Endemic and endangered species concepts for undergraduate course India

Endemic and endangered species with special reference to India

1. Endangered and endemic species: India Dr. Chittaranjan Dave Bahauddin Science College Junagadh

2. Threatened Wildlife

3. Concept of threatened species IUCN has categorized plants and animals based on their population status for conservation purpose. Criteria: a) present and past distribution b) abundance and quality of natural habitat c) declining trend in population density d) biological and ecological value of a species

4. IUCN threatened species categories

5. IUCN Red list of threatened species: categories Eg. Gloablly passenger pigeon, quagga In India , Himalayan Quail ( Ophrysia superciliosa ), Pink-headed Duck ( Rhodonessa caryophyllacea )

6. Eg. Kihansi spray toad, Hawaiian Crow, Kalimantan mango

7. Critically endangered (CR) Population size reduction by more than 80 to 90% in last 10 years or last 3 generation even if the causes are reversible Population is less than 250 mature individuals Geographic range reduction: Now less than 100 km 2 , and occupancy less than 10 km 2 with continual decline or extreme fluctuations. Quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in the wild is at least 50% within 10 years or three generations. The Critically Endangered list includes 10 mammals, 15 birds, 6 reptiles, 19 species of amphibians, 14 fishes etc. Eg. Great Indian Bustard, Lion tailed macaque, Pigmy hog

8. Endangered (EN) Eg. Asiatic lion, Bengal tiger, Red panda, Population size reduction by more than 50 to 70% in last 10 years or last 3 generation even if the causes are reversible Geographic range not more than 5000 km 2 with less than 500 km2 occupancy OR Population less than 2500 with 20% decline in 5 years/ 2 generation OR 95% of total individuals in one sub population/ no subpopulation contains more than 250 mature individuals OR Extreme fluctuation in number of mature individuals

9. Vulnerable (VU) Population size reduction by more than 30 to 50% in last 10 years or last 3 generation even if the causes are reversible Geographic range not more than 20000 km 2 with less than 2000 km 2 occupancy OR Severely fragmented population with no more than different locations Population less than 10000 with 10% decline in 10 years/ 3 generation OR no subpopulation contains more than 1000 mature individuals OR all mature individuals in one subpopulation Eg. Greater one-horned rhinoceros

10. IUCN Red list of threatened species: categories Eg. Tufted deer , Tibetan macaque

11. Eg. Many wild species … Eg. Common desert iguana, rufous tailed lark

12. Threated species: WPA 1972 Schedule I: It covers  endangered species that need rigorous protection. A person is  liable to the harshest penalties for violation  of the law under this Schedule. Species under this Schedule  are prohibited to be hunted throughout India,  except under threat to human life or in case of a disease that is beyond recovery. Some of the animals listed under Schedule I include  the  Black Buck ,  Snow Leopard , Himalayan Bear and  Asiatic Cheetah.

13. Threated species: WPA 1972 Schedule II: Animals under this list are also accorded high protection with the prohibition on their trade . Some of the animals listed under Schedule II include  Assamese Macaque, Himalayan Black Bear and Indian Cobra.

14. Threated species: WPA 1972 Schedule III & IV: Species that are  not endangered are included under Schedule III & IV. This includes  protected species with hunting prohibited but the penalty for any violation is less compared to the first two schedules. Animals protected under Schedule III include Chital (spotted deer), Bharal (blue sheep), Hyena, and Sambhar (deer). Animals protected under Schedule IV include  Flamingo, Hares, Falcons, Kingfishers, Magpie, and Horseshoes Crabs.

15. Threated species: WPA 1972 Schedule V: This schedule contains animals that are considered as  vermin   (small wild animals that carry disease and destroy plants and food). These animals can be hunted. It includes only four species of wild animals:  Common Crows, Fruit Bats, Rats, and Mice.

16. Threated species: WPA 1972 Schedule VI: It provides for  regulation in the cultivation of a specified plant  and restricts its possession, sale, and transportation. Both cultivation and trade of specified plants can only be carried out with the prior permission of the competent authority. Plants protected under Schedule VI include  Beddomes ’ cycad (Native to India), Blue Vanda (Blue Orchid), Red Vanda (Red Orchid), Kuth ( Saussurea lappa ), Slipper orchids (Paphiopedilum spp.) and Pitcher plant (Nepenthes khasiana ).

