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India: A Biodiversity Hot Spot

India is an enchanting land of ancient cultures, diverse environments and fantastic wildlife. It

has snow-capped mountains, deserts, forests, wetlands and fertile plains, and its climate

ranges from temperate to tropical monsoon. Within Indias borders are some of the most

charismatic animals on the planet, including lions, tigers, lesser pandas, camels and

elephants. It is also home to a bounty of distinctly Indian species such as cobras, chinkaras,blue bulls and a variety of leaf-eating monkeys called langurs.

The people of India are passionate lovers of nature and wildlife, and India has one of the most

extensive networks of protected areas in the world. However, as the second most populous

nation in the world, there is often conflict between human communities and wildlife. In

recent decades, India has seen a number of its beloved animals go extinct. And although it is

still one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, the fight to save animal

species is only becoming more intense as the population grows.

Langur Monkeys

Langurs, or leaf monkeys, are Old World primates that feed primarily on leaves. They havelong limbs, slender bodies, and opposable thumbs and toes. They are very social animals but

can also be extremely territorial. They are found in both the forests and towns of India, and

typically coexist quite well with humans.

Hanuman Langurs

Hanuman langurs are named after the beloved Hindu monkey god Hanuman. They have

silvery or brownish fur, long tails and black skin. They stand about 2 feet tall and have tails

that are between 2 and 3 feet long. Hanuman langurs eat a variety leaves, seeds, fruit and

insects. They also eat bark and soil, which is thought to protect their stomach from the toxins

in the plant material that makes up the bulk of their diet. Hanuman langurs are found

throughout India in a variety of forest and scrubland habitats, but they also thrive in urban

settings.

Scientists have long been fascinated by the Hanuman langur's ability to survive in the

harshest environments, including the snow-covered Himalayas and scorching hot Indian

desert. They are also studied for the flexibility of their social systems, which can range from

large and friendly groups to fiercely defended harems. No matter what the social arrangement

of a group, most Hanuman langurs typically spend the majority of their time lounging and

grooming one another.

Hanuman langurs are worshipped for their strength and bravery, and are the sacred monkeyof India. In some parts of India they are abundant. In others, they are threatened due to habitat

loss and capture for the exotic species trade.

Golden Langurs

Golden langurs are found in the forests of the Indian state of Assam and neighboring Bhutan.

They have black faces and beautiful, long, golden brown fur that forms a pointed tuft on the

tops of their heads. They live in groups led by dominant males and spend most of their time

in the forest canopy feeding on leaves, fruit and seeds.

Like the Hanuman langur, the golden langur is considered a sacred animal in India.

Unfortunately, it is also seriously endangered. In recent years, the forest habitat of the golden


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langur has been destroyed by grazing and timber interests. Unless deforestation in their range

is stopped, golden langurs will not survive.

Chinkaras

Chinkaras, also called Indian gazelles, are the smallest antelope on the Asian continent. They

are shy, nocturnal, mostly solitary animals found in woodland, grassland and desert regionsof India. The males typically have short horns, though some may grow to 11 inches or more.

Chinkaras have the remarkable ability to go without water for many days. They have a life

expectancy of 12-15 years.

Chinkaras require large, open habitat rather than dense forest. They were once abundant in

India, but are currently endangered and may be on the verge of extinction. The decline is

mainly due to loss of suitable habitat and is also a result of poaching, which is the illegal

hunting of an animal.

Blue Bulls

Blue bulls are a kind of antelope found throughout India's northern plains and woodlands.They have narrow, elongated faces and large bodies that can weigh up to about 500 pounds.

Female blue bulls are light brown, but mature males have a bluish coloration. Both sexes

have distinctive white markings on their legs and ears, and males have a pair of curved horns

on their heads that may grow to a length of about 8 inches. Although blue bulls are

considered a sacred animal in India, their numbers are in decline in some areas due to hunting

and habitat loss.

Conservation in India

In a country as densely populated as India, space is a hot commodity. Animals in India must

compete with more than 1 billion people for land and resources. Often critical animal habitat

is lost to development projects, logging interests, agriculture, and industrial operations. In

addition, animals in India are subject to poaching and being harassed or killed when they

wander into farmland or urban areas.

Fortunately, conservation in India is often helped by the fact that the Indian people consider

forests and many animals to be sacred. Wildlife and landscapes are protected in India through

generations-old traditions, beliefs, and social customs. In the coming years, these customs

may prove to be a critical component in the fight to save pristine ecosystems and essential

animal habitat.

Get Involved!Would you like to help protect the animals of India? Community Conservation is an

organization that is working to save langurs in India. Learn more now. Find out how you can

participate in the golden langur conservation project of India.

Wildlife is one of the most gracious gifts of nature to this land, which is as rich in its variety

and colours as its number.

The majestic lion, the grateful yet fearsome tiger, unproductive leopard, powerful elephant,

the nimble deer, attractive antelope, the picturesque peafowl, the gorgeous pelican, the

beautiful parakeets, wood-pecker and the elegant flamingo are some of these of which any

country might be proud.
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There are 312 species of mammals, 1175 species of birds, 399 species of reptiles, 60000

species of insects and 181 species of amphibians and 46610 species of plants. Over the past

2000 years about 106 species of animals and about 140 species of birds have become extinct

because of climate and geographic changes and also by over hunting by man for food,

medicine, fur and many other reasons. According to ecologist more than 600 species of

animals and birds are expected to be extinct if not protected by wildlife management.

