Wildlife-AnIntroduction.pdf

The major wild animals of India are elephant, tiger, lion, deer, bear etc. Wild animals are very important in balancing the environment. They provide stability to different natural processes of nature. It can be found in all ecosystems, desert, rain forests, plains and other areas.

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Wildlife: An Introduction
Presentation · September 2018
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.23194.08649
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Alok Kumar Chandrakar
Guru Ghasidas University
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2. WILDLIFE
AN INTRODUCTION
ALOK KUMAR CHANDRAKAR
Department of Forestry, Wildlife & Environmental Sciences
Guru GhasidasVishwavidyalaya,Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh

3. WILDLIFE
•Atpresent,lifeonearthincludeshumanbeingsandthousandsof
speciesofotheranimals,andplants.
•Humancultureandcivilizationhasgivenhumanbeingsthestatusofa
super-partnerintheworldofanimalsandplants.
•Manhaslearnttoexploitanimals,plantsandothernon-livingnatural
resourceslikeland,waterandmineralsforhisuse.Thishasresultedin
twocategoriesofanimals:
•A)Domesticanimals:Theseanimashavebeenputtousebymanfor
hisbenefitvizcow,buffaloes,camels,horses,goats,sheep,yaketc.
•B)Wildanimals:Theseanimalsliveinthewildandarenotputtouse
byman.Wildanimalsarealsoreferredtoaswildlifeandinclude
thousandsofspeciesofmammals,birds,reptiles,fishes,amphibians
andinsectsthatliveinthewild.

4. Animalclassesbasedontheirdependencyonhumanforsurvival:
•Freelivinganimals:Animalsthatisnotdirectlydependentonother
organism(human)forsurvival.Theyareabletoliveandmove
independently.
•Captiveanimals:Animalsthatliveunderhumancareareincaptivity.
Captivitycanbeusedasageneralizingtermtodescribethekeepingof
eitherdomesticatedanimals(livestockandpets)orwildanimals.
•FeralAnimals:Aferalanimalisonewhichhasescapedfromadomesticor
captivestatusandislivingmoreorlessasawildanimal.Animalswhich
werewildbeforetheyescapedfromcaptivityarenotregardedasferal.For
example,alionwhichhasescapedfromazooisnotaferalanimal.Some
commonexamplesofanimalswithferalpopulationsaregoats,dogs,cats,
pigs,horsesetc.

5. Values of Wildlife
•Wildlifeisanimportantnaturalresourcesthatcanbeputtovarioususes
byman.Theseincludesethical,cultural,commercial,recreationaland
environmentaluses.
•Wildanimalsareintimatelyconnectedwithoursociety,tradition,culture
education,economy,recreationandecology.Theyhavemadeourplaneta
placeofjoy,enjoyment,peaceandprosperity.
•Positivevalues:
•EthicalValues
•Cultural Values
•Ecological Values
•Scientific Values
•Aesthetic and Recreational value
•Commercial or Economic values
•Game values
•Negativevalues
•Damagetoagriculture
•Competition
•Diseases
•Conflictwithhuman

6. Ethical values
•Wethehumanbeingsproclaimourselvessuperiortowildanimalseven
thoughtheyaremoreferocious,powerful,swiftandadaptable.Thethree
distinguishedfeaturesofhumanbeingsarethebasisviz.
capacitytodistinguishingbetweenrightandwrong,
senseofreasoning,
loveandappreciationofbeauty
•Theethicalvaluescompelustothinkthatwehavenorighttokillor
destroytheotherlivingcomponentsofthenaturethatincludeswildlife.
•Ourancientsbooks,sculptures,religion,rulesandphilosophershave
contributedsignificantlyinthedirectionof-
protection,conservationandcontrolofwildlife
spreadingandincludingthesenseofloveandco-existencetowild
creaturesamongus.

7. TheethicalvalueofwildlifeinIndianHistory:
•WildanimalswereaffordedprotectioninHindumythologythrough
religiousmythsandsentimentsviz.tigerisassociatedwiththeGoddess
Durga,SnakesdecoratetheneckofLordShiva,LordGaneshaisbelieved
tohavethenoseofanelephant.

