Lok Sabha Question No. 4028 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-04
Subject: Conservation of Endangered Species
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: ANJU BALA, L.R. Shivaramegowda, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4028

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.01.2019

## Conservation of Endangered Species

4028.

SHRIMATI ANJU BALA: SHRI LR. SHIVARAME GOWDA: SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

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

- (a)  Whether a number of species of flora and fauna have been tagged as critically endangered in the Red list of threatened species drawn by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) Whether  the  Government  has  any  programme  for  conservation  of  critically  endangered species of animals and birds in the country and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (c)  The  other  steps  /  corrective  measures  taken  by  the  Government  for  protection  of  the endangered species?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) Yes, Madam. As per the Red List of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 78 faunal species and 41 floral species have been classified as critically endangered.
- (b)  &  (c)  Yes,  Madam.  Towards  the  protection  of  these  species,  the  Govt.  of  India  has established a  country-wide  network  of  more  than  600  protected areas (National Parks, Sanctuaries,  Tiger  Reserves,  Conservation  Reserves  and  Community  Reserves)  under  the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals and their habitats of threatened flora and fauna. Other steps taken by the Government to ensure protection of these species are as under:
- (i) The Centrally Sponsored Scheme 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats' has been  modified  in  2008-09  by  including  a  new  component  namely  'Recovery  of Endangered Species' and 16 species have been identified for recovery. Funds for the recovery  of  endangered  species  viz.  Snow  Leopard,  Bustard  (including  Floricans), Dolphins, 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.
- (ii) Under the 'Recovery of Endangered Species' component of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme  'Integrated  Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats'  funds  for  the  recovery  of endangered species viz. Hangul in Jammu and Kashmir, Snow Leopard in Jammu and Kashmir  and  Uttarakhand,  Vulture  in  Punjab,  Haryana  and  Gujarat,  Swiftlet  in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Nilgiri Tahr in Tamil Nadu, Sanghai Deer in Manipur and Snow Leopard in Arunachal Pradesh are being provided.
- (iii) Legal  protection  has  been  provided  to  endangered  wild  animals  and  plants  against hunting and commercial exploitation under the provisions of the Wild  Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
- (iv) The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, has been amended and made more stringent. The punishment in cases of offences has been enhanced. The Act also provides for forfeiture of any equipment, vehicle or weapon that is used for committing wildlife offence.
- (v) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been empowered under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to apprehend and prosecute wildlife offenders.
- (vi) Enhanced  financial  assistance  is  provided  to  the  State/  Union  Territory  (UT) Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of 'Integrated Development of Wildlife  Habitats',  which inter-alia ,  includes  Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats, Project  Tiger  and  Project  Elephant,  for  providing  better  protection  to  wildlife  and improvement of its habitat.
- (vii) Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has been intensified to gather intelligence about  poaching  and  unlawful  trade  in  wild  animals  and  animal  articles,  including peacocks, and to achieve inter-state and trans-boundary coordination in enforcement of wildlife laws.
- (viii) The local communities are involved in conservation measures through ecodevelopment activities, who help the forest department in protection of wildlife.
- (ix) Strict vigil is maintained through effective communication system.
- (x) The State Governments have been requested to strengthen the field formations and intensify patrolling in and around the protected areas.

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