diverse origins. The region's rich and diverse wildlife is preserved in numerous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country. Since India is home to a number of rare and threatened animal species, wildlife management in the country is essential to preserve these species. According to one study, India is home to about 60-70% of the world's biodiversity. India, lying within the Indomalaya ecozone, is home to about 7.6% of all mammalian, 12.6% of avian, 6.2% of reptilian, and 6.0% of flowering plant species. Many ecoregions, such as the shola forests, also exhibit extremely high rates of endemism; overall, 33% of Indian plant species are endemic. India's forest cover ranges from the tropical rainforest of the Andaman Islands, Western Ghats, and Northeast India to the coniferous forest of the Himalaya. Between these extremes lie the sal-dominated moist deciduous forest of eastern India; teakdominated dry deciduous forest of central and southern India; and the babul-dominated thorn forest of the central Deccan and western Gangetic plain. Important Indian trees include the medicinal neem, widely used in rural Indian herbal remedies. The pipal fig tree, shown on the seals of Mohenjo-daro, shaded the Gautama Buddha as he sought enlightenment. Many Indian species are descendants of taxa originating in Gondwana, to which India originally belonged. Peninsular India's subsequent movement towards, and collision with, the Laurasian landmass set off a mass exchange of species. However, volcanism and climatic changes 20 million years ago caused the extinction of many endemic Indian forms. Soon thereafter, mammals entered India from Asia through two zoogeographical passes on either side of the emerging Himalaya. As a result, among Indian species, only 12.6% of mammals and 4.5% of birds are endemic, contrasting with 45.8% of reptiles and 55.8% of amphibians. Notable endemics are the Nilgiri leaf monkey and the brown and carmine Beddome's toad of the Western Ghats. India contains 172, or 2.9%, of IUCNdesignated threatened species. These include the Asiatic lion, the Bengal tiger, and the Indian whiterumped vulture, which suffered a near-extinction from ingesting the carrion of diclofenac-treated cattle. In recent decades, human encroachment has posed a threat to India's wildlife; in response, the system of national parks and protected areas, first established in 1935, was substantially expanded. In 1972, India enacted the Wildlife Protection Act and Project Tiger to safeguard crucial habitat; further federal protections were promulgated in the 1980s. Along with over 500 wildlife sanctuaries, India now hosts 14 biosphere reserves, four of which are part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves; 25 wetlands are registered under the Ramsar Convention. The varied and rich wildlife of India has had a profound impact on the region's popular culture. Common name for wilderness in India is Jungle which was adopted by the British colonialists to the English language. The word has been also made famous in The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. India's wildlife has been the subject of numerous other tales and fables such as the Panchatantra and the Jataka tales.

The gradual emergence of the human beings as the most dominant species among all other species of animals and the attempt of the human beings to set themselves apart from other species is the main underlying cause of the contemporary environmental disaster. The main reason behind a threat to the wildlife and the ecosystem is the constantly growing deforestation, poaching and negligence towards animals and nature. The Indian Government has started nature projects like, Project Tiger, Nature Camps, Jungle Lodges, etc. to encourage wildlife awareness among the common people. Besides preserving the natural heritage, these projects also promote eco-tourism. Various Projects:Gir National Park in Gujarat is the only existent habitation for the nearly extinct Asiatic Lions in India. The Kaziranga Sanctuary in Assam is a major example of good effort to save the endangered Rhinoceros. Similarly, Periyar in Kerala is doing a great job to preserve the wild Elephants and Dachigam National Park is progressing rapidly to save Kashmiri Stag. Wildlife Conservation in India occupies a total area of about 3.29 million sq. km. that contains floral and faunal species, mammals, reptiles, insects and birds. The Wildlife Conservation in India has become the most popular holiday destinations because of its diverseness. In India there are 571 sanctuaries and reserve parks that are protected by the Indian Government, mainly meant for the protection of the extinct species of animals and birds. Predators, Carnivores and Herbivores, - all are equally important to maintain the vital ecological processes as nutrient and water cycling. India has over 500 animal sanctuaries, referred to as Wildlife Sanctuaries (IUCN Category IV Protected Area). Among these, the 28 Tiger Reserves are governed by Project Tiger, and are of special significance in the conservation of the tiger. Some wildlife sanctuaries are specifically named Bird Sanctuary, eg. Keoladeo National Park before attained National Park status. Many National Parks were initially Wildlife Sanctuaries. Wildlife sanctuaries of national importance to conservation, usually due to some flagship faunal species, are named National Wildlife Sanctuary, like national chambal (gharial) Wildlife Sanctuary for conserving the Gharial (1978). Some of the important wildlife sanctuaries in India are: Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh Corbett National Park in Uttar Pradesh Gir National Park & Sanctuary in Gujarat Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh Kaziranga National Park in Assam Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan Sunderbans National Park in West Bengal Dachigam National Park in Jammu & Kashmir Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam National Parks of India:India's first national park (an IUCN category II protected area) was established in 1935 as Hailey National Park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park. By 1970, India only had five national parks.

