This document provides information on forests and wildlife in India. It discusses the various protected areas in India including national parks and sanctuaries that help conserve wildlife. Some key points discussed include: - India has a high level of biodiversity and is home to tiger, lion, elephant, rhino and many other species. - There are several organizations dedicated to wildlife research and conservation like the Wildlife Institute of India. - India has over 700 protected areas covering different ecosystems across the country. - Deforestation and habitat loss pose major threats to India's wildlife. Conservation efforts include afforestation and protecting endangered species.

1. Wild life of INDIAWild life of INDIA
Dr. Dinesh C. Sharma,
Associate Professor (Zoology)

2. There are three autonomous bodies,
Wildlife Institute of India (WII),
Deharadun-1982 for wildlife research &
training,
Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for
conservation and zoo management and
National Tiger Conservation Authority
(NTCA) -The NTCA has been constituted by
converting the Project Tiger Directorate
into an autonomous body for tiger
conservation. The National Zoological Park
in the capital is also a part of the Wildlife
wing of the Ministry of Environment &
Forests.

3. To combat wildlife related crimes, a
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau under the
Director, Wildlife Preservation has been
constituted with 5 Regional Offices viz,
Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and
Jabalpur and 3 Sub-regional offices at
Amritsar, Guwahati, and Kochi.
And 5 Border Units located at Moreh,
Nathula, Motihari, Gorakhpur and
Ramanathapuram.

4. At present India has a network of
700 Protected Areas-
•120 National Parks,
•528 Wildlife Sanctuaries,
•18 Bio-reserve
•35 Biodiversity Hot spots
•20 Wetlands
•65 Conservation Reserves and
•4 Community Reserves

5. Biosphere reserves
The bio-reserves in India are:
1.Achanakmar-Amarkantak
2.Agasthyamalai
3.Dibru Saikhowa
4.Dihang Dibang
5.Great Nicobar
6.Gulf of Mannar
7.Kachchh
8.Kangchenjunga
9.Manas
10.Nanda Devi
11.The Nilgiris
12.Nokrek
13.Pachmarhi
14.Simlipal
15.Sundarbans
16.Cold Desert
17.Seshachalam hills
18.Panna
Ten of the eighteen biosphere
reserves are a part of the World
Network of Biosphere Reserves,
based on the UNESCO Man and the
Biosphere Programme (MAB)
{Launched in 1971} list

6. List of endangered animals in India
Critically endangered species in India According to
the Red Data Book of International Union for
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
(IUCN),
There are 47 critically endangered species in India
(as of 5 September 2011).
The Red List of 2012 was released at the Rio+20
Earth Summit . It contains 132 species of
plants and animals in India listed as critically
endangered.

7. Megadiverse
countries
The megadiverse countries are a group of
countries that harbor the majority of Earth's
species and high numbers of endemic
species. Conservation International identified
17 megadiverse countries in 1998.
Many of them are located in, or partially
in, tropical or subtropical regions

8. 1. Australia
2. Brazil
3. China
4. Colombia
5. Democratic Republic of the
Congo
6. Ecuador
7. India
8. Indonesia
9. Madagascar
10. Malaysia
11. Mexico
12. Papua New Guinea
13. Peru
14. Philippines
15. South Africa
16. United States
17. Venezuela
India is one of the seventeen megadiverse countries.
60-70% of the world's biodiversity in 17 Countries

9. India, lying within
the Indomalaya ecozone, is
home to about
7.6% of all mammalian,
12.6% of avian (bird),
6.2% of reptilian, and
6.0% of flowering plant species.

10. Many Indian species are descendants
of taxa originating in Gondwana, to which
India originally belonged. Peninsular India's
subsequent
Endemic Species

11. Among Indian species, only 12.6% of mammals and
4.5% of birds are endemic, contrasting with 45.8% of
reptiles and 55.8% of amphibians.
Notable endemics are the Nilgiri leaf monkey and the
brown and carmine Beddome's toad of the Western
Ghats.
India contains 172, or 2.9%, of IUCN-designated
threatened species.
•Asian elephant,
•Asiatic lion,
•Bengal tiger,
•Indian rhinoceros,
•mugger crocodile,
•Indian white-rumped vulture,
which suffered a near-extinction

