Wildlife Conservation Projects in India: Class 11 Notes

The wildlife conservation projects in India are making a significant contribution to the protection and conservation of India’s wildlife. India has a rich and diverse wildlife, with over 400 species of mammals, 1,300 species of birds, 250 species of reptiles, and 2,000 species of fish. However, this wildlife is under threat from several factors, including habitat loss, poaching, and climate change. In response to these threats, the Government of India has launched several wildlife conservation projects. These projects aim to protect and conserve India’s wildlife, and to ensure that it can survive for future generations.

In this article, we will look into the wildlife conservation projects in India in detail. This is an important topic of NCERT Geography Class 11. Students can go through this article to get comprehensive notes on ‘Wildlife Conservation Projects in India’.

List of Wildlife Conservation Projects in India

The following table lists the wildlife conservation projects in India:

Project Name	Year of Implementation
Project Tiger	1973
Project Elephant	1992
Project Snow Leopard	2009
Project Great Indian Bustard	2012
Project Gangetic Dolphin	2009
Project Hangul (Kashmir Stag)	1970
Project Crocodile	1975
Project Sea Turtle	1999
Project Seahorse	1999
Project Indian Rhino Vision 2020	2005

Wildlife Conservation Project in India – Project Tiger

Project Tiger was launched in 1973 by the Government of India with the aim of conserving the Bengal tiger.

• The project was launched in Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand under the leadership of Indira Gandhi.
• Initially, nine tiger reserves including an area of 9,115 sq km were identified to be brought under special protection.
• The main objectives of the project are to conserve tigers, and their habitats, and to increase the tiger population.
• Project Tiger operates through various measures such as protecting tiger habitats, anti-poaching measures, and ecological restoration. The project also focuses on community involvement and education.
• The project has been successful in increasing the tiger population in India. The tiger population in India has increased from 1,827 in 2006 to 2,967 in 2018. This is a significant increase and shows that Project Tiger is working.

Wildlife Conservation Project in India – Project Elephant

Project Elephant was launched in 1992 by the Government of India with the aim of protecting the Asian elephant.

• The project provides financial and technical support to state governments for the conservation and management of elephants and their habitats.
• Project Elephant has a number of objectives, including:To protect elephants, their habitats, and corridors.
  • To mitigate and prevent human-elephant conflict.
  • To develop and promote scientific and planned management strategies for elephant conservation.
  • To prevent illegal trade of ivory and ensure elephant protection from hunters and poachers.
  • To develop strategies to prevent unnatural causes of elephants’ death in India.
• Project Elephant has been successful in achieving several of its objectives. For example, the project has helped to reduce the number of elephants killed by poachers. The project has also helped to improve the management of elephant habitats and corridors.

Wildlife Conservation Project in India – Project Snow Leopard

Project Snow Leopard is a conservation program launched in 2009 by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change in India.

• The purpose of the program is to protect snow leopards and their habitats in the Himalayas.
• The program involves community-based conservation efforts, scientific research, and habitat protection.
• Snow leopards are an endangered species, and their populations are declining due to habitat loss, poaching, and climate change. Project Snow Leopard aims to address these threats and ensure the long-term survival of snow leopards in India.
• The program has been successful in protecting snow leopards and their habitats. For example, the program has helped to establish protected areas for snow leopards, and it has also worked to reduce poaching.
• The program has also supported scientific research on snow leopards, which has helped to improve our understanding of these animals.

Wildlife Conservation Project in India – Project Great Indian Bustard

Project Great Indian Bustard is a conservation program launched by the Government of India in 2012 to protect the Great Indian Bustard, a critically endangered bird species.

• The project aims to increase the population of the Great Indian Bustard by providing secure breeding grounds, reducing human pressure on its habitats, and raising awareness about the importance of its conservation.
• The Great Indian Bustard is the largest flying bird in India and is found in dry grasslands and scrublands across the country. However, its population has been declining rapidly due to habitat loss, hunting, and other factors.
• The project aims to reverse this decline and ensure the survival of the Great Indian Bustard for future generations.
• The project is being implemented by the Wildlife Institute of India in collaboration with the state governments of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.

Wildlife Conservation Project in India – Project Gangetic Dolphin

The Government of India launched Project Dolphin in 2009 to conserve the country’s river dolphins.

• The Ganges river dolphin is India’s National Aquatic Animal and is also the official animal of the city of Guwahati. The Ganges river dolphin is blind and can only live in freshwater.
• The species’ global population is estimated to be 4,000, with nearly 80 percent found in the Indian subcontinent.
• The River Dolphin lives in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
• The Ganges river dolphin is threatened by several factors, including habitat loss, pollution, and poaching.
• Project Dolphin aims to address these threats and conserve the Ganges river dolphin. The project will focus on strengthening patrolling and surveillance, improving habitat through the restoration of coastal ecosystems, removing ghost nets, and encouraging the involvement of locals with incentives.

