ENDANGERED SPECIES
1. Introduction
- Kaziranga National Park is considered the greatest conservation success story in 2005 when it completed a century.
- It is attributed to a rhino protection force that shoots alleged poachers at sight.
- More than 55 armed men were killed within the boundary of the 1,300 Sq. Km tiger reserve for unauthorised entry since 2012-13.
2. Rhinoceros & Elephants
- The population of the one-horned rhino was about 12 when Kaziranga became a protected area in 1905.
| As per the State of Rhino Report 2022, the number of poor-sighted herbivore's number in Kaziranga is about 2,613, more than 65% of its total population of 4,014 across 11 habitats in India & Nepal. |
- A decade ago, the rhino population in these domains was 2,454.
- Some conservationists say the focus on rhinos is too much which has made other animals in its domains beneficiary.
- For instance, the number of tigers has increased in Assam at a rate higher than elsewhere in India.
- A 2010 report shows that Kaziranga has the highest density of tigers 32.64 per 100 Sq. Km. in the world.
- India is home to nearly 60% Asian elephants & the last count of the species in 2017 had put the number at 29,964.
- The number of elephants in India has increased in the past few years, the species is listed as "Endangered" on the IUCN Red List of threatened species & Schedule I of The Wildlife Protection Act.
3. Anti-Poaching Measures
- The strengthening of the anti-poaching mechanism in India & Nepal with more manpower, capacity-building of frontline staff & equipping forest guards with better fighting gear have helped protect the rhino.
- The sentiments of local people attached to the rhino have been a factor in the sharp drop in the number of rhinos killed, from 54 in 2013-14 to 1 each in 2021-22.
- The threat from poachers cannot be wished away because of the illegal wildlife trade in next-door Myanmar & Southeast Asia.
| While poaching remains a major threat to rhinos, alien invasive plant species grabbing key grassland habitats in rhino-bearing areas in pthe last decade has emerged as a bigger threat to the animal in India & Nepal. |
4. Challenges
- The largest land-dwelling mammal is under continuous threat of poaching & conflict with humans.
- The incidents of poaching for ivory have come down, and human-elephant conflict has been increasing.
- On average, about 500 humans & 100 elephants are killed every year across the country.
- The elephant population is not uniformly distributed in the country.
- South Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu are home to nearly 44% of India's elephant population.
- Fragmentation of elephant habitats & construction of linear & power infrastructure has led to many elephant deaths.
- The change in land use, particularly bringing erstwhile forested areas under agriculture has aggravated the conflict.
- The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change launched Project Elephant in 1992 to ensure the long-term survival of elephants in their natural habitats.
- The number of elephant reserves in India is 32 with the latest addition in Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve in 2022.
- Elephant corridors, linear narrow habitat linkages which allow elephants to move between secure habitats are crucial for conservation.
- About 101 elephant corridors have been identified in the country which need to be secured for the conservation of elephants.
For Prelims & Mains
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For Prelims: Kaziranga National Park, one-horned rhino, Endangered, poaching, Project Elephant, Anti-Poaching Measures,
For Mains:
1. Is killing poachers justifiable? Comment (250 Words)
2. What is poaching? Discuss India's challenges and Anti-poaching measures. (250 Words)
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Source: The Hindu