12. Recent extinctions in India
Northern Sumatran rhinoceros.
Indian/Asiatic cheetah
Wild zebu
Indian Javan rhinoceros

13. Some species of birds have gone extinct in recent times. A species of
warbler, Acrocephalus orinus, known earlier from a single specimen
collected by Allan Octavian Hume from near Rampur in Himachal
Pradesh, was rediscovered after 139 years in Thailand.
Pink-headed duck
(Rhodonessa
caryophyllacea)
Himalayan quail
(Ophrysia superciliosa)
Acrocephalus orinus

14. National symbols (animals)
•National animal: Royal Bengal tiger
•National heritage animal of India: Elephant
•National mammal of India: Hanuman langur
•National aquatic animal: Ganges river dolphin
•National bird: peacock

15. FORESTFOREST
ANDAND
WILDLIFEWILDLIFE

16. INTRUDUCTION :INTRUDUCTION :
Indian is unique in having immense natural beauty isIndian is unique in having immense natural beauty is
its different lions and in possessing a rich and diverseits different lions and in possessing a rich and diverse
wild life fauna Indian wild life is incomparable in itswild life fauna Indian wild life is incomparable in its
variety for example, the tiger, the lion and the leopardvariety for example, the tiger, the lion and the leopard
room about in the same country elephants and theroom about in the same country elephants and the
one horned rhinoceros are found here in abundance.one horned rhinoceros are found here in abundance.
India has more types of the graceful deer and catsIndia has more types of the graceful deer and cats
than any other country in the world. In facts, Indiathan any other country in the world. In facts, India
includes more than 120 families of terrestrialincludes more than 120 families of terrestrial
vertebrates.vertebrates.
It has been estimated that there are more than 400It has been estimated that there are more than 400
species of mammals, 1200 species of Birds, more thanspecies of mammals, 1200 species of Birds, more than
350 Species of Reptiles and more that 29,70,000350 Species of Reptiles and more that 29,70,000
species of insects in Indiaspecies of insects in India

17. REASONS FOR WILD LIFE
• The wild life has also been used
commercially to earn a lot of
money in on way or the other.
• The wild life is the cultural
asset of a country like India. It
has deep rooted effect on art
sculpture, literature and religion
of the country.

18. CONSERVATION MEASURES:CONSERVATION MEASURES:
For the preservation of species wild life
management staff should have a correct idea
about the exact habitat which the species under
consideration needs.
Natural habitat of wild animals should be carefully
protected.
Shooting and hunting of endangered species
should be totally banned.
Habitats of wild life should be improved by
constructing water holes, saltlicks and by raising
plantation of better and nourishing fodder
grasses and trees.

19. MODES OF WILD LIFE CONSERVATIONMODES OF WILD LIFE CONSERVATION
Protected species of Indian wild
life are here they are, white eyed
buck, black buck, Four horen
antelope, golden cat, snow
leopard, great Indian bustard,
Monitor lizard, winter lizard,
leathery turtle, marsh crocodile
etc.

20. REASONS FOR DEPLETION OF WILD LIFEREASONS FOR DEPLETION OF WILD LIFE
Destruction of wild plants of forests for
timber, charcoal and firewood often deprives
wild animals their most palatable food and
affects their survival.
Absence of covers or shelter to wild animals.
Noise pollution by different transport media
and polluting river water have adversely
affected wild animals.
Hunting methods of all kinds and for any
purpose (that is, food, recreation, fur,
plumage, tusk, horn etc.) have caused
destruction of wild life.

21. SOME INDIAN SANCTUARIES AND NATIONAL PARKSSOME INDIAN SANCTUARIES AND NATIONAL PARKS
 Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary.
 Manas Wild life Sanctuary.
 Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary.
 Mundanthurai Sanctuary
 Ranganthittoo Bird Sanctuary.
 Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary.
 Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary.
 Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
 Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
 Kolameru Bird Sanctuary
 Guindy Deer Park.
 Sesan Gir
 Sariska
 Chilka Lake
 Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.
 Daachigam Wildlife Sanctuary.

