India’s Critically Endangered Species

Context: World Wildlife Conservation Day (December 4) serves as an occasion to not only celebrate India's rich biodiversity but also evaluate if enough is being done to protect the critically endangered species in the country. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims- Key facts about Critically endangered species and Conservation efforts. 

India’s Rich Biodiversity: 

• Despite having only about 2.4% of the world’s total land surface, India has 10 biogeographic zones and is home to 7-8% of all recorded species (45,000 species of plants and 91,000 of animals). They include-
  • 8.58% of the documented mammalian species.
  • 13.66% avian species
  • 7.91% reptiles
  • 4.66% amphibians
  • 11.72% fish and 
  • 11.8% plants.  
• Four of the 34 globally identified biodiversity hotspots are located in India namely,
  • Himalayas
  • Indo-Burma
  • Western Ghats-Sri Lanka
  • Sundaland (Includes Nicobar group of Islands). 

Need for Conservation of Species:

• India requires vast natural resources (land, wood, timber, forest produce, precious metals, coal etc.) to sustain its population and growth trajectory. Anthropogenic activities such as deforestation, mining, urbanisation, and agriculture encroach upon the wildlife habitat. This makes many species susceptible to extinction, due to:
  • Habitat loss and fragmentation
  • Poaching and hunting
  • Human-wildlife conflict
  • Impact of climate change 

Conservation of species is not only a moral obligation but also critical to restore ecological balance. 

Critically endangered species in India:

• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies species as critically endangered when they are at the highest risk of extinction in the wild.
• As per the latest data (2022) from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, India has 73 species listed as  “critically endangered”. (The number has risen from 47 in 2011)

Important species listed as Critically endangered species:

1. Endemic Mammals: 

• Eight mammals listed as ‘critically endangered’ are endemic to India (their habitat is limited to a small geographic area within India). They include-
  • Kashmir Stag (Hangul): Found in Dachigam National Park, Jammu and Kashmir 
  • Namdapha Flying Squirrel: Namdapha National Park at Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Large Rock Rat (Elvira Rat): Endemic to Tamil Nadu
  • Malabar Large-Spotted Civet: Western Ghats 
  • Jenkin’s Shrew (small mole like animal): Western Ghats
  • Nicobar Shrew: Nicobar islands
  • Andaman Shrew: Andaman Islands
  • Leafletted Leaf-Nosed Bat: Found in isolated forest patches within India.

2. Birds: 

• Great Indian Bustard: Rajasthan and Gujarat.
• White-Bellied Heron: Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan foothills.
• Sociable Lapwing: Found in parts of Rajasthan during migration.
• Himalayan Quail: Last reported in Uttarakhand

3. Reptiles:

• Gharial: River systems of Northern India (Chambal River).
• Red-Crowned Roofed Turtle: Ganga River.
• Golden Gecko: Eastern Ghats.

4. Fish:

• Ganges Shark: Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems.
• Deccan Mahseer: Endemic to the rivers of the Deccan plateau.

5. Plants:

• Malabar Lily: Kerala and Tamil Nadu
• Rafflesia: Arunachal Pradesh
• Kashmir Valley Tulip: Jammu and Kashmir.

Government Initiatives for protection of species: 

• Key legislations:
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Prohibits hunting and provides the legal framework for wildlife conservation.
    • Wildlife reserves and sanctuaries in India are set up to conserve certain endangered species.
    • Ban on hunting as a recreational sport  in India.
  • Environment Protection Act, 1986 is an umbrella legislation for environmental protection.
• Flagship Animal Conservation Programs (E.g., Project Tiger, Project Elephant).
• Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats: Supports the recovery of species such as the Hangul and Great Indian Bustard.
• International Collaborations:
  • CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species): Regulates international trade in endangered plants and animals. (India is a party to CITES)
  • UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), 1992: global agreement on  conservation of biodiversity. 
• Community involvement: Promotion of community led-conservation projects and eco-tourism to protect biodiversity. 

Way Forward:

• Effective implementation of existing laws (WPA 1972, CITES) and increased penalty for violations.
• Increased the monitoring of species through satellite mapping and artificial intelligence surveillance systems to gather necessary data. 
• Habitat restoration, expanding protected areas in wildlife corridors.
• Advocating for the planting of native tree species in the restoration of degraded ecosystems. 
• Enhanced community participation and increasing awareness campaigns about the endangered species in the society. 
• Global cooperation and cross border conservation agreements to conserve biodiversity.