Wildlife Conservation: Purpose and Methods | Zoology

In this article we will discuss about the purpose and methods of wildlife conservation.

Purpose of Wildlife Conservation:

As the human population increases, more and more lands are brought under its control and, as a result, the amount of natural vegetation has diminished considerably and so also the habitat of various species. The vast expanses of tropical forest and its inhabi­ting species have become increasingly threat­ened in the last few decades. Even in the oceans, fishing is so intensive that popula­tions are diminishing rapidly. We have become too efficient as predators.

Sometimes we hunt species for luxury items! For example, the elephants for their tusk, the rhinoceroses for their horns etc. Sometimes we capture exotic species such as various birds, coral reef fishes etc. for the pet trade. Thus, we have become a species which is no longer in co-evolved balance with its environment.

Aldo Leopold (1943) has rightly said that wildlife had once fed us and shaded our cul­ture; it had provided us pleasure for leisure hours. It has now become essential that we support the active conservation of wildlife for reasons which reflect the different facets of our relationship with the natural world.

Conservation of wildlife is essential as it serves the following purposes:

A. The Role in Ecology:

Wildlife plays a vital role in ecological balance. The autecology of rare or threatened species, the synecology of communities and the role of the abiotic environment in ecosystems are all rele­vant to conservation. Wildlife is the integral part of any ecosystem.

It maintains a balance in nature through biogeochemical cycles, food chains, population control by positive and negative feedbacks. If a species is lost, the natural balance of the ecosystem is lost and unfavourable incidences result.

This can be explained through the following examples:

1. If the herbivore animals reduce drastically or falls short in number, the carni­vore animals (tiger, lion, leopard, wolf etc.) would then enter human settlements and attack human beings or its domesticated ani­mals.

2. If the carnivores decrease in number, then the population of herbivores would flourish which will eat up most of the vege­tation or will attack the crop or vegetables cultivated by people.

Thus, through prey and predator chain natural balance is maintained. Destruction at any point of the food chain would endanger human civilisation.

3. Birds provide a number of services to mankind. It acts as a pollinating agent, fruit disperser, scavenger, insect pest-eater etc. So, killing of birds or destruction of their habitat would result in innumerable loss to mankind.

4. Over-fishing has resulted in decline of net population. Fishing in North Atlantic has rendered the herrings, cods, haddocks etc. to the brink of extinction. Over-fishing has a wider implication, particularly the devastation wrought on oceanic food chain. One such example is the massive death of sea birds due to starvation.

B. Economic Value:

Wildlife has a high economic value and is an important natural wealth. It has to be carefully conserved and, if scientifically exploited, can help in impro­ving the national economy.

The economic values of wildlife are:

1. From wildlife we can obtain various products for our daily life use such as timber, firewood, natural rubber, gums, resins, tan­nins, essential oils, spices, silk, lac, honey, feathers, musk, ivory, wool, egg, meat, milk etc.

2. Wildlife is a source of income for tourism industry. The most popular tourist attractions are the wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. It also attracts foreign tourists and earning of foreign exchange. The zoolog­ical gardens and botanical gardens are also sources of earning.

3. Trade in live as well as dead animals not only serves to support thousands of peo­ple but also to earn foreign exchange. White tigers and other rare animals can fetch hand­some foreign exchange. The rhino horn, ivory of elephants, glands of musk deer, antler of deers etc. all fetchs high prices.

People of South America, Far East Asia and others eat the brain and meat of rare breeds of monkeys with an assumption that it cures insane people and gives vitality. People in South India kill peacocks for meat and to extract oil for medicinal value.

Fat of tiger, Rhino’s urine, Uromastix oil are used as cure for rheumatoid arthritis, gout, purifica­tion of blood and for increasing sexual powers. The people of China uses all the parts of the body of tiger in dried or powdered form for medicinal uses as given in Table 4.48.

4. Many plants have medicinal values, such as quinine is obtained from Cinchona, morphine from opium, and so on.

5. From the skeleton of shrimps and crabs, a chemical is obtained which serve in prevention of fungal infection.

C. Genetic Resource:

Genes from wild plants and animals are used to help in bree­ding better crop varieties through genetic engineering. Thus, wildlife is an important source of characteristics like disease resis­tance, higher production, higher ecological amplitude etc.