Wildlife Conservation Project in India – Project Hangul

Project Kashmir Stag was initiated in 1970 by the Kashmir government with the help of the World Wide Fund (WWF) to protect and conserve the Kashmir stag, also known as hangul, which is native to northern India.

• The project was later renamed “Save Kashmir’s Red Deer Hangul” in 2009. The hangul deer is found at elevations of 3,035 meters in Dachigam National Park and surrounding areas.
• At the beginning of the 20th century, their number was about 5000 hangul deer. The hangul deer was in danger due to habitat destruction, overgrazing by domestic livestock, and poaching.
• The project has been successful in increasing the population of hangul deer to over 340 by 1980. Conservation measures include anti-poaching strategies, nomadic livestock control, herding dog management, predator control, habitat reintroduction, and scientific research.
• The hangul deer is a critically endangered species according to the IUCN Red List. The project is still ongoing and is working to further protect and conserve the hangul deer.

Wildlife Conservation Project in India – Project Crocodile

In 1975, the Indian government initiated the Crocodile Conservation Project in order to protect the country’s three species of crocodiles.

• The project was launched in different states, with the Gharial and Saltwater crocodile conservation program being the first to be implemented in Odisha in early 1975. The Mugger conservation program was initiated later.
• The project has been successful in increasing the population of saltwater crocodiles in India. In 1976, there were only 96 saltwater crocodiles in the country.
• By 2012, this number had increased to 1,640. The project has also been successful in protecting the Gharial and Mugger crocodile species.
• The Crocodile Conservation Project is an important example of how conservation efforts can be successful in protecting endangered species.
• The project has helped to ensure the survival of India’s crocodiles, and it is a model that can be used to protect other endangered species around the world.

Wildlife Conservation Project in India – Project Sea Turtle

The Sea Turtle Conservation Project was launched in 1999 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in India.

• The project is being implemented by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• The project aims to conserve olive ridley turtles and other endangered marine turtles in India.
• The project is being carried out in ten coastal states of the country, with a particular emphasis on the state of Orissa.
• The project has been successful in reducing the number of turtle deaths due to fishing nets. The project has also helped to increase the awareness of the importance of sea turtles among local communities.

Wildlife Conservation Project in India – Project Seahorse

In India, Project Seahorse has worked to conserve seahorses and their habitats by working with local communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders.

• Project Seahorse has also worked to raise awareness of the importance of seahorses and their conservation.
• Project Seahorse has made a significant contribution to the conservation of seahorses in India.
• The organization’s work has helped to protect seahorses and their habitats, and has raised awareness of the importance of seahorse conservation.
• Project Seahorse is a valuable resource for the conservation of seahorses and their habitats in India.

Wildlife Conservation Project in India – Indian Rhino Vision 2020

Project Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV2020) was a collaborative effort between the World Health Organization-India and the Assam Forest Department.

• The project was launched in 2005 with the goal of increasing the population of the greater one-horned rhinoceros in Assam from 2,000 to 3,000 by 2020.
• The project also aimed to distribute the rhinos across seven protected areas in the state to ensure the long-term viability of the population.
• The IRV2020 project was successful in achieving its goals. By 2020, the population of greater one-horned rhinos in Assam had increased to over 3,000, and the rhinos were distributed across all seven of the targeted protected areas.
• The project also helped to improve the conservation status of the greater one-horned rhinoceros, which was moved from the endangered to the vulnerable category on the IUCN Red List in 2008.

Conclusion – Wildlife Conservation Projects in India

In conclusion, Wildlife conservation is essential to the health of our planet. It helps to protect endangered species, preserve biodiversity, and maintain the balance of ecosystems. In India, there are a number of wildlife conservation projects that are working to protect the country’s rich biodiversity. These projects are all making a significant contribution to the conservation of wildlife in India. However, there is still much more work to be done. The Indian government needs to continue to invest in wildlife conservation projects, and the public needs to be more aware of the importance of wildlife conservation. Only then can we ensure that India’s rich biodiversity is preserved for future generations.

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FAQs on Wildlife Conservation Projects in India

What is Project Tiger?

Project Tiger is a conservation initiative in India aimed at protecting Bengal tigers and their habitats.

Why is Project Elephant significant?

Project Elephant focuses on managing and protecting elephant populations, crucial for biodiversity and ecosystem balance.

What does Project Snow Leopard aim to achieve?

Project Snow Leopard aims to conserve the endangered snow leopard species in the Himalayan region.

How does Project Great Indian Bustard help?

Project Great Indian Bustard aims to save the critically endangered bird species through conservation efforts.

Why is Project Gangetic Dolphin important?

Project Gangetic Dolphin aims to protect the endangered Gangetic dolphin population and its habitat in India’s rivers.