Wild Life in India
The landmass of India is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. A wide range of birds and animals live in the diverse terrain of the country. From Royal Bengal Tigers to Asiatic Elephants, India is home to a huge variety of animals in its 89 National Parks, 18 Bio-Reserves, and more than 400 wildlife sanctuaries.
What is Wildlife?
Wildlife refers to animals that are undomesticated species but inculcate all the organisms that grow or live in the wild in an area without interactions with humans.
Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems. Deserts, plains, grasslands, woodlands, forests, and other areas all have some distinct form of wildlife. Most wildlife has value to human existence, which can be economic, educational, or emotional by nature.
Biosphere Reserves
Biosphere reserves are protected areas that are meant for the conservation of plants and animals. They also help to restore the traditional life of the tribals living in close vicinity. There are 18 Biosphere Reserves in India established by the government that protects large areas of natural habitats.
These areas provide buffer zones that are open for some economic uses and not only for flora and fauna but humans who inhabit the areas too. There are 3 important zones of the biosphere which include the Core, Buffer, and Manipulation. Some important biosphere reserves are the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve, Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, and so forth.
Why are some Wildlife Species getting Endangered?
Endangered species refer to the type of organism that is being threatened by extinction. Internationally, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is one of the most well-recognized catalogs for threatened species.
Generally, the criteria for endangered species include a significant reduction in population size of a large percentage over recent years, with a continuing decline; along with a severe shrinkage in geographic range.
Some of the major reasons why some animal species are endangered are:
Overhunting
Habitat Loss
High Specialization
Pollution
Invasive species
Human-Wildlife conflict
Diseases
Low birth rate
Government Initiative to Protect Flora and Fauna
India’s flora and fauna are diversified with a wide range of plants and animals. To conserve the wildlife government has taken certain initiatives:
To prevent the loss of flora and fauna, Government has set up 18 biosphere reserves. 10 of the 18 reserves Sundarbans, Nanda Devi, Gulf of Mannar, and Nilgiris have been included.
Many eco-development projects have been started by the government to protect the Flora and Fauna such as Project Tiger, Project Rhinos, etc.
Conclusion
Indian Wildlife has a vivid variety of plants and animals living in a geographic area and working together to create a chain of life. Nearly 7-8 percent of all flora and fauna species are found in India. Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 by the Parliament of India for the rescue of protection of plants and animals. It has a diverse biodiversity Hotspot with various ecosystems and needs to be conserved.
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