22. WILD LIFE RESEARCH IN INDIAWILD LIFE RESEARCH IN INDIA
Wildlife Institute of India (WII) covers
various aspects of applied research on wild
life for different ecological and
geographical regions of the country. Show
leopard (Ladakh), Nilgiri Langur (Tamil
Nadu), Grizzled gaint squirrel (Tamil
Nadu), monitoring of reintroduced Mugger
crocodiles (Andhra Pradesh) and
monitoring of reintroduced Rhinoceros
(Dudhwa, U.P) are the main studies
completed by the institute.

23. WILD LIFE EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun
organized 9 month PG Diploma and three
months Certificate courses on wild life for
protected area managers at the
professional and Field technician level
during 1991-92.
The Institute also organized a Zoo
Management course for Middle Level
Managers and Technicians and 4 week
course for 16 trainees from Zoos and wild
life organizations from different states.

24. FORESTFOREST
INTRODUCTION:
A plant community predominantly of trees
and other vegetation usually with a closed
canopy is called forest. Today forest may
be regarded as any land managed for the
diverse purpose of forestry, whether
covered with trees shrubs, climbers, lions
etc or not the word jungle is used to
describe a collection of trees, shrubs etc
that are not grown in a regular manner.

25. IMPORTANCE OF FOREST
Forest are the only source of timbers,
wood fuel, bamboos and a rich source of a
variety of valuable products.
They guard against erosion of land,
damage of water sheds, floods and
segmentation. The provide shelter to the
wildlife.
Above all, forest also provide facility of
the grazing of live stocks and produce a
large number of products of commercial as
well as industrial importance.

26. TYPES OF FOREST
Moist tropical forests
Dry tropical forests
Mountain subtropical forests
Mountain temperate forests
Subalpine forests
Alpine scrub forests

27. DEFORESTATIONDEFORESTATION
Forest in developing countries are going
to be reduced at an alarming rate. This
process of deforestation is a serious
threat to economy, quality of life and
future of the environment in our country.
The important causes of deforestation in
India are,

28. Rapid explosion of human and livestock
population
Expansion of agricultural croplands for
farming and enhanced grazing by cattle.
Increased demand for fuel wood,
timber, wooden crates, paper,
newsprint’s, patter boards, medicines
etc.

29. Comparative situation of cover 1993 and 1991 assessment (sq.km)Comparative situation of cover 1993 and 1991 assessment (sq.km)
State / Uts 1991 Assessment 1993 Assessment Change in 1993
Andhra Pradesh 47290 47256 -34
Arunchal Pradesh 68757 68661 -96
Assam 24751 24508 -243
Bihar 26668 26587 -81
Goa (Including Daman & Diu) 1255 1250 -5
Gujarat 11907 12044 137
Himachal Pradesh 11780 12505 722
Jammu & Kashmir 20064 20443 379
Karnataka 32199 32343 144
Kerala 10292 10336 44
Madhya Pradesh 135785 135396 -389
Maharashtra 40044 43589 -185
Manipur 17685 17621 -64
Meghalaya 15875 15769 -106
Mizoram 18853 18697 -156
Nagaland 14321 14348 27
Orissa 47205 47145 -60
Punjab 1343 1343 0
Rajasthan 12835 13099 264
Sikkim 3033 3119 86
Tamil Nadu 17713 17726 13
Tripura 5535 5538 3

30. AFFORESTATIONAFFORESTATION
The development of forests on
wastelands is usually known as
afforestation
In India, Wasteland
Development Programme is
being and overseen by National
Wastelands development Board
(NWDB) which has adopted a
mission approach for enlisting
people’s participation, harnessing
inputs of science and technology
and achieving inter disciplinary
co-ordination in the programme,
planning and implementation.

31. FOREST RESEARCH IN INDIAFOREST RESEARCH IN INDIA
In India, India Council of Forest Research and
Education (ICFRE) is an autonomous body with
the Ministry of Environment and Forests, which
holds the mandate to organize, direct and
manage research and education in the fields of
forestry.
There are five important research institutes,
they are,
Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun.
 Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding,
Coimbatore
Institute of Wood Science and Technology,
Bangalore

32. CONSERVATIONCONSERVATION
Conservation is the most efficient and
most beneficial utilization of natural
resources and Is one of the most
significant applications of ecology.
Conservation is mainly concerned with
the management of the natural resources
of the earth, taking into consideration
their proper use, preservation and
protection from destructive influences
and misuse etc .

