With a land mass of the 329 million hectares and coast line of 7516 km, with oceans, lakes, rivers and mighty Himalayas and several other mountains ranges, the desert of Rajasthan, the plateaus, the wetlands and the islands of Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, India, our beautiful country, is the home to an amazing variety of fauna and flora. There are about 75,000 species of animals, of which 340 species are mammals, 1200 birds, 420 reptiles, 140 amphibians, 2000 fishes, 50,000 insects, 4000 molluscs and several other species of vertebrates.
Need for Conservation
Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all the non-cultivated and non-domesticated animals living in their natural habitats. Our world has many unique and rare animals, birds and reptiles. However the pressure of growing population in different parts of the world has led to the increasing need of using land for human habitations and agriculture. This has led to the reduced habitat of many wild animals.
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 them 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.
At the present estimate, 81 species of mammals, 38 species of birds, 18 species of amphibians and reptiles considered to be endangered in India. The tiger is the largest living member of the cat family, followed by the lion and the leopard. Habitat destruction and poaching brought about a sharp decline in their number and the national census of tigers in 1972 recorded that there were just 1827 of them in our country.
With the entire gloomy picture in regard of our wildlife, India is keen to do its best to protect its wild life. Luckily, we have ability and media, vocal environmental groups, NGOs and others who would not tolerate any more interference or intuition with the vast diversity of animal wildlife.
wildlife laws
, the first codified law was the Wild Bird Protection Act, 1887, enacted by the British Government. The Government of India brought for the first time a comprehensive act, the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972, which was later amended and changes were brought in as the need arose. Furthermore, to protect the wildlife
Wild Life Protection Act (WPA), 1972 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. The act includes all animals like birds, mammals etc. While the act clearly defines hunting it also prohibits the usage, supply etc. of animal articles, Animal article means an article made from any captive animal or wild animal, other than vermin, and includes an article or object in which the whole or any part of such animal has been used and ivory imported into India.
the Act prohibits hunting of wild animals and birds
As of punishment for offences the Act prescribes a maximum imprisonment of six years, Rs 25,000 fine or both for hunting animals and birds.
objective of WPA
The main object of the Act is to proved protection to the wild animals birds and plants. The Act empowers the Central Govt. to declare certain areas as Sanctuaries or National Parks. The Act prohibits hunting of wild animals; birds etc. and impose punishment for violating the same
Hunting of wild animal
The Act prohibits hunting of wild animals. No person shall hunt any wild animals as specified in the Schedules. However, there are certain exceptions. The State Govt. may order to kill or wound in good faith any wild animal for self-defense or to protect or save another. Any animal so killed or wounded is not and offence and shall be govt. property. The Govt. may permit killing of certain wild animals for academic purpose.
sanctuaries
|
The State govt. by notification, may declare any area within the reserved forest |
or territorial waters as a sanctuary if it considers fit the area for protection and conservation of wild life.
national parks
|
The State govt. by notification, may declare an area whether within a sanctuary |
or not, is by reason of its ecological or other technical grounds needed to be constituted as a national, park for the purpose of protection, propagating or developing wild life.
recognition of zoo
|
Zoo shall be operated without being recognized by the authority. The person |
intends to operate a Zoo shall apply to the Authority in such form and pay such fee prescribed. The applicant should fulfill all the conditions. Then only the Authority shall grant permission
Trade or Commerce in wild animals, animal articles and trophies
|
All the wild animals, animal articles and trophies shall be the property to the |
|
State Government. No person is entitled to hunt any wild animals. No person, |
|
without the previous permission in the writing of the Chief Wild Life Warden or |
the Authorized Officer, acquire or keep in his possession, custody, or control or transfer to any person whether by a way of gift, sale or otherwise or destroy or damage. Dealings in trophies and animal articles without license is prohibited.
PETA
People for Ethical Treatment of Animals popularly called as PETA, is a charitable organization. It is largest animal rights organization in world. It has more than 20 million members and supporters around the world. In India, it was launched in January 2000 and its main office is in Mumbai. It has affiliates in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA. The main objective of PETA India is to establish and defend the rights of animals. The basic principles under which PETA works are that animals are not food, not for wear, not for experiment and not for entertainment. PETA India's main purpose is to educates and aware policymakers and the public about animal abuse and promotes an understanding that like human beings, rights of all animals must be treated with respect.
PETA India focuses primarily on the areas in which the greatest numbers of animals suffer the most: in the food and leather industries, in laboratories and in the entertainment industry. PETA India's investigative work, public education efforts, research, animal rescues, legislative work, special events, celebrity involvement and national media coverage have resulted in countless improvements to the quality of life for animals and have saved countless animals' lives.
Case Studies with respect to Wild Life Conservation:
Shahtoosh case-
The Shahtoosh wool is derived from the soft undercoat of the Tibetan Antelope (also known as Chiru), which has to be killed before its fleece is removed. Three to four Chiru have to be killed to weave only one shawl. Each shawl can cost several thousand dollars in the international market.
In 1977, the Government of India declared the Chiru as protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972. Killing of Chiru is also in contravention to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), of which India is also a signatory as mentioned earlier.
A PIL or Public Interest Litigation was filed in the J&K High Court seeking implementation of the provisions of their Wildlife (Protection) Act as well as CITES which prohibits the import of Shahtoosh into India. On May 1, 2000, the Honorable High Court issued a judgment forcing the government to enact and enforce its wildlife law. Finally in 2002 the manufacture of Shahtoosh shawls has finally been banned in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Project Tiger-
Project Tiger, an initiative by the Government, 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.
A 2008 census held by Government of India revealed that the tiger population had dropped to 1,411. Since then the government has pledged US$153 million to further fund the project, set-up a Tiger Protection Force to combat poachers, and fund the relocation of up to 200,000 villagers to minimize human-tiger interaction.
Project Elephant, though less known, started in 1992 and works for elephant protection in India.
CONCLUSION
Protection of Wildlife alone is not possible only by laws and Government. Despite all of these laws and efforts, destruction of wildlife, illegal trade and poaching continues. Active cooperation from the common public is also very necessary. It is now high time for us to understand the gravity of the situation and act on its behalf. And this can only be achieved by our awareness and by further stringent laws by the Government. We must not lose the national treasures in our rat race of urbanization and modernization.
bibliography
http://www.legalserviceindia.com
wikipeadia.com