Wild Life 

History of wildlife management and conservation in India

Forestrynotes.in

• 1500 BC- Aranyakas of vedas: refer to forest life in the aryan civilization

• 325 BC- Description in Kautilaya's Arthasastra: detailed account of forests, wild animals & Abhanyaranya (PA)

• 300 BC- Ashoka's fifth pillar edict

  • - IST GAME LAWS
    - PROTECTION TO ALL FORMS OF LIFE - NATURE RESERVES

Medieval period to Pre‐independence:

- Large scale extermination of wildlife by, Mughals, Monarchs of princely states & British

- Maharaja of Sarguja shot 1116 tigers

- 1938 Lord Linlithgow shoot in Bharatpur-4273 ducks & geese

- Princely states formulated rules for the hunting reserves

- Formation of 1st sanctuary: Vedanthangal bird-sanctuary-1898

- Kaziranga sanctuary 1905

- Hailey N.P. 1936

Legislation (Forest)

• Indian forest act 1878,1927

• Assam forest regulation-1882

• Madras forest act-1891

• AP -1969, J&K 1930, Kerala - 1961, Karnataka - 1963, Raj - 1953, Orissa- 1972.

• Elephant preservation act TN-1873 Assam 1879.

• Rhinoceros protection act- Assam & Bengal

• Preservation of Wild Birds and Game act - 1887f

• Indian fisheries act- 1877

• Wild animal & birds protection act - 1912

• Bombay wild animal and birds protection act - 1951 - Most comprehensive of Wildlife legislations - Fore runner of WL (P)A 1972

Deficiencies/short coming in the pre ‐ 1972 W.L. Legislations:

• Applicable only to R.F. and P.F. -closed for hunting

• No Provisions for Controlling Trade /Commerce in Wild Animals Articles or Trophies

• No uniformity in rules

• Clear provisions for creation of WLS & NP absent

• Nominal penalties for violation

POST INDEPENDENCE ISSUES:

• Indian Board of Wildlife 1952: APEX ADVISORY BOARD HEADED BY P.M.

• 1969-IUCN MEETING NEW DELHI

• 1972-STOCKHOLM CONFERENCE

  • - First global conference on the environment
    - United Nations Conference on Human Environment
    - 3 parallel conferences held by NGOs outside official proceedings of U N Conference
    - 26 principles
    - Natural resources to be safeguarded for future; Prevention of pollution; Economic & Social development essential; Transfer of finances & technologies to developing countries; States have the sovereign right to exploit their own resources; No to nuclear weapons
    - Birth of UNEP

• 1972-W.L. protection act

• 1972 Gir Lion sanctuary project

• 1973 Project Tiger

• 1975 Crocodile project

• India ratified CITES in 1976

• 1976-77 Directorate of W.L. education and research

• 1980 Forest conservation act

• 1980 World conservation strategy

• Wildlife Institute of India - 1982

• 1983 - National wildlife action plan

• Ramsar convention-8 sites

• World heritage sites-5 sites

• 1984 - treaty between India & USSR for protection of migratory birds

• Biosphere reserves- initiated in 1986; Now 12 sites

• 1988 -Forest policy

• 1987 – WORLD COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: BRUNDTLAND REPORT- ‘Our Common Future’

- Humanity has the ability to make developments sustainable- to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

• 1992 - CONVENTION ON BIODIVERSITY

- United Nations Conference on Environment & Development; Rio summit

• NETWORK OF PA's

- 608 Protected Areas including 96 National Parks, 509 Wildlife Sanctuaries and 3 Conservation Reserves covering 4.77% geographical area
• NBSAP

• 2002: Wildlife conservation Strategy: IBWL meet Jan 2002

• WL & forests to be declared a priority sector

• Lands falling within 10 km of the boundaries of PAs to be notified as eco-fragile zones under the Env. (prot.) act

• No commercial mono-culture to replace natural forests

• The settlement of rights in PAs should not be used to exclude or reduce the areas that are crucial habitat

• Vacant posts in the frontline staff of PAs shall be filled immediately

• 2002: Johannesburg summit (rio+10)

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