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Introduction

Wildlife traditionally refers to non-domesticated animal species, but has come


to include all plants, fungi and other organisms which grow or live wild in an
area without being introduced by humans. Domesticating wild plant and animal
species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has
a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative.
Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems. Deserts, forests, rain forests, plains,
grasslands, and other areas including the most developed urban sites, all have
distinct forms of wildlife. While the term in popular culture usually refers to
animals that are untouched by human factors, most scientists agree that wildlife
around is affected by human activities.
Humans have historically tended to separate civilization from wildlife in a
number of ways including the legal, social, and moral sense. Some animals,
however, have adapted to suburban environments. This includes such animals
as domesticated cats, dogs, mice, and gerbils. Religions have often declared
certain animals to be sacred, and in modern times concern for the natural
environment has provoked activists to protest the exploitation of wildlife for
human benefit or entertainment.

Food, pets, and traditional medicines


Anthropologists believe that the Stone Age people and hunter-gatherers relied
on wildlife, both plants and animals, for their food. In fact, some species may
have been hunted to extinction by early human hunters. Today, hunting, fishing,
and gathering wildlife is still a significant food source in some parts of the
world. In other areas, hunting and non-commercial fishing are mainly seen as
a sport or recreation, with the edible meat as mostly a side benefit of it.
In November 2008, almost 900 plucked and "oven-ready" owls and other
protected wildlife species were confiscated by the Department of Wildlife and
National Parks in Malaysia, according to TRAFFIC. The animals were believed
to be bound for China, to be sold in wild meat restaurants. Most are listed
in CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora) which prohibits or restricts such trade.

Malaysia is home to a vast array of amazing wildlife. However, illegal


hunting and trade poses a threat to Malaysias natural diversity.
Chris S. Shepherd

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972


The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is a landmark in the protection of wildlife in
India especially after the Second World War when the struggle for freedom
started taking its shape and the wildlife was ignored to sustain at its own. risks.
0 The Indian Board of Wildlife (lBWL) was constituted in the year 1952 after
the independence which took the task of preserving the natural wildlife habitats
and saving the animals from probable extinction.
Based on recommendations of IBWL, the Wildlife Protection Act was
passed in Parliament in 1972.
The act is adopted ,by all state except Jammu and Kashmir, which has its
own act.
This act provides special legal protection to wildlife in general and to the
endangered fauna in particular.

It has a provision for setting up of National Parks and Sanctuaries where


our wildlife can receive protection. 0 The Act is also dealing with hunting
of animals, authorities to be appointed under the act, declaration of
Sanctuaries, National Parks, Nature Reserves and closed areas,
regulation of trade in wild animals, animal products and trophies, and
detection and prevention of offences. 0 There are seven chapters under
this act which are further divided into sections and schedules.

1. Prohibition of Hunting:
Hunting of wild life animals is strictly prohibited under this act but can
be permitted in certain cases such as when the animal become dangerous
to human life or is as disabled or diseased as to be beyond recovery.
Prohibition of picking, uprooting specified plants:
No person is allowed to willfully pick, uproot, damage, acquire or collect
any specified plant from an area specified and preserved by the
Government for wildlife.
Again, special permissions can be granted by the Chief Wildlife Warden
for the purpose of education, scientific research etc. v
Some more features of this rule are:
No person can deal and continue business in the trade of specified plant
without a valid license issued by the Chief Wildlife Warden. o No person
can purchase or acquire any

specified plant from an unauthorized

dealer.
Every specified plant will be the property of state government on whose
territory the plant is falling.
3. Sanctuaries, National Parks and Closed Areas;

Any area with adequate ecological, faunal, floral, natural or zoological


significance can be declared as sanctuary by the state government to
develop wildlife or its environment.
No person is allowed to enter and reside in the sanctuary except in
condition of a permit granted.
No person is allowed to tease or molest any wild animal otherwise will be
booked under IPC act.
Recognition of Zoos: The Central Zoo Authority, constituted by the
central government, will specify the minimum standards for housing,
upkeep and care of the animals kept in the zoo.
Wild Life Protection Act 1984
An act for the Purpose of acquiring land for Wild life sanctuary or rights in or
over such land under the section of the Conservation and Land Management
Act 1984 with the objective of management of nature reserve an agreement is
made under section 16 of the Act. Where any fauna or flora is taken in any part
the State where the fauna or flora is protected, the fauna or flora shall continue
to be protected notwithstanding that it may have been removed from that part of
the State to another part where the same species, class or description of fauna
or flora is not protected.
The minister may by notice declare any animal or any class of animal specified
in the notice to be fauna for the purposes of this Act either generally or in

relation to the time and place specified in the notice, and the animal or class of
animal so specified shall be fauna for the purpose of this act either generally or
in relation to the time and place specified in terms of the notice.