33. Critically endangered

34. Birds
White-bellied heron
Great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps)
Forest owlet (Athene blewitti)
Baer's pochard (Aythya baeri)
Spoon-billed sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus)
Siberian crane (Grus leucogeranus)
White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis)
Indian vulture (Gyps indicus)
Slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris)
Bengal florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis)±
Himalayan quail (Ophrysia superciliosa)
Jerdon's courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus)
Pink-headed duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea)
Red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus)
Sociable lapwing (Vanellus gregarius)
Bugun liocichla (Liocichla bugunorum)

35. Fish
Knifetooth sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata)
Pondicherry shark (Carcharhinus hemiodon)
Ganges shark (Glyphis gangeticus)
Deccan labeo (Labeo potail)
Largetooth sawfish (Pristis microdon)
Longcomb sawfish (Pristis zijsron)
Humpback mahseer[5]

36. Reptiles and amphibians
Northern river terrapin (Batagur baska)
Red-crowned roofed turtle (Batagur kachuga)
Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
Ghats wart frog (Fejervarya murthii)
Gundia Indian frog (Indirana gundia)
Toad-skinned frog (Indirana phrynoderma)
Charles Darwin's frog (Ingerana charlesdarwini)
Rao's torrent frog (Micrixalus kottigeharensis)
Amboli bush frog (Pseudophilautus amboli)
White-spotted bush frog (Raorchestes chalazodes)
Griet bush frog (Raorchestes griet)
Munnar bush frog (Raorchestes munnarensis)
Ponmudi bush frog (Raorchestes ponmudi)
Sacred Grove bush frog (Raorchestes sanctisilvaticus)
Shillong bubble-nest frog (Raorchestes shillongensis)
Resplendent shrubfrog (Raorchestes resplendens)
Anaimalai flying frog (Rhacophorus pseudomalabaricus)
Patinghe Indian gecko (Geckoella jeyporensis)

37. Mammals
Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus)
Namdapha flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi)
Himalayan wolf ("Canis himalayensis")
Andaman Shrew (Crocidura andamanensis)
Jenkins' shrew (Crocidura jenkinsi)
Nicobar shrew (Crocidura nicobarica)
Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)
Kondana soft-furred rat (Millardia kondana)
Pygmy hog (Porcula salvania)
Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus)
Malabar large-spotted civet (Viverra civettina)
Elvira rat (Cremnomys elvira)
Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla)
Kashmir stag (Cervus canadensis hanglu)

38. Endangered
Other species listed by the IUCN As of 2012
Fish
Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus)
Red Line Torpedo Barb (Sahyadria denisonii)
Birds
Narcondam hornbill (Rhyticeros narcondami)
Reptiles
Assam roofed turtle (Pangshura sylhetensis)

39. Mammals
Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica)
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)
Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
Banteng (Bos javanicus)
Barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii)
Central Kashmir vole (Alticola montosa)
Dhole (Cuon alpinus)
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
Gee's golden langur (Trachypithecus geei)
Hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus)
Hoolock gibbons (Hoolock spp.)
Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur)
Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus)
Markhor (Capra falconeri)
Mandelli's mouse-eared bat (Myotis sicarius)
Marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata)
Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii)

40. Nicobar flying fox (Pteropus faunulus)
Nilgiri langur (Trachypithecus johnii)
Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius)
Nicobar treeshrew (Tupaia nicobarica)
Palm rat (Rattus palmarum)
Red panda (Ailurus fulgens)
Red goral (Naemorhedus baileyi)
Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus)
Snow leopard (Uncia uncia)
Smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata)
Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis)
Stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides)
Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)
Servant mouse (Mus famulus)
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica)
Swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii)
Takin (Budorcas taxicolor)
Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii)
White-bellied musk deer (Moschus leucogaster)
Wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee)
Wild goat (Capra aegagrus)
Woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus)
Yak (Bos grunniens)

41. Most Endangered
Wild Animal
Species of India

42. Indian Tiger
The All members of Felide
family, which includes three
great cats Asiatic Lion,
Bengal Tigers, wild cats and
leopard, found in India are not
in the so good population,
Because of the excessive
poaching, big cats in India are
on the verge of extinction.
There is only 1411 Royal
Bengal Tiger left in India,
Asiatic or great India lion only found in Gir national park. One
of the most endangered species of felide family is snow leopard,
found only in Himalaya Ranges. Snow leopard along with another
felide member clouded leopard are the two highly endangered
species of big cats found now only with great range of Himalayas.
Latest tiger census (2015)- 2226 tigers in India.