Wildlife Management is an ancient phenomenon. Vedas contain hymns in praise of animals.

Sanatana Dharma has linked some animals with the specific God or Goddess as the best way

of conservation of wildlife.

For example, python has been associated with God Vishnu, snake with God Shiva, swan with

Goddess Saraswati, and lion with Goddess Durga rendering the animal pious and protected.

In Mahabharata, Rishis and Munis have been indicated to conserve wildlife fauna such as

deer and birds around ashrams. In Arthashastra, Chanakya had imposed severe penalties for

killing, entrapping and molesting birds, fishes and deer, etc. in protected areas.

About 250 species of animals and birds have become extinct due to several factors including

the human population, which has reached the pinnacle of progress and prosperity ignoring the

other forms of life.

Human activities pose the biggest threat to wildlife because expanding human population

results in expanding needs of man. With scientific progress and technological development

man has started utilizing natural resources at a much larger scale. Continuous increase in

population caused an increasing demand for resources.

Wildlife is considered a renewable resource and hence its conservation is essential if we

desire sustainable yields. Nature has endowed India with such abundant and varied flora that

it compares favorably with that of any country in the world whether it is developed,

developing or underdeveloped.

India has large geographical size and variety of climate and habitat, wild animals constitute

great national resources. These wild animals form important resources because they provide

food (meat), skin, etc. which are used in research as experimental animals and for education.

They are also used for recreational purposes. The niche requirement of these animals is

different. Their scientific and rational explanation is not being answered. Conservationists are

often expected to justify their concern about the extinction of species. Preservation andprotection of wildlife is important from the ecological point of view.

The role of individual species in ecosystem (for example in food chain) cannot be

undermined. Today amphibians are under a threat their population has declined. This is cause

of ecological concern because some habitats and biomass of amphibians can exceed all other

large animals combined.

Their role in food chain is crucial; they eat both plants and small animals like insects

including mosquitoes and amphibians themselves constitute food for birds, mammals, man,

reptiles and fishes.


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Wildlife, besides its crucial role in preventing ecological degradation has other values like

serving as a genetic pool for livestock improvement, for pharmaceutical industry and other

commercial value like providing furs and wools.

Taking example of amphibians again, it has been discovered that many species of these

animals have been found containing compounds that are being used in pain killing medicinesand for treatment of burns. It is documented fact that tribal in Ecuador have been using

secretions from the skin of frogs for killing pains. A pharmaceutical company is engaged in

research to developing a drug from a secretion of frog.

There are many management plans to conserve wild life such as:

1. The Indian Board of Wild life was set up in 1952, to ensure protection and scientific

management of the diminishing wildlife in the country.

2. Countrywide uniform legislation in the form of the Wild life (Protection) Act was enacted

in 1972 with object of ensuring stricter protection to wildlife and its better management.

3. The 'Project tiger' was launched in 1973 in the Corbett National Park today; there is 28 per

cent tiger reserve in all over the country, covering an area 1.5 per cent of the total area of

country.

4. The Forest (Conservation) Act was passed 1980, to impose a severe restriction, on the

diversion of forestland to non-forest use.

5. In order to preserve the inviolate, 7fragile ecosystem on hilly and mountainous areas, a ban

has been imposed since 1983 on the felling of trees at an elevation of 1000 m and above.

6. As against 19 national parks and 205 wildlife sanctuaries in 1980, now their number is 95

national parks and 500 wildlife sanctuaries.

7. With the launching of the crocodile project, three endangered species of crocodilians have

been saved.

8. A wildlife institute at the national level has been set up in 1982, to provide scientific

training in wildlife management.

9. A national wildlife action plan was launched by the then Prime Minister in Novem 1983, toimpart tempo, scientific direction and completeness to wildlife manage~ and administration.

10. New scheme has been formulated for captive breeding and for rehabilitation endangered

species.

CONCLUSION

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 statesthat "it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural


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environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife and to have compassion for living

creatures."[11]

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 tigerand its habitats.[12] At the turn of the 20th century, oneestimate of the tigerpopulation in India placed the figure at 40,000, yet an Indian tiger census

conducted in 2008 revealed the existence of only 1,411 tigers. 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 ofwildernessresulting in the disturbance of viable

tigerhabitats. At the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural

Resources(IUCN) General Assembly meeting inDelhiin 1969, serious concern was voiced

about the threat to several species ofwildlife and the shrinkage of wilderness in India. In

1970, a national ban on tiger hunting was imposed, and in 1972 theWildlife 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 Tigerwildlife 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.[13]Most of India's rhinos today survive in the Kaziranga National Park.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_India#cite_note-11http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_India#cite_note-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Rights_Acthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Rights_Acthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildernesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildernesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_for_Conservation_of_Naturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_for_Conservation_of_Naturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_for_Conservation_of_Naturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlifehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlifehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_huntinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_Protection_Acthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_Protection_Acthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_Protection_Acthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_reservehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_India#cite_note-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_India#cite_note-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaziranga_National_Parkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_India#cite_note-11http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_India#cite_note-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Rights_Acthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Rights_Acthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildernesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_for_Conservation_of_Naturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_for_Conservation_of_Naturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlifehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_huntinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_Protection_Acthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_reservehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_India#cite_note-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaziranga_National_Park

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