Wildlife Conservation: Projects and Programmes
Species recovery projects
| Project | Year | Target / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Project Tiger | 1973 | Started at Jim Corbett; run by NTCA, a statutory body since 2006 |
| Project Elephant | 1992 | Elephant corridors; 2017 census about 27,000 |
| Project Snow Leopard | 2009 | Himalayan landscapes; first national snow leopard population assessment (2023) estimated about 718 |
| Project Crocodile | 1975 | Gharial, mugger, saltwater crocodile; Bhitarkanika |
| Project Cheetah | 2022 | Reintroduction from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno, MP |
| Project Dolphin | 2020 | Gangetic river dolphin (national aquatic animal); the dolphin census 2024 reported about 6,300 |
| Project Hangul | 1970 | Kashmir stag, Dachigam (hangul population in the low hundreds) |
| Vulture conservation | 2006 ban on diclofenac | Breeding centres at Pinjore and Rani |
| Great Indian Bustard programme | 2013 onwards | Breeding in Jaisalmer |
National symbols
| Symbol | Species |
|---|---|
| National animal | Tiger |
| National bird | Peacock (Indian peafowl) |
| National aquatic animal | Gangetic dolphin |
| National heritage animal | Elephant |
| National reptile | King cobra |
| National tree | Banyan |
| National flower | Lotus |
| National fruit | Mango |
Man-animal conflict and corridors
- Elephant corridors face rail and road risk.
- Human-wildlife conflict rises as forests shrink; solutions include fencing, early warning and compensation.
- Wildlife corridors link habitats (Rajaji-Corbett corridor).
- Ex situ conservation: zoos, botanical gardens, gene banks. In situ: parks and reserves.
Institutions
- Wildlife Institute of India (Dehradun); Zoological Survey of India (Kolkata); Botanical Survey of India (Kolkata); Central Zoo Authority; National Tiger Conservation Authority; Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
- International Big Cat Alliance launched in April 2023 at Mysuru (India led).
Keep practising
Notes are only half the work. Test yourself with questions and discuss doubts with other aspirants.
Prepared for exam revision from NCERT, standard geography textbooks, the Census of India 2011, the India State of Forest Report, IMD, Ministry of Agriculture and other official sources. Maps are schematic teaching maps, not Survey of India maps, and zone boundaries are approximate. Figures such as production, capacity, counts of parks and ports, and census status change, so check the latest official source before relying on them. Found a mistake? Tell us.