"Species-Specific Recovery Efforts Show Gains Across India's Wildlife"
Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH)
a centrally sponsored scheme funding recovery action for 24 identified endangered species
Megadiverse country
a nation with exceptionally high levels of biodiversity and species found nowhere else
India's wildlife conservation has a strong constitutional and legal foundation. Article 48A tells the State to protect the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife. Article 51A(g) makes protecting nature a fundamental duty of every citizen. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 banned hunting and gave legal protection to the habitats of endangered species. It also created an all-India list of protected species. This list remains the base for later species-specific recovery work.
Over the past decade, conservation effort has changed. It has grown from general habitat protection to targeted recovery of single species at risk. The Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH) scheme supports recovery action for 24 identified species and their habitats. States must carry out research, habitat improvement, protection and community participation. Covered species include the Great Indian Bustard in Rajasthan's grasslands. The Sangai lives in Manipur's wetlands. The dugong lives in coastal seagrass meadows. The hangul lives in Kashmir's forests. One such habitat is Desert National Park in Rajasthan. It spans two districts, Jaisalmer and Barmer. It is a core natural habitat of the bustard. Villages exist within its boundaries.
India launched its National Red List Roadmap at the IUCN World Conservation Congress to find where more attention is needed. The roadmap aims to produce National Red Data Books for plants and animals by 2030. This matters because India is one of 17 megadiverse countries. India holds nearly 8% of global flora and 7.5% of global fauna on just 2.4% of the world's land area. India contains parts of 4 of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots.
Desert National Park has villages within its boundaries. Human habitation exists inside the park despite its protected status. The presence of human settlements within the park does not diminish its role as a core natural habitat for species like the Great Indian Bustard.
Species recovery in India uses several tools. These include habitat restoration, scientific population monitoring such as radio-collaring and camera traps, captive breeding, and community participation. The Great Indian Bustard is bred through the 'jumpstart' method. This is a breeding technique where a fertile captive egg replaces a wild egg so chicks hatch and grow safely before release into the wild. Dedicated species programmes like Project Tiger and Project Elephant apply similar landscape-level thinking across India's reserve network.
Vulture recovery shows how breeding, safer habitats and public awareness can reverse a population collapse. A ban on diclofenac use in veterinary medicine helped reverse the vulture population crash. The drug had entered vultures' bodies through treated cattle carcasses. …
With reference to India's 'Desert National Park', which of the following statements are correct?
1.It is spread over two districts.
2.There is no human habitation inside the Park.
3.It is one of the natural habitats of 'Great Indian Bustard'.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Consider the following species and their principal habitat regions:
List I (Species) List II (Habitat Region)
A.Sangai 1. Jammu and Kashmir
B.Hangul 2. Manipur
C.Nilgiri Tahr 3. Tamil Nadu-Keralam hills
D.Dugong 4. Coastal seagrass meadows (Palk Bay)
Select the correct match using the code given below:
The catastrophic decline of vulture populations in India has been primarily attributed to which of the following?
Consider the following statements about Desert National Park:
1.It lies in Rajasthan and spans two districts.
2.It has no human habitation within its boundaries.
3.It is a natural habitat of the Great Indian Bustard.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats scheme:
1.It is implemented solely by the Union government without any role for State governments.
2.It supports recovery action for a defined list of identified endangered species and their habitats.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements:
1.All of India's documented animal species have been assessed for extinction risk under the IUCN Red List.
2.Over 1,000 of the Indian animal species assessed so far fall under the Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered categories.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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