INTRODUCTORY STUDY OF NATIONAL PARKS AND SANCTUARIES


Tadoba National Park, Clmndrapur.
Location: Tadoba national Park (116.55 Sq. Kins.) - Andhari wildlife
sanctuary (508.85 Sq. Kms.) loge her form the 'l'adoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
(625.40 Sq. Kms.)
The National Park derives its name from the local tribal God "Taro",
whereas the Andhari river flowing through the forests gives the Sanctuary, its
name.
Biodiversity:
Flora:
The land vegetation is typical tropical dry deciduous type having teak as
dominant species.
Some. of the major trcc species found within the protected area are teak,
ain, arjun, behada, bija, bhera, bor, cliichwa, dhawada, kusum, mahua,
mowai, phetra, rohan, salai, semal, shisham, sisoo, shivan, surya, sirus,
tendu.

Fauna:
Although the major attraction is the Tiger, the large herds of chital, the stately
sambar, the elusive barking deer, the fleet footed chausinga, the majestic gaur,
the robust nilgai, the shy sloth bear, the whistling wild dogs, the omnipresent
wild boar, and the stealthy leopard make lasting impressions on the visitors to
this reserve. 0 As the night falls the small Indian civet, the palm civet, the ratel,
the flying squirrel make their presence felt. Hyenas, wild boars, spotted deer,
barking deer, gaurs, blue bulls, four horned antelopes, Indian pangolins,
porcupines and common languors are main wild animals found in this
national park.
Tadoba Andhari reserve is the largest national park in Maharashtra.
Total area of the reserve is 625.4 square kilometers (241.5 sq mi).
Tadoba National Park created in 1955 with an area of 116.55 Square
kilometers (45.00 sq mi) and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary created in 1986
with an area of 508.85 square kilometers (196.47 sq mi). 0 The reserve
also includes 32.51 square kilometers (12.55 sq mi) Protected Forest and
14.93 square kilometers (5.76 sq mi) 'Other areas'.
Densely forested hills form the northern and western boundary of the
Tiger Reserve.
The elevation ofthe hills ranges from 200 m (660 ft) to350 m (1,150 ft).

To the southwest is the 120 ha (300 acres) Tadoba Lake which acts as a
buffer between the park's forest and the extensive farmland which extends
up to Irai water reservoir.
This lake is a perennial water source which offers good habitat for
crocodiles to thrive. Other wetland areas within the reserve include the
Kolsa Lake and Andhari River.

Kanha National Park


It is a national park and a Tiger Reserve in the Mandla and Balaghat
districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. 0 In the 19305, Kanha area was
divided into two sanctuaries, Hallon and Banjar, of 250 and 300 kmz. o
Kanha National Park was created on 1 June 1955.
Today it stretches over an area of 940 km2 in the two districts Mandla
and Balaghat.
Together with a surrounding buffer zone of 1,067 km2 and the
neighboring 110 10112 Phen Sanctuary it forms the Kanha Tiger
Reserve. This makes it the largest National Park in Central India. 0 The
park has a significant population of Royal Bengal Tiger, leopards, the
sloth bear, barasingha and Indian wild dog.

The lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines of Kanha
provided inspiration to Rudyard Kipling for his famous novel "Jungle
Book
Flora:
Kanha National Park is home to over 1000 Species of flowering plants.
The lowland forest is a mixture of (Shorea robusta) and other mixed
forest trees, interspersed with meadows. o The highland forests are
tropical moist dry deciduous type and of a completely different nature
with bamboo on slopes (Dendrocalamus striczus).
A very good looking Indian ghost tree (kullu) can also be seen in the
dense forest.
Kanha Tiger Reserve abounds in meadows or maidans which are
basically open grasslands that have sprung up in fields of abandoned
villages, evacuated to make way for the animals.
Kanha meadow is one such example. 0 There are many species of grass
recorded at Kanha some of which are important for the survival of
barasingha (Cervus duvaucelz branderi).
Dense forested zones with good crown cover have abundant species of
climbers, shrubs and herbs flourishing in the understory. o Aquatic plants
in numerous "tal" (lakes) are life line for migratory and wetland species
of birds. I