43. The Ganges River Dolphin is member of Cetacea family,
which includes marine mammals porpoises and whales.
Dolphins primarily found in the Ganges and Brahmaputra
Rivers and their tributaries in India.
They share their habitat with crocodiles, fresh water turtles.
The blind Dolphin of holy river Ganges is the National
Aquatic Animal of India.The India Rive shark is also listed
as one of the endangered Species in India.
Indian Dolphin

44. Gharial
The gharial is one of the three crocodilians found in India the
longest of all living crocodilians. The holy river Ganage is
one the most habitat of the Gharial in India, the king of rivers
also found in Chambal, Irrawady and Brahmaputra rivers.
The gharial is listed as a most critically endangered
species in India. Mass Gharial Deaths in Chambal river is still
a mystery, one of the major cause is “polluted river water”.

45. Indian Bustard
The Great Indian bustard is one of the world’s heaviest
flying birds is one of such rarest birds of Indian Sub
continent. The Bird is found only in some parts of Gujarat,
Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. Less than a thousand
survive today and the species is threatened by hunting and
loss of its habitat. Indian Vulture is another Endangered
birds of India, vultures were being found dead and dying
throughout India. Indian King Vulture found sharply in
Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh

46. Indian
Rhinoceros
The Great Indian Rhinoceros also called as One Horned
Rhinoceros found in India. The Indian Rhinoceros has a single
black horn which is present in both male and female species.
The Great Indian Rhinoceros is the fourth largest animal in the
world. The large endangered mammal is primarily found in parts
of north-eastern India, Today about 3,000 rhinos live in the wild,
2,000 of which are found in Manas and Kaziranga National
Park Assam. Excessive hunting for its horn, reduced their natural
habitat drastically.

47. Black
Buck
Black buck also known as Kala Hiran is a species of
antelope found mainly in India. It is one of the most beautiful
and graceful animals of antelope species in India. Due to
extensive poaching and habitat loss, black buck populations have
been reduced drastically. The Antelopes of India can be seen in a
a few protected areas like the Guindy National park Tamil
Nadu, Rollapadu Andhra Pradesh and Chilka (Orissa) other
than few parts of Rajasthan and Hariyana, Punjab is declared
Black buck as state animal.

48. Indian
Wild Ass
Indian wild ass also called khur is a subspecies of
Asiatic wild ass found only in Rann of Kutch. Its
last refuge lies in the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary,
Little Rann of Kutch and its surrounding areas
of the greater Rann of Kutch in the Gujarat. The
figure is 362, hence it was classified as a highly
endangered species in India.

49. Indian
Wild Dog
Indian Wild Dog or Dhole is one of the top predators of wild
forest, living in packs, hunting cooperatively and highly social
animals. Asiatic wild dogs is also called the whistling hunter,
because it has an extraordinary vocal call. Dhole is found
in national parks of Assam, Bengal, Gujarat, Kashmir,
Madhya Pradesh, and Nilgiri Biosphere reserve of south
India. It is estimated that only 2500 Dholes are left in the wild.
Threats to the dhole species include habitat destruction and loss
of its main prey. There is a documentary available in Nat Geo as
“The PACK”, which was one of the best documentary ever made
on Asiatic wild dogs.

50. Nilgiri Langur
The Nilgiri Langur found in the Nilgiri Hills of
the Western Ghats in South India. Its range
also includes Kodagu in Karnataka, Palani Hills
in Tamil Nadu and many other hilly areas in
Kerala. The Nilgiri Black Langur is a member of
one of the 13 species of monkeys found in India,
which is endangered due to deforestation and
poaching for its fur and flesh. Indian golden langur
is also falls in the same category of endangered
animals of India

51. Red Panda
The beautiful and endangered species, Indian Red Panda is
also known by the name of Red Fox. From the two kinds of
Red Pandas in the world, only one variety is found in India.
India has 20 protected areas with Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh
and West Bengal’s Khangchendzonga and Namdapha
National Park. The endangered Red Panda live in temperate
climates, in deciduous and coniferous forests, usually with an
under storey of bamboo and hollow