17. Threatened wildlife Marine life: Fish, Crustaceans, Molluscs, Turtles, Mammals Amphibia: Indian tree frog, bull frog, caecilians, etc. Reptiles: Python , King cobra, rat snake, vipers, tortoises, terapines , crocodile and Ghariyal Birds: GIB, Floricans, Cranes, Pheasants, partridges and quails, aquatic birds Mammals: deers , antelopes, elephants, rhinos, small cats, big cats, canids, primates, bats, shrews, rodents, etc.

18. Conservation approaches In situ conservation (Within natural habitat) Ex-situ conservation (Outside natural habitat)

19. In situ Conservation Protected area network in India: India has a network of 998 Protected Areas including 106 National Parks, 567 Wildlife Sanctuaries,  105 Conservation Reserves and 220 Community Reserves covering a total of 1,73,629.52 km2 of geographical area of the country which is approximately 5.28%. 

20. Protected area network of India Himalayan region Terai and Brahmaputra flood plain Western India Western Ghat Northeastern region Eastern Ghat Andaman Nicobar islands Gujarat

21. Ex-situ conservation Botanical gardens and Zoological parks Gene banks Conservation breeding programs The Indian Seed Vault is a secure seed bank located in a high-altitude mountain pass on the Chang La in Ladakh, India. It was built in 2010 jointly by the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research and the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, and is the second largest seed bank in the world.

22. National Gene Bank world’s second-largest and state-of-the-art National Gene Bank  is located at the  National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR). The  National Gene Bank  was established in the year 1996 to preserve the seeds of  Plant Genetic Resources (PGR)  for future generations, and has the capacity to preserve about one million germplasm in the form of seeds.

23. National Gene bank Presently, it is protecting  4.52 lakh accessions, of which 2.7 lakh are Indian germplasm  and the rest have been imported from other countries. The  Svalbard Global Seed Vault  in Norway houses the  world’s largest collection of seeds. National Animal Gene Bank,  established at the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR - Karnal, Haryana), has the objective of conserving the indigenous livestock biodiversity.

24. Important Wildlife organizations WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), Glan switzerland Established in1961 More than 100 countries Mostly supported by individuals (65 %) To stop degradation of nature

25. National Board of Wildlife History : Due to the rapid decline in wildlife population, the GOI had constituted an advisory body designated as the  Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL)  in 1952. The Indian Board for Wildlife was chaired by the  Prime Minister . The  Wildlife (Protection) Act  1972  was enacted for providing special legal protection to wildlife. The  Wildlife (Protection) Act  1972 laid special emphasis on endangered species of fauna. As per the  Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002 , a provision was incorporated for the constitution of the National Board for Wildlife, replacing the Indian Board for Wildlife.

26. Members of National Board for Wildlife The National Board for Wildlife has 47 members with the  Prime Minister in the Chair . The  Minister in charge of the MoEF  in GOI is the Vice-Chairperson. The Additional Director General of Forests (WL) & Director, Wildlife Preservation is the Member-Secretary to the Board. Other members include three Members of Parliament (two from Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha), five NGOs and 10 eminent ecologists, conservationists and environmentalists.

27. Duty of the board The board is  advisory in nature  and advises the GOI in  conservation  and development of wildlife and forests. It  has the power to review all wildlife-related matters and approve projects   in and around national parks and sanctuaries . No alternation of boundaries in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries   can be done without the approval of the  National Board for Wildlife.

28. Wildlife Advisory Board Wildlife Advisory Board is a  statuary body  of the state (UT) government. The  Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972  mandates the  State (UT) Government  to constitute a Wildlife Advisory Board consisting of the following members: Minister in charge of Forest  in the  State (UT)  is the  Chairman  (Chief Secretary will be the chairman if the minister’s post is vacant).

29. Duties of Wildlife Advisory Board Advise the State Government in…. selection and administration of areas to be declared as Sanctuaries, National Parks, Closed Areas ; formulation of the policy of protection and  conservation  of Wildlife and specified plants; measures to be taken for harmonizing the needs of the tribals and other forest dwellers with the protection and conservation of wildlife; and any matter that may be referred to it by the State Government.