8. •IntheancientepicRamayana,anarmyofmonkeyandotheranimals
helpedLordRamainhiswaragainstRavana,thesymbolofinjustice.
•Thestoriesofpancha-tantraarefulloftheloveforwildanimalsandhave
aprofoundimpactontheyoungmind.

9. •TheemperorAshokadefinedtheprotectionofwildlifeandforesttreesas
adutyofkingsandcitizensalike.
•ThefamousphilosopherKautilyainhis‘ArthShastra’hasgivena
comprehensivecoveragetothe‘Abhayaranya’orForestsanctuary,where
animalscouldlivewithoutanyfearofbeingkilled.
•Inalmosteveryreligionitiswrongtotakethelifeofananimal.

10. Cultural values
•Wildanimalshaveanintimaterelationshipwithhumanreligion,culture
andtraditionnotonlyinancientbutalsoinmoderntimes.
•Examplesofbraveryandferocityarecitedwithrespecttothelionand
tiger.
•Thepeacockhasalwaysbeenasourceof
inspirationandgrace.

11. •KillingofinsectsisforbiddeninreligionslikeBudhismand
Jainism.
•Wildanimalsshouldbepreservedbecausethe
knowledgewhichwehaveabouttheseanimalsispartof
ourculture.

12. •Theseanimalshavebeensourceofinspirationsformankindand
contributedsignificantlytowardsart,architecture,literatureand
mythology.

13. •Theultrasonictechniqueusedbybatsmightbeinspirationforhumanto
inventtheradar

14. •Animalsareinspirationforhumanformanyinventionsanddesigns.

15. Ecological values
•Wildanimalsareasmuchapartofnatureasmanandhavea
significantroletoplayinmaintainingthedynamicsofthe
ecosystem.Wildanimalsoccupiesthepositionofconsumerinthe
ecosystem.

16. •Seasonalmigrationofbirdsandmammalshelpinthedevelopment
ofvegetationbythedispersalofseeds,whichtheyeatand
defecate.

17. •Birdsandinsectshelpincrosspollination.Itincreasesthediversity
ofgeneticrecombinationandviabilityoftheplantvegetation,the
producercomponentoftheecosystem.

18. •Somewildanimalsandbirdsarenaturalscavengersandthereby
helptokeeptheenvironmentcleanandhygienic.Hyenasand
jackalsarealsoeliminatorsofweak,(uselessandunfit)individuals.
•Wildanimalsandinsectsalsoactasabiologicalcontrollingagentif
insectpestanddiseases.
•Thus,wildanimalsplayanimportantroleinmaintainingthe
ecologicalbalance,correcting,rehabilitatingandpreventingfurther
losstotheenvironment.

19. Scientific values
•Researchworkersareengagedallovertheworldinconductingscientific
studiesonthesoastoachievedifferentscientificgoals.
•Wheneveranymedicinethatistotreatvariousdiseasesinhumanbeings
isinvented,theresearchonitseffectisfirsttestedonanimals(suchas
apes,monkeys,lemurs,pigs,ratsandmice)beforeitisusedforhuman
consumptionandtreatment.
•Theknowledgeofbodyfunctionsofdifferentanimalsandtheir
evolutionaryrelationshipwitheachother,howtheyinteractwitheach
otherandwithnatureetc,wouldhavebeenincompletewithoutthe
animalswhoaredissectedbyscientists.
•TheRhfactorinhumanbloodwasdiscoveredafterstudyingtherhesus
monkey.
•Chimpanzeshavehelpedhumanbeingsinconductingserologicalprotein
tests.

20. •ThecommonlongnosedArmadillohasbeenusedforleprosyresearch,
Blackbearhasbeenusedforstudyingkidneydiseases,andAfrican
elephantswereusedasmodelforresearchonthrombosis.
•Manystudiesontheanimalbehaviorshavehelpedpsychiatrist,to
understandthenatureofhumanmind.
•Someofwildanimalsdirectorindirectmedicinalvaluesforhumanbeings,
suchas
Muskpodormuskdeerisvaluedasscent
Fatoftigerorhornbillisbelievedtocurerheumatism
Snakevenomisusedforthepreparationofanti-venomforsnakebite
Eggsofwildpegion,junglefowlandducksarehelpfulincuring
commoncold
•Thus,wildanimalshaveanimmensescientificandmedicinalvalue.Proper
awarenesscanhelpinearninggoodwillofhumanitytowardswildlife.

