Overview
India is one of the 17 “megadiverse” countries and is composed of a
diversity of ecological habitats like forests, grasslands, wetlands,
coastal and marine ecosystems, and desert ecosystems. Almost 70% of the
country has been surveyed and around 45,000 plant species (including
fungi and lower plants) and 89,492 animal species have been described,
including 59,353 insect species, 2,546 fish species, 240 amphibian
species, 460 reptile species, 1,232 bird species and 397 mammal species.
Endemism of Indian biodiversity is significant with 4950 species of
flowering plants, 16,214 insects, 110 amphibians, 214 reptiles, 69 birds
and 38 mammals endemic to the country. One of the major causes for the
loss of biodiversity in India is the expansion of agriculture in
previously wild areas. Other impacts include: unplanned development,
opening of roads, overgrazing, fire, pollution, introduction and spread
of exotics, excessive siltation, dredging and reclamation of water
bodies, mining and industrialization. In this century, the Indian
cheetah, Lesser Indian rhino, Pink-headed duck, Forest owlet and the
Himalayan mountain quail are reported to have become extinct and several
other species (39 mammals, 72 birds and 1,336 plants) are identified
vulnerable or endangered.
Number and Extent of Protected Areas
The network of protected areas presently covers 4.74% of the country’s
total land area and includes 94 national parks and 501 wildlife
sanctuaries. Of these, 100 cover both terrestrial and freshwater
ecosystems and 31 are marine protected areas. There are also 14
Biosphere Reserves and several Reserved Forests, which are part of the
most strictly protected forests outside the protected areas. India also
has areas declared as a part of the International Bird Area Network.
14000 sacred groves have been documented.
Percentage of Forest Cover
As per the latest report of the Forest Survey of India (2003), forests
cover 23.68% of India’s total geographic area, which includes 3.04% of
the tree cover. Area under grasslands is about 3.9% and deserts cover
about 2%. It is estimated that India has about 4.1 million ha of
wetlands (excluding paddy fields and mangroves). The marine ecosystem in
India covers 2.1 million sq. km, and the total area covered by
mangroves is estimated at about 6,700 sq. km.
National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan
Major features of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
The main goals identified in India’s National Policy and Macrolevel
Action Strategy on Biodiversity (1999) include: i) Conservation and
sustainable use of biological diversity including regeneration and
rehabilitation of threatened species. ii) Securing participation of
State Governments, communities, people, NGOs, industry and other
stakeholders. iii) Realizing consumptive and non-consumptive values of
biodiversity through research and development iv) Ensuring benefits to
India as country of origin of biological resources and to local
communities and people as conservers of biodiversity, creators and
holders of indigenous knowledge systems, innovations and practices. v)
Ensuring consideration of biodiversity concerns in other sectoral
policies and programmes. Numerous and wide ranging policies, programmes
and projects were initiated which directly or indirectly serve to
protect, conserve and sustainably use the country’s biological
resources. In the National Policy and Macrolevel Action Strategy on
Biodiversity (1999), India identifies the current conservation efforts
and some significant gaps in these efforts. Various action points are
then enumerated including the formulation of policies for protection of
wetlands and sacred groves, and the undertaking of surveys on a priority
basis of islands, the Himalayan region, and marine and coastal areas. A
large-scale participatory exercise has been completed for providing
inputs towards preparation of a National Biodiversity Action Plan.
Initiatives in Protected Areas
The National Environmental Policy 2006 provides the basis of an
innovative strategy to increase forest cover from 23% to 33% of the
national territory by 2012. The country’s goal is to establish 163
national parks and 707 wildlife sanctuaries covering 5.74% of the total
area of the country ensuring appropriate representation across all
ecosystems. The monitoring committee of the National Wildlife Action
Plan (2002-2016) periodically monitors the status of establishment and
management of protected areas. Several unfragmented natural areas and
habitats of threatened/endangered species have been brought within the
protected area network. Although several of the marine and inland water
ecosystems have been brought under the protected area network, more
effort is needed to establish and effectively manage these areas
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