D. Education:

Zoological garden, bota­nical garden, national park etc. provide education to school and college students.

E. Game Value:

Wildlife serves as game where millions of people spend billions of dollars in hunting or fishing or in recrea­tion through bull fight, cock fight etc.

F. Cultural Value:

Many mythological stories are based on wildlife. The various deities of Hindu mythology are associated with some animal or the other.

G. Aesthetic Value:

Wildlife is also important from the view-point of its aesthe­tic value for man. Such as the taste of wild berries, softness of moss bed, refreshing frag­rance of wild flowers, melodious song of birds etc. — all add to the pleasure and hap­piness of mankind. The forest would appear bleak and bare without wildlife.

H. Scientific Value:

Many wildlife have scientific values for humans.

For examples:

1. Sea urchin has helped greatly in the under­standing of human embryology, Rhesus monkeys in present knowledge of human blood group, antlers of deer in determining the degree of radioactive contamination of natural environment, a desert toad in early determination of pregnancy etc.

2. Many animals such as monkey, guinea pig, rat etc. are commonly used as experimental animal in medical research.

3. For preparing vaccine for leprosy, Nine-banded Armadillo is used as the bacterium of leprosy easily grows in its body.

Methods of Wildlife Conservation:

The number of endangered species of flora and fauna has increased over the years. Steps have been taken to protect and manage the wildlife of the country at state and central levels.

Various governmental and non­governmental organisations have taken up the cause to protect and conserve wildlife by the following ways:

1. Protection of natural habitats,

2. Maintenance of the viable number of species in protected areas,

3. Establishment of Biosphere Reserves,

4. Protection through legislation,

5. Imposing restriction on export of rare plant and animal species and their products,

6. Improving the existing conditions of protected areas,

7. Mass education,

8. To declare some ani­mals, trees, flowers as national and state symbol.

A. Protection of Natural Habitat:

Wildlife habitats are not stable. Changes occurring in habitats is mainly due to biotic succession, retrogression or to rather sudden natural or man-caused disturbances such as by fire, logging or lagging, flooding, con­struction work, pollution etc. These changes alter food, cover and other habitat resources for all wildlife species. Much wildlife habitat management is, therefore, the management of succession, retrogression and disturbance.

Protection of the wildlife habitat can be done through ex-situ and in-situ conservation by establishing National Parks, Sanctuaries, and Reserve Forests etc. These networks of protected areas cover most of the representative habitat types in the country and provide protection to both wild species of plants and animals.

These protected networks (National Parks, Sanctuaries etc.) have been set up within the legal framework of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, thus providing the greatly needed legal support to these areas.

B. Protection Through Legislation:

Various countries of the world have formed various laws to forbid killing of wildlife. In India, the legislative measures adopted for the protection of wildlife are:

(a) Directive Principles of State Policy:

The Indian Constitution’s Directive Princi­ples of State Policy provides in clear and unambiguous terms the State’s commitment to protecting the environment. Article 48A of the Directive Principles states: “The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country”.

The Article 51A of Indian Constitution states: “It shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures”. The Constitution’s 73rd Amendment Act of 1992 on Panchayats is also linked to environmen­tal protection and conservation.

(b) Inclusion of forests and wildlife in concurrent list:

In the Indian Constitution’s 42nd Amendment (1976), forests and wild­life have been included in the Concurrent List. This provision has led the Central Government in not only controlling protec­tion and preservation of wildlife but also in acquiring certain forests and wildlife sanctu­aries of national importance, under the pow­ers of acquisition of property (Entry 42 of Union List).

(c) Acts to Protect Wildlife:

For the protection of wild animals and the endan­gered species in particular, the state as well as the Central Government has made from time to time several Acts.

Some of these Acts are:

1. Madras Wild Elephant Preservation Act, 1873.

2. All India Elephant Preservation Act, 1879.

3. Wild Birds and Animals Preservation Act, 1912.

4. Bengal Rhinoceros Preservation Act, 1932.

5. Bombay Wild Animals and Wild Birds Protection Act, 1951.

6. Assam Rhinoceros Protection Act, 1954.

7. Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 1983, 1986, 1991, etc.)