Fauna:
Kanha's carnivore population includes tigers, leOpards, wild dogs, wild
cats, foxes and jackals. 0 Among the deer species Swamp deer or hard
ground barasingha is pride of the place as it is the only sub species of
swamp deer in India (Cervus duavcelli branderi).
The animal is adapted to hard ground unlike swamp deer of the North
which live in marshy swamps. Kanha National Park has been
instrumental in rescuing the Swamp Deer from extinction. Indian Gaur
(Bos guarus), belonging to the ox genus, is found in Kanha but seen
mostly as winter ends. a In summer gaur inhabit meadows and water
holes in the park.

Nagzira wildlife sanctuary:


It is located between Bhandara and Gondia district of Maharashtra. Nagzira
Wildlife Sanctuary is locked in the arms of nature and decorated with a
charming landscape, luxuriant vegetation and serves as a living outdoor
museum to explore and appreciate nature. - This sanctuary has a number of
fish, 34 species of mammals, 166 species of birds, 36 4 species of reptiles and
four species of amphibians.

The invertebrate fauna includes, besides a number of insects and ant species.
Wild animals found} here are the tiger, bison, sambar, nilgai, chital, wild boar,
sloth bear and wild dog. - Nearly 30,000 tourists visit this sanctuary annually.
Wild animals to spot are the tiger, panther, elephant, bison, sambar, nilgai,
chital, wild boar, sloth bear and wild dog.
Invertebrates
This sanctuary is the residence of, besides numerous other insects and
ants species, about 49 butterfly species belonging to 9 families, the
important species among them are common rose, common Mormon, lime
butterfly, common sailor, common Indian crow, black rajah etc.
Mammals
Nearly 34 species of mammal belonging to about 8 orders and 16 families
are seen in this sanctuary, out of which about 14 species are of
endangered, namely tiger, panther, jungle cat, small Indian civet, palm
civet, wolf, jackal, sloth bear, common giant flying squirrel, gaur, four
horned antelope, mouse deer, pangolin.
Birds
The avifauna of this sanctuary is its most attractive wildlife feature.
Well over 166 species belonging to about 16 different orders and 47
families have been recorded here. 0 Also as many as 15 Species of

migratory birds and about 42 species of local migrants are reported. A


one remarkable bird, Bar-headed Goose which is a winter migrant
from Ladakh and Tibet inhabits Chorkhamara tank located adjacent the
sanctuary.
There are 13 bird species of endangered status including peafowl and the
birds belonging to Accipitridae family.

Reptiles
This sanctuary is the abode of about 36 species of reptiles belonging to 2
natural orders and 11 families out of which about 6 species are of
endangered status namely Indian rock python, Dhaman, Indian Cobra,
Russels viper, checkered keel back and common monitor.
Amphibia
This sanctuary is a home of many interesting varieties of frogs and toads like
tree-frog, bull-x frog, six-toed frog, an uncommon toad Raman Ella montana
etc.
Destruction
Exploitation of wild populations has been a characteristic of modern man
since our exodus from Africa 130,000 70,000 years ago. The rate

of extinctions of entire species of plants and animals across the planet


has been so high in the last few hundred years it is widely believed that
we are in the sixth great extinction event on this planet; the Holocene
Mass Extinction.
Destruction of wildlife does not always lead to an extinction of the
species in question, however, the dramatic loss of entire species across
Earth dominates any review of wildlife destruction as extinction is the
level of damage to a wild population from which there is no
return.[clarification needed]
The four most general reasons that lead to destruction of wildlife include
overkill, habitat destruction and fragmentation, impact of introduced
species and chains of extinction.
Overkill
Overkill happens whenever hunting occurs at rates greater than the
reproductive capacity of the population is being exploited. The effects of
this are often noticed much more dramatically in slow growing
populations such as many larger species of fish. Initially when a portion
of a wild population is hunted, an increased availability of resources
(food, etc.) is experienced increasing growth and reproduction as density
dependent inhibition is lowered. Hunting, fishing and so on, has lowered
the competition between members of a population. However, if this

hunting continues at rate greater than the rate at which new members of
the population can reach breeding age and produce more young, the
population will begin to decrease in numbers.

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