The protection of wild species and their natural habitat from various dangers, such as poaching, killing, smuggling, etc., is accomplished through wildlife conservation. By doing so, we may improve, restore, and safeguard the environment.
At both the national and international levels, several attempts have been made to conserve wildlife. Numerous NGOs are working to protect wildlife.
One of the notable international accords is the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (also known as CITES). It categorises diverse species into numerous groups.
There are two approaches to conserving wildlife:
- Ex-situ conservation
- In-situ conservation
Ex-situ conservation involves removing wild animals from their natural habitat and relocating them to a new location in order to protect biodiversity. Consider the zoo.
In-situ conservation: As an illustration, consider a wildlife sanctuary. In this, the species remain in their original habitats, and the location is safeguarded by preserving its entire ecosystem.
List of Top 10 Animal Conservation Projects in India:
- Project Tiger
- Project Elephant
- Project Rhinoceros
- Project Crocodile Conservation
- Project Vulture
- Project Red Panda
- Project Gangetic River Dolphin
- Project Snow Leopard
- Project Great Indian Bustard
- Project Cheetah
Project Tiger:
- Year Of Launch: 1973
- Current IUCN Status: Endangered
- Current Tiger Population In India: 2967
- Current Tiger Reserves In India: 53
- First Tiger Reserve: Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve (Uttarakhand)
- Latest Tiger Reserve: Guru Ghasidas National Park And Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary (Chhattisgarh)
- Top 3 States In Terms Of Number Of Tigers:
- Madhya Pradesh (526)
- Karnataka(524)
- Uttarakhand (442)
Project Elephant:
- Year Of Launch: 1992
- Current IUCN Status: Endangered
- Current Elephant Population In India: 29,964
- Current Elephant Reserves In India: 32
- First Elephant Reserve: Singhbhum Elephant Reserve of Jharkhand.
- Latest Elephant Reserve: Agasthyamalai In Tamil Nadu.
- Top 3 States In Terms Of Number Of Elephants:
- Karnataka (6,049)
- Assam (5,719)
- Kerala (3,054)
Project Rhinoceros:
- Year Of Launch: 2005, Indian Rhino Vision: 2020
- Current IUCN Status: Vulnerable
- Current Rhinoceros Population In India: 2900
- Conservation Efforts: In 4 Protected Areas In Assam: Pobitora Wildlife Reserve, Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, Kaziranga National Park, And Manas National Park.
Project Crocodile Conservation:
- Year Of Launch: 1975
- Current IUCN Status: Of 23 Known Crocodile Species
- 7 – Critically Endangered
- 4 – Vulnerable
- 12 – Least Risk
- The Country’s First Gharial Breeding Center Was Built In Nandankanan Zoological Park.
- Conservation Efforts: Initially The Crocodile Conservation Project Was Launched In Odisha’s Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary.
- It Was Implemented With The Financial Aid Of The United Nations Development Fund And The Food And Agriculture Organization.
Project Vulture:
- Year Of Launch: 2006
- Vulture Conservation Action Plan 2020-25
- Current IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
- India Is Home To Nine Species Of Vultures, But Most Of Them Face The Danger Of Extinction.
- Current Vulture Population In India: 19,000
- Conservation Efforts: Vulture Conservation Breeding Programme Was Established By The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) And Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
- To Study, The Cause Of Death Of Vultures In India A Vulture Care Centre (VCC) Was Set Up At Pinjore, Haryana In 2001.
Project Red Panda:
- Year Of Launch: 1966
- Current IUCN Status: Endangered
- Current Vulture Population In World: 10,000
- Conservation Efforts: The Project Was Started At Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Wildlife Park In Darjeeling, West Bengal.
- Red Panda Is Found In Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, And The Himalayas Around Darjeeling.
Project Gangetic River Dolphin:
- Year Of Launch: 1986
- Current IUCN Status: Endangered
- Current Vulture Population In India: 3,000
- Conservation Efforts: The MoEFCC Notified The Ganges River Dolphin As The National Aquatic Animal.
