Lok Sabha Question No. 2092 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-23
Subject: Endangered animals
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Aparajita Sarangi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2092

TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.09.2020.

## Endangered animals

## 2092.   SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether there has been an increase in the numberof endangered animals killed over the last five years;
- (b) if so, the details thereof particularly in Odishaand the action taken thereon;
- (c) whether  there  is  any  evidence  suggestingvulnerability  of  certain  endangered  species  to the novel corona virus (n-Cov); and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the action takenthereon?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) and (b) There are  no  reports  in  the  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate Change indicating an increase in the number of endangered animals killed during the last five years. The details of endangered animal species killed in the State of Odisha from 2015-16 till 2019-20, as informed by the State of

Odisha, is at Annexure.

The  following  important  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  to protect endangered species:

- i. Protected Areas, viz., National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves covering important wildlife habitats  have  been  notified  all  over  the  country  under  the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals and their habitats.
- ii. In  order  to  further  strengthen  conservation  of  wildlife,  EcoSensitive Zones (ESZs) are also notified around National Parks and Sanctuaries under provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Ministry has notified Eco-sensitive Zones  around  393  national  parks  and  sanctuaries  adding  more

areas for conservation of wildlife.

- iii. The  total  number  and  area  coverage  of  protected  areas  has increased from 759 and 161974.90 km 2 respectively in 2015 to 903 and 1,65,012.59 km 2 respectively in 2020.
- iv. The Ministry extends financial assistance to State Government/Union Territory Administration under various Centrally  Sponsored  schemes(CSS)  of  Integrated  Development of  Wildlife  Habitats  (DWH),  for  providing  better  protection  to wildlife including endangered  species  of  animals/birds  and improvement  of  their  habitat.  The  funding  has  increased  more than double in the last five years.
- v. Law  enforcement  authorities  in  the  States  maintain  strict  vigil against poaching of wild animals.
- vi. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides for punishment for violation of its provisions.  The  Act  also  provides for forfeiture of any equipment, vehicle or weapon that is used for committing wildlife offence(s).
- vii. Wildlife  Crime  Control  Bureau  (WCCB)  has  been  set  up  to gather  intelligence  about  poaching  and  unlawful  trade  in  wild animals and animal articles and to achieve inter-state and transboundary  coordination  in  enforcement  of  wildlife  laws.WCCB issued  alerts  and  advisories  on  poaching  and  illegal  trade  of wildlife to the concerned State and Central agencies for preventive action as follows:
- viii. Local communities are involved in conservation measures through eco-development activities who help the forest department in protection of wildlife.

| Year    |   Alerts and advisories issued |
|---------|--------------------------------|
| 2017-18 |                             86 |
| 2018-19 |                            124 |
| 2019-20 |                            103 |

There is  no  report  available  with  the  Ministry  suggesting  vulnerability  of

- (c)  and (d) certain endangered species to the novel coronavirus (n-Cov).

***

ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  AND  (b)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  2092  REGARDING  'ENDANGERED ANIMALS' RAISED BY SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI DUE FOR REPLY ON 23.09.2020

## Details of endangered animal species killed from 2016-17 till now in the state of Odisha

| S.No   | Name of the species   |   2015-16 |   2016-17 |   2017-18 |   2018-19 |   2019-20 |
|--------|-----------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| 1      | Tiger                 |         0 |         0 |         1 |         1 |         0 |
| 2      | Elephant              |        18 |         8 |        14 |        33 |        17 |
| 3      | Leopard               |         5 |         3 |         2 |         6 |         2 |
| 4      | Bison                 |         1 |         2 |         3 |         0 |         0 |
| 5      | Black buck            |         8 |         7 |         5 |        11 |         2 |
| 6      | Chowsingha            |         2 |         1 |         0 |         0 |         0 |
| 7      | Mouse deer            |         4 |         6 |         7 |         0 |         0 |
| 8      | Olive Ridley          |         0 |         0 |         0 |         1 |         0 |
| 9      | Pangolin              |         2 |         2 |         1 |         2 |         0 |
| 10     | Porpoises             |         0 |         0 |         2 |         0 |         0 |
| 11     | Sloth bear            |        11 |         0 |        12 |         7 |         0 |
|        | TOTAL                 |        51 |        29 |        47 |        61 |        21 |

***