Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context :

• On 3 March, World Wildlife Day was observed annually. The theme for World Wildlife Day 2025 is "Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet.
• On this occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Gir National Park in Gujarat.  There, he chaired the 7th meeting of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).

Key Announcements on World Wildlife Day 2025

• Riverine Dolphin Estimation Report: It covers 28 rivers across eight states.
• National Referral Centre for Wildlife: Foundation stone laid in Junagadh.
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Integrated to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
• New Cheetah Reintroduction Sites were Identified at Gandhisagar Sanctuary (Madhya Pradesh) and Banni Grasslands (Gujarat).

Budget Allocations for Wildlife Conservation

• In the Union Budget 2025-26, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has been allocated ₹3,412.82 crores.
• It is an increase of 9% from the previous year.

National Wildlife Database Centre

India has a network of 1014 Protected Areas. 5.32% of the country’s geographical area. This includes:

• 106 National Parks
• 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries
• 115 Conservation Reserves
• 220 Community Reserves

Wildlife Conservation Initiatives in India

• National Wildlife Action Plan (2017-2031) : it Focuses on landscape-level conservation, community involvement, & integrating climate change into wildlife management.
• National Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Strategy and Action Plan (2021-26) : it Reducing human wildlife conflict (HWC) through scientific, policy, and community driven approaches.

Species-Specific Conservation Initiatives – Success Stories

Project Dolphin

• Launch Date: 15th August 2020.
• Aim: Conservation of marine and riverine dolphins, with an emphasis on cetaceans.
• Budget Allocations:
  • 2022-23: ₹241.73 lakh.
  • 2023-24: ₹248.18 lakh.
• Key Locations: Assam, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Lakshadweep.
• Policy & Governance Enhancements:
  • Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 Amendment (2022): Empowered Indian Coast Guard and recognized Gangetic & Indus River Dolphins as distinct species under Schedule I.
• Global Engagement:
  • Participated in discussions on the Global Declaration for River Dolphins (October 2023, Bogotá, Colombia).
  • Championed global conservation of river dolphins.
• Scientific Research & International Engagement:
  • Conservation Zones: A 200 km stretch along the Chambal River recommended for Dolphin Conservation Zone.
  • India’s First-Ever Ganges River Dolphin Tagging (2024):
    • December 2024.
    • Historic Milestone: 1st satellite tagging of a Ganges River Dolphin in Assam under Project Dolphin.
    • 90% of the world’s Ganges River Dolphin population is found in India.
    • Technology Used: Advanced lightweight satellite tags compatible with Argos satellite systems.

50 Years of Project Tiger (1973–2023)

• Launch Year:
• India's Share of Global Wild Tigers: Over 70%.
• Tiger Population (2022): 3,682 (ranging between 3,167–3,925).
• Commemorative Efforts:
  • ‘Amrit Kaal Ka Vision for Tiger Conservation’.
  • 5th cycle of Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of Tiger Reserves.
  • A commemorative coin was also issued.
• Major Conservation Efforts Under Project Tiger:
  • India currently has 57 tiger reserves,30% of India’s geographical area
  • The latest addition is Ratapani Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh is India's 57th tiger reserve.
• Reintroduction of Tigers in Extinct Areas:
  • Rajaji Tiger Reserve (Uttarakhand).
  • Madhav Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh).
  • Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan).
  • Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan).
  • Plans for the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal are underway.
• Global Conservation Recognition & Collaboration:
  • 23 tiger reserves in India have received CA|TS accreditation.
  • Pench Tiger Reserve and Satpura Tiger Reserve received the Tx2 Award for successfully doubling their tiger populations.
  • India signed MoUs with Cambodia for tiger reintroduction.

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

• Formation Date: January 23, 2025.
• Founding Members: Nicaragua, Eswatini, India, Somalia, and Liberia.
• Total Countries:
• Focus: Global big cat conservation, emphasizing cross-border cooperation.
• About IBCA:
  • Launch Date: April 9, 2023, during the 50th-anniversary celebrations of Project Tiger.
  • Headquarters:
  • Founding Body: National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Focus Areas:
  • Conservation of seven big cat species: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.

Project Cheetah

• Launch Date: September, 2022.
• Aim: Reintroducing cheetahs to India after their extinction in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
• Key Achievements and Data:
  • September 2022: 8 cheetahs translocated from Namibia to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
  • February 2023: 12 cheetahs translocated from South Africa to India.
  • Successful Adaptation:
    • Majority of cheetahs adapted well, exhibiting natural behaviors like hunting, territory establishment, and mating.
    • Notable Birth: A female cheetah gave birth to cubs on Indian soil in 2023. As of September 2023, one cub was reported to be six months old and growing normally.
    • January 3, 2024: Three cubs were born to Namibian Cheetah Aasha at Kuno National Park.

Project Elephant

• launched in 1992
• The National Elephant Conservation Authority (NECA) supervises the implementation and management of Project Elephant.
• Aim: Ensure the long term survival of elephants in their natural habitats.
• Key Achievements and Data:
  • Growing Elephant Population:
    • 2018 Census: 26,786.
    • 2022 Census: 29,964.
  • Expansion of Protected Areas: 33 Elephant Reserves across 14 states
  • Integrated Wildlife Protection: Many Elephant Reserves overlap with Tiger Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Reserved Forests.

Conservation of the Asiatic Lion in India

• foundation of Project Lion was laid on Independence Day on August 15, 2020,
• Project Lion: Focuses on landscape ecology-based conservation, habitat restoration, community participation, and disease management.
• Population Recovery:
  • 2010: 411 lions.
  • 2015: 523 lions.
  • 2020: 674 lions.
• International Recognition: IUCN reclassified the Asiatic lion from Critically Endangered to Endangered in 2008.

Conserving the One-Horned Rhinoceros in India

• National Conservation Strategy for the Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros (2019).
• Indian Rhino Vision (IRV) 2020: Aims to increase the rhino population & expand their distribution by translocating individuals to suitable habitats.

• Impact and Achievements:
  • Population Growth:
    • As of 2022, Kaziranga National Park is home to 2,613 greater one-horned rhinoceroses.
    • Assam accounts for about 68% of the world’s population of greater one-horned rhinoceroses.
  • Community Engagement:
    • World Rhino Day celebrations at Kaziranga National Park engage local communities and raise public awareness about rhino conservation.

Habitat and Ecosystem Conservation Initiatives

1. Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI): it Focuses on restoring 22,561 hectares of mangroves across 13 states.
2. National Mission for Green India (GIM) was Launched in 2014, GIM aims to protect and restore India's forest cover.
3. Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH): The scheme ensures financial and technical assistance to state and UT governments for wildlife conservation activities.

Community Involvement and Awareness

• The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign has led to the planting of over 102 crore trees by December 2024, with a target of 140 crore trees by March 2025.
• World Wildlife Day 2024 included eco-trails and interactive sessions to raise awareness about wildlife conservation.

Marine Species Conservation

• National Marine Turtle Action Plan focuses on turtle conservation along the Indian coastline.
• The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019 aims to protect ecologically sensitive coastal areas.

Source: PMINDIA