- Dolphin In India Is Found In The Ganga And Brahmaputra Rivers.
- The Ganges Dolphin Is Among The Four ‘Obligate’ Freshwater Dolphins Found In The World.
- ‘Baiji’ (Yangtze Kiang), ‘Bhulan’ Of The Indus (Pakistan) ‘Boto’ Of The Amazon River Are The Other Three.
- There Are About 1,272 Dolphins In Uttar Pradesh And 962 In Assam.
Project Snow Leopard:
- Year Of Launch: 2009
- Current IUCN Status: Vulnerable
- Current Vulture Population In India: 500
- Conservation Efforts: Snow Leopard Conservation Breeding Program Is Undertaken At Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Wildlife Park In Darjeeling, West Bengal.
Project Great Indian Bustard:
- Year Of Launch: 2013
- Current IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
- Current Vulture Population In India: 200
- Conservation Efforts: MoEFCC And Govt Of Rajasthan Launched ‘Habitat Improvement And Conservation Breeding Of Great Indian Bustard-An Integrated Approach’.
Project Cheetah:
- Year Of Launch: 2022
- Current IUCN Status: Vulnerable (World)
- Current Vulture Population In World: 6517
- Conservation Efforts: In January 2022, The Centre Launched An Action Plan For Introducing Cheetah In India.
- Under The Project, 50 Cheetahs Will Be Introduced In Various National Parks Over 5 Years.
- Also Read: What Is Project Cheetah? [Fully Explained]
Important Days Related To Animals
- International Cheetah Day: 4th December
- International Tiger Day: 29th July
- World Elephant Day: 12th August
- World Rhino Day: 22nd September
- World Crocodile Day: 17th June
- National Dolphin Day: 14th April
- International Snow Leopard Day: 23rd October
- International Vulture Awareness Day: 1st Saturday Of September
- International Red Panda Day (IRPD): 3rd Saturday Of September
- World Animal Welfare Day: 4th October
- World Wildlife Day: 3rd March
The preservation of wildlife is essential for sustainable development. At both the national and international levels, several initiatives have been taken. Numerous efforts have been done in India as well, including Project Cheetah, Project Tiger, Project Elephant, a captive breeding programme, etc. At the international level or in accordance with international conventions and accords, India also implements a variety of approaches and policies.
To download PDF for top 10 Animal Conservation Projects in India: Click Here
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Also Read:
- What Is Project Cheetah? [Fully Explained]
- List Of National Parks In India
- List Of Tiger Reserves In India
- List Of Biosphere Reserves In India
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is international cheetah day?
Save The Cheetah in its race against extinction! International Cheetah Day, which is celebrated annually on December 4th, calls on people all around the world to support this animal in its fight against extinction. The cheetah is well known for being the world’s swiftest mammal.
What Is Project Cheetah?
The Basic Aim Of Project Cheetah Is To Revitalize And Diversify India’s Wildlife And Its Habitat. The Government Said That ‘Project Cheetah’ Is World’s First Inter-continental Large Wild Carnivore Translocation Project.
How Does Project Cheetah Work?
The Project Aims To Re-Establish The Species In Its Historical Range In India & Developing Metapopulation In India That Allows The Cheetah To Perform Its Functional Role As A Top Predator And Provide Space For The Expansion Thereby Contributing To Its Global Conservation Efforts.
Who started Project Cheetah?
Narendra Modi Government: PM Modi Said The Project Cheetah, Is His Government’s Endeavour Towards Environment And Wildlife Conservation. 8 Cheetahs Were Flown In From Namibia Into Special Enclosures In Kuno National Park In Madhya Pradesh.
In which year was project Cheetah launched?
17 September 2022
Which is the first project for wildlife conservation in India?
Project Tiger: Project Tiger was initiated on April 1, 1973, in Jim Corbett National Park
Which State launched Project Snow Leopard?
West Bengal: Snow Leopard Conservation Breeding Program Is Undertaken At Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Wildlife Park In Darjeeling, West Bengal.