In 1972, India enacted the Wildlife Protection Act and Project Tiger to safeguard the habitats of conservation reliant species. Further federal legislation strengthening protections for wildlife was introduced in the 1980s. As of April 2007, there are 96 national parks. All national park lands encompass a combined 38,029.18 km, 1.16% of India's total surface area. A total of 166 national parks have been authorized. Plans are underway to establish the remaining scheduled parks. Biosphere Reserves:The term Biosphere Reserve' should denote an area: Which is, set aside for the conservation of the resources of the biosphere and for the improvement of the relationship between man and the environment; Which is, to serve as sites for long term scientific research as well as education all over t he world. List of National Parks:-

Dibru-Saikhowa National Park-Assam Desert National Park-Rajasthan Dachigam National Park-Jammu and Kashmir Corbett National Park-Uttarakhand Chandoli National Park-Maharashtra Campbell Bay National Park-Andaman and Nicobar Anshi National Park-Karnataka Balphakram National Park-Meghalaya Bandhavgarh National Park-Madhya Pradesh Bandipur National Park-Karnataka Bannerghatta National Park-Karnataka Vansda National Park-Gujarat Betla National Park-Jharkhand Bhitarkanika National Park-Orissa Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar-Gujarat Buxa Tiger Reserve-West Bengal Fossil National Park-Madhya Pradesh Great Himalayan National Park-Himachal Pradesh Indira Gandhi National Park (Annamalai National Park)- Tamil Nadu Dudhwa National Park-Uttar Pradesh Intanki National Park-Nagaland Guindy National Park-Tamil Nadu Govind Pashu Vihar-Uttarakhand Kaziranga National Park-Assam Khangchendzonga National Park-Sikkim Kishtwar National Park-Jammu and Kashmir Van Vihar National Park-Madhya Pradesh Kanha National Park-Madhya Pradesh Mollem National Park-Goa Mount Harriet National Park-Andaman and Nicobar

The programme of Biosphere Reserve was initiated under the 'Man & Biosphere' (MAB) programme by UNESCO in 1971. Biosphere Reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. They are internationally recognized, nominated by National Governments and remain under sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located. Biosphere Reserves serve in some ways as 'living laboratories' for testing out and demonstrating integrated management of land, water and biodiversity (CES., UNESCO, 2005., IUCN, 1979). List of Biosphere Reserves Achanakmar-Amarkanta- Madhya Pradesh & Chhattishgarh Agasthyamalai- Kerala Dehang-Debang- Arunachal Pradesh Dibru-Saikhowa- Assam Great Nicobar- Andaman and Nicobar Gulf of Mannar - Tamil Nadu Khangchenjunga Sikkim Manas- Assam Nanda Devi-Uttaranchal Nilgiri -Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka Nokrek-Meghalaya Pachmarhi -Madhya Pradesh Simlipal-Orissa Sunderbans-West Bengal

IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation.Founded in 1948, its headquarters is located in the Lake Geneva area in Gland, Switzerland. The IUCN brings together 83 states, 108 government agencies, 766 Non-governmental organizations and 81 international organizations and about 10,000 experts and scientists from countries around the world. IUCN's mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.

Biosphere Reserve Objectives:Each Biosphere Reserve is intended to fulfill three basic functions, which are complementary and mutually reinforcing: A conservation function - to contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation;

 A development function - to foster economic and human development which is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable; A logistic function - to provide support for research, monitoring, education and information exchange related to local, national and global issues of conservation and development (UNESCO, 2005). The Indian government has established 15 Biosphere Reserves of India, (categories roughly corresponding to IUCN Category V Protected areas), which protect larger areas of natural habitat (than a National Park or Animal Sanctuary), and often include one or more National Parks and/or preserves, along buffer zones that are open to some economic uses. Protection is granted not only to the flora and fauna of the protected region, but also to the human communities who inhabit these regions, and their ways of life. Four of the fifteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Conservation of wildlife in India:The need for conservation of wildlife in India is often questioned because of the apparently incorrect priority in the face of dire poverty of the people. However Article 48 of the Constitution of India specifies that "the state shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country" and Article 51-A 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." Large and charismatic mammals are important for wildlife tourism in India and several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries cater to these needs. Project Tiger started in 1972 is a major effort to conserve the tiger and its habitats. At the turn of the 20th century, one estimate of the tiger population in India placed the figure at 40,000, yet an Indian tiger census conducted in 1972 revealed the existence of only 1827 tigers. Various pressures in the later part of the 20th century led to the progressive decline of wilderness resulting in the disturbance of viable tiger habitats. At the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) General Assembly meeting in Delhi in 1969, serious concern was voiced about the threat to several species of wildlife and the shrinkage of wilderness in the India. In 1970, a national ban on tiger hunting was imposed and in 1972 the Wildlife Protection Act came into force. The framework was then set up to formulate a project for tiger conservation with an ecological approach. Project Tiger which was launched on April 1, 1973, has become one of the most successful conservation ventures in modern history. The project aims at tiger conservation in specially constituted 'tiger reserves' which are representative of various bio-geographical regions falling within India. It strives to maintain a viable tiger population in their natural environment. Today, there are 27

Project Tiger wildlife reserves in India covering an area of 37,761 km.Project Elephant, though less known, started in 1992 and works for elephant protection in India. Most of India's rhinos today survive in the Kaziranga National Park. The wildlife institute of India (WII) is a government institution run by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education which trains wildlife managers and wildlife researchers. Trained personnel from WII have contributed in studying and protecting wildlife in India. WII has also popularized wildlife studies and careers. The institute is based in Dehradun, India. It is located in Chandrabani, which is close to the southern forests of Dehradun. The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education also runs the Forest Research Institute and the Indian Institute of Forest Management Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 :In 1972 by the Government of India. Prior to 1972, India only had five designated national parks. Among other reforms, the Act established schedules of protected plant and animal species; hunting or otherwise harvesting these species was largely outlawed. The Act provides for the protection of Wild animals, birds and plants and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto. It extends to the whole of India, except the State of Jammu and Kashmir which has its own wildlife act. It has six schedules which give varying degrees of protection, with absolute protection being provided under Schedule I and part II of schedule II with the highest penalties prescribed for offences under these schedules and Species listed in the Sch. IV are also protected but the penalties are much lower, with the enforcement authorities having the power to compound offences (as in they impose fines on the offenders).