WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

Conserving wildlife in India

WCCB is a statutory multi disciplinary body established by government of India under the ministry of Environment and Forest to compact organized wildlife protection in country.

It has head quarters in Delhi.

What are the impacts of illegal wildlife trade?

• Species face extinction because  of demands arising out of illegal wildlife trade.
• Over exploitation of the wildlife resources due to illegal trade  creates imbalances in the ecosystem.
• Illegal wildlife trade as a part of illegal syndicates undermines the economy of the country and there by creates social insecurity.
• Wildlife plants that provide genetic variation for crops are threatened by illegal trade.

Species specific enforcement operations

1. Operation save kurma ; to focus on the poaching , transportation and illegal trade of turtles and tortoises.
2. Operation turtsheild; it was taken up to tackle  the illegal trade of live turtles.
3. Operation lesknow; to gain attention of enforcement agencies towards the illegal wildlife trade in lesser known species.
4. Operation clean art; to drag attention of enforcement agencies towards illegal wildlife trade in mongoose hair brushes.
5. Operation soft gold ; to tackle sahtoosh shwal ( made from chiru wool) illegal trade and to spread awareness among the weavers and traders engaged in the trade .
6.  Operation bir bill;  to curb illegal trade in wild bird species.
7. Operation wild net; it was aimed to draw the attention of enforcement agencies with in the country to focus on the ever increasing illegal wildlife trade over the internet using social media platforms .
8. Operation free fly; to check illegal trade of live birds.
9. Operation wet market: to ensure prohibition of sale of meat of wild animals in wet markets across the country.

Constitutional provisions for wildlife protection

• 42 nd amendment act 1976 ; forests and protection of wild animals and birds was shifted from state list to concurrent list.
• Article 51A (g)  of the constitution states that it shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the environment including forests and wildlife
• Article 48A in the directive principles of state policy , mandates that state shall protect and improve the environment and safeguard the forest and wildlife of country.

Legal frame works

• Wild life (protection) act 1972
• Environment protection act 1986
• The biological diversity act 2002

India's collaboration with global wildlife conservation efforts

• Convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES)
• Convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals(CMS)
• Convention on biological diversity (CBD)
• World heritage convention
• Ramsar convention
• The wild life trade monitoring network 
• United nations forum on forests (UNFF)
• International whaling commission (IWC)
• International union for conservation of nature (IUCN)
• Global tiger forum