8. The Government banned the exhibi­tion and training of bears, monkeys, tigers, panthers and lions in 1998.

The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, affords special legal measures for the protec­tion of wild animals In general and in parti­cular to the endangered species. The Act is adopted by all states except Jammu and Kashmir (it has its own Act). The Wildlife (Protection) Act has provision for setting up of National Parks and Sanctuaries, regulation of trade and commerce in wild animals, ani­mal products and trophies etc.

It also lays down regulations for declaration of stocks, issue of ownership certificates, transfer of animals etc. from one state to another and from one owner to another, issue of licences for conducting trade, penal measures for violation, punishment to poachers etc.

The provisions of the Act have been amended from time to time. A major amend­ment came into force on 2nd October 1991. It provides for greater protection to wildlife and more stringent punishment for viola­tions, enabling individuals to take instances of violation of the Act directly to the court.

There are five schedules under the Wild­life (Protection) Act where wild mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians are given specific status. The animals listed in these schedules are rare and endangered species and are provided with rigid protection under the legislation. The hunting of these animals are restricted more than ever before and strict control measures are imposed.

Schedule I:

It includes 41 rare and threatened species of mammals, 18 species of birds and 2 species of amphibians.

Schedule II:

The animals included here enjoy special game status.

Schedule III:

It includes big game (wild) animals.

Schedule IV:

Small game (wild) animals are included here.

Schedule V:

It includes vermin (wild animals).

(d) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES):

CITES came into effect in 1975 and aims at preven­ting international trade in wild flora and fauna. There is great demand of the products of wild animals, such as musk pods of musk deer, horns of rhinoceros, skin of crocodile, tusks of elephant, skin of large wild animals and snakes etc., which fetch good money at the international market. Keeping in view of such illegal trade of endangered species, India became a signatory to the International Convention of Trade in Endangered Species.

Among the species listed in the Appendices, the Appendix I has species threatened with extinction through trade. Appendix II lists species that may become threatened with extinction if trade involving them is not regulated. Under the convention, the coun­tries party to it cannot import or export the species listed in the CITES without proper licence.

The signatories of CITES have unani­mously agreed:

1. That wild fauna and flora in their many beautiful and varied forms are an irre­placeable part of the natural systems of the earth.

2. That they are conscious of the ever-­growing value of wild fauna and flora from aesthetic, scientific, cultural, recrea­tional and economic points of view.

3. That people and states are, and should be, the best protectors of their own wild fauna and flora.

4. That international cooperation is essen­tial for the protection of certain species of wild fauna and flora against over- exploitation through international trade.

5. That there is an urgency of taking appro­priate measures to this end.

C. Mass Education:

Conservation edu­cation and awareness have to be achieved both at the formal and non-formal level. Most people of an country are ignorant about the utility of wildlife.

Thus, the following measures for mass education should be undertaken:

1. At the formal level schools, colleges and universities should include in the curri­culum, the study of ecology, wildlife and conservation. However, this remains largely text book and examination orien­ted.

2. The creation of awareness and right atti­tude towards the environment and how everyone can contribute to conservation efforts.

3. Mass media such as newspapers and magazines, radio and television, national parks and sanctuaries, zoological parks and natural history museums can play an important role in promoting conser­vation awareness among the public.

4. Cinematography on wildlife and the nece­ssity for conservation should be screened even to the remotest villages and to all classes of students, so that they develop love and affection towards wildlife.

5. Institutions specially devoted to import training in wildlife conservation was established by the Government of India in 1982.

D. Maintenance of Viable Species in Protected Areas:

A particular species of ani­mal which is rare is given importance for con­servation in a protected area. For example, Gir Forest at Gujarat conserves lions, Kaziranga (Assam), Jaldapara (W. Bengal) conserve one-horned rhinoceros etc.

E. To Declare Some Animals, Trees, Flowers as National and State Symbol:

A list of some animals and plants have been pre­pared with the help of Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) and NBRI allotting 4 species to each of the 27 states/and to India (Table 4.49).

This allotment is based on criteria such as nativity/endemicity, general importance etc. The states will have to take legislative measures to declare them so and make it obli­gatory on their part to take practical steps for their conservation.