Lok Sabha Question No. 3968 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-19
Subject: Endangered Animal Species
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: P. C. Mohan, L.S. Tejasvi Surya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3968

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2021

## Endangered Animal Species

3968.   SHRI P.C. MOHAN: SHRI L.S. TEJASVI SURYA:

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

- (a) whether  a  number  of  endangered  animal  species  in  the  country  including Karnataka are on the verge of extinction and if so, the details thereof including the total number of such species;
- (b) the  details  of  species  that  have  been  saved  from  endangerment  and  extinction during the last ten years;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to raise awareness among the public about the endangered species of flora and fauna; and
- (d) the  details  of  the  plans  or  policies  formulated  to  save  endangered,  vulnerable, and threatened species in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  The  International  Union  for  Conservation  of  Nature  (IUCN)  Red  List  (2021)  has included 239 faunal species which are known to occur in India as endangered species, among  which  there  are  45  species  of  mammals,  23  species  of  birds,  18  species  of reptiles, 39 species of amphibians and 114 species of fishes.

(b) The  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  'Integrated  Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats' listed 22 species of animals as endangered of which there are atleast five (5) species with increasing trends in their population along with four (4) species with stable population. Apart from this, there is 'Recovery of Endangered Species' programme which has been initiated  in  which,  16  species  have  been  identified  for  recovery viz .  Snow  Leopard, Bustard (including   Floricans), Dolphin, Hangul,  Nilgiri Tahr,  Marine Turtles, Dugong,

Edible  Nest  Swiftlet,  Asian  Wild  Buffalo,  Nicobar Megapode,  Manipur  Brow-antlered Deer, Vultures, Malabar Civet, Indian Rhinoceros, Asiatic Lion, Swamp Deer and Jerdon's Courser. Moreover, the locally extinct coral species of Acropora have been restored by transplanting at Gulf of Kachchh National Park brought from Gulf of Mannar. Further,  MoEFCC, through the amendement in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 has included  species  like  two  Horseshoe  Crabs  ( Tachypleus  gigas and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda ) and one species of  Gecko ( Gecko gecko ) for saving them from endangerment.

(c) & (d) 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).  Protected  Areas,  viz.,  National  Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and  Community  Reserves  covering  important wildlife habitats have been created all over the country under the provisions of Wild Life (Protection)  Act,  1972  to  conserve  wild  animals  and  their  habitats.  Further,  law enforcement  authorities  in  the  states  maintain  strict  vigil  against  poaching  of  wild animals.  Wildlife  Crime  Control  Bureau  has  been  set  up  to  gather  intelligence  about poaching and unlawful  trade  in  wild  animals  and  animal  articles  and  to  achieve  interstate and trans-boundary coordination in enforcement of wildlife laws.  Apart from this, financial  assistance  is  provided  to  the  State/Union  Territory  Governments  under  the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of 'Development of Wildlife Habitats', 'Project Tiger' and 'Project  Elephant',  for  providing  better  protection  to  wildlife  and  improvement  of habitat, which also includes awareness generation activities.

For the protection of flora, as a part of its conservation and awareness programmes, BSI  organises  many  outreach  activities  like  Green  Skill  Development  Programmes (GSDP), Herbarium Methodology Training Programmes, seminars/ symposia/ conferences/  webinars  and  various  online/  offline  competitions  for  school/  college students  on  the  occasion  of  World  Environment  Day,  International  Biodiversity  Day, Ozone  Day,  International  Wetland  Day  etc.  The  different  policies  formulated  by  the government to  save  the  endangered,  vulnerable,  and  threatened  species  in  the  country include setting up of Botanic Gardens, Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks, Biosphere Reserves  and  protected  areas  in  different  phytogeographical  regions  of  the  country. Many  of  the  wildlife  species  such  as  Rhododendrons,  Alpine  plants  etc.  have  been conserved in Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary, Sikkim; Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary, Sikkim and in the National Orchidarium and Experimental Gardens of BSI, which are located in various phytogeographical regions.

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