21. Aesthetic & Recreational values
•Valuewhichpertaintoinbornnaturalbeautyandartisticappreciationsare
groupedunderthis.
•Someofthewildanimalsaresimpleandbeautiful,somearemajesticand
powerful,someothersaremagnificentandcolorful;thissheerbeautyof
thewildlifehasadirectappealtohumanspiritandhumanitywouldliketo
preservethissplendidformofbeautyofnatureatallcost.
•Thisisalmostanintangiblevaluewhichmaybedifficulttomeasureor
comparebutneverthelessitisimportant.
•Thepleasurewhichwederivebyviewingthemmaynotbequantifiable.

22. •Wildlifeprovidesrecreationtogeneralpublic.
•Peoplewouldliketofindtime,fromthebusyscheduleoftheirmodern
busylife,tosharesomemomentsofpleasureandmentalhappinesswith
wildlife.
•Varioussanctuaries,nationalparks,zoosprovideplaceforrecreationand
attractpublic.
•Theintegrationofwildlifewithtourismindustry,havebecomeasource
oftremendouseconomicgain.
•CountrylikeIndia,whichareveryrichinthevarietyofwildlifetourismcan
beabigsourceofincome,aswellas,principlesourceofforeignexchange.
.

23. •Itisapricelessvaluewhichmaybepopularandwidespreadinnatureand
maybeimportantforgeneratingawarenessinpublicmindsforwildlife
conservation.

24. Commercial or Economical values
•Wildlife as a natural resource has great commercial value.
•Trough out the world many people are earning their livelihood by carrying
trade in wildlife and their products.
•Many industries such as fishing are as big as any other modern industry as
far employment generation, output and income.

25. •Along with fishing, fur and skin trade has also developed into a industry.
•Trade in certain items like musk, ivory, rhinoceros horn, crocodile skin, fur
from monkey, rabbit and beer etc. has threatened these animals are now
on the verge of extinction.

26. Game values
•Wildlife has a greater value for those who hunt for sport.
•Our kings, emperors were famous for creating special reserves for hunting:
•Dachigamsanctuary, was exclusive hunting reserve of Maharaja of
Kashmir.
•Bharatpurbird sanctuary formed the reserve of Maharaja Bharatpur.
•Corbett had become a legendary figure for hunting the man-eaters of the
U.P. hills
•Peoples have won large number of trophies by killing the wild animals.
This resulted in the mass killing of some of the majestic wildlife.
•Hunting and fishing clubs have been created in many countries like USA, as
a sport.

27. Positive values
•The positive values of wildlife can further be divided into two:
•Non-consumptive or Intangible
•Consumptive or tangible
•The ecological and ethical are intangible value, while economic, scientific
and others are of tangible values, as we get direct benefit in the form of
food, money and enjoyment.

28. Negative values
•Wildlifehasgotcertainnegativevalues,suchas:
–Destructionofproperties
–Predation
–Potentialroleasreservoirorcarriersofvariousdiseases
•Wildlifesuchasdearandotherherbivorousanimalsdestroythecropsin
thefieldandintensityisfeltmostbythosecountrieswhoseagricultureis
intheprimitivestagesandlivingstandardisverypoor.

29. •Carnivoreslikepanther,tigerandlionsometimesliftdomesticanimalsand
createhardshipsfortheruralpopulation.
•Therearemanyinstanceswhenlossofhumanlifehasbeenuptoagreat
extentathandofman-eaterscarnivores.

31. •Someofwildanimalsactasacarriersorreservoirsofcertaindiseases.
•However,thepositivevaluesofwildlifefaroutweighthenegativevalues.

32. Conclusion
•Wildlife is an important renewable natural resource at the hard of man
with diverse use.
•The colorful and magnificent wildlife bestowed upon us by the nature had
made tremendous contribution towards:
–our culture, religion, courage and discipline,
–customs, and traditions,
–education and economy,
–entertainment and aesthetic sense,
–maintaining balance of nature
•The list is still linger making life on this planet full of joy and enjoyment,
peace and prosperity.
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