4 October 2020.

Introduction:

Wildlife Week is celebrated every year in India between October 2 and 8. The annual theme of the campaign is to promote the preservation of fauna – i.e. animal life.It has been celebrated since 1954. Wildlife Week 2020 marks the 66th Wildlife Weekwhich is celebrated under the theme RoaR (Roar and Revive) – Exploring Human-Animal Relationships.

Highlights:

• The celebrations are mainly organized by National Board of Wildlife.
• The forest departments organize bird watching in wetlands. Conferences, Workshops, symposiums, education trainings and lectures are organised.
• The Central Zoo Authority, in collaboration with, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) launched Campaign RoaR (Respect and Revive): Exploring Human-Animal Relationships to mark the celebrations of Wildlife Week 2020 in India.
• The campaign includes e-competitions and an online lecture series for students to learn about the conservation of animals in their wild habitats.

Objectives of National Week:

• Campaign RoAR aspires to provide a platform to celebrate the special place of wild animals in their many varied and beautiful forms and also offers the opportunity to appreciate the interactions between people and animals around us.
• Zoological parks in India are unique ecosystems which provide several services of local and national significance.
•  Provides an opportunity to raise awareness about animals and threats to their habitats

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Wild Life conservation in India:

• Project Tiger: Launched in 1972 and is the most successful wildlife programme of the Indian Government
• Project Elephant
• Crocodile Conservation Project
• United Nations Development Programme Sea Turtle Project.

Along with above specified conservation projects of the wild animals, GOI has also initiated few schemes that are worked upon to protect the biodiversity and minimize the mortality of critically endangered, endangered and threatened animals.

 Here are few important steps that Government of India has taken for the wildlife protection:

• In the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, GOI created Protected Areas like National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves for the wildlife and imposed punishments on those indulged in illegal act of hunting.
• Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2010 have been drafted to protect of wetlands in India. The Central Government has also initiated the scheme, National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-System that lends assistance to the states for the sound management of all wetlands.
• In order to curb the illegal trade of wildlife and that of endangered species, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has been established.
• Special organizations like Wildlife Institute of India, Bombay Natural History society and Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History are formed to conduct research on conservation of wildlife.
• To check the dwindling population of Gyps vulture in India, Government of India has banned the veterinary use of diclofenac drug.
• For restocking of the endangered species, the Central Government first initiated Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat Scheme and later modified it by including a new component, Recovery of Endangered Species which included animals like Hangul/stag deer in Jammu & Kashmir, Vultures in Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat, Snow Leopard in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh, Swiftlet in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Nilgiri Tahr in Tamil Nadu, Sangai Deer in Manipur. Financial and technical assistance is also extended to the state government to provide better means of protection and conservation for the specified species.
• The State Governments have been asked to strengthen the field formations and increase patrolling in and around the Protected Areas.
• GOI intensified anti-poaching activities and initiated special patrolling strategy for monsoon season. Also, deployment of anti-poaching squad.
• In order to strengthen tiger conservation, National Tiger Conservation Authority is constituted by Government of India.
• A Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) has also been constituted and is deployed in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Odisha.
• E-Surveillance has been started in Kaziranga National Park in Assam and borders of Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.

Important Environment and Biodiversity Acts Passed by Indian Government

• Fisheries Act 1897
• Indian Forests Act 1927
• Mining And Mineral Development Regulation Act 1957
• Prevention of Cruelty To Animals 1960
• Wildlife Protection Act 1972
• Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974
• Forest Conservation Act 1980
• Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981
• Environment Protection Act 1986
• Biological Diversity Act 2002
• Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Rights) Act 2006
• Not only this, there are a few International schemes and projects that India has signed drafted with its neighbours, Nepal and Bangladesh related to illegal wildlife species trade and conservation of tigers and leopards.
• Apart from this, there are plenty of other legal, administrative and financial steps that Government of India has taken for effective wildlife conservation in the country.
• And apparently the success of its some projects and schemes related to Indian Rhinos, tigers and poaching have earned it immense confidence to continue working towards a prosperous and intact wildlife.