Around the globe, the 3rd of March annually marks World Wildlife Day. A tradition initiated in 2013, this date aligns with the signing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) acknowledges the CITES Secretariat as the orchestrator of the global commemoration of this day dedicated to wildlife.
2022 Theme: Restoring Ecosystems Through Key Species Recovery
The thematic focus for the year 2022 is “Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration.” This theme accentuates the critical conservation status of many endangered species of wild fauna and flora.
Why World Wildlife Day is Significant
World Wildlife Day aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 1, 12, 14, and 15, which encompass commitments aimed at poverty alleviation, promoting sustainable resource use, and conserving life on land and underwater to curtail biodiversity loss. The current planetary crisis is the loss of biodiversity – potentially a million species could vanish in the next few decades due to unsustainable human activity, climate change, and habitat degradation if unchecked.
The Current Status of Wild Fauna and Flora
Currently, around 8000 species of wild fauna and flora are endangered, and nearly 30,000 more are known to be on the edge of extinction or vulnerability. An estimated one million species have already gone extinct. India alone accounts for 7-8% of all cataloged species, with over 45,000 species of plants and 91,000 species of animals.
India’s Rich Biodiversity
India is one of the world’s most biodiverse regions, boasting three biodiversity hotspots – the Western Ghats, the Eastern Himalayas, and the Indo-Burma hotspot. It is the proud possessor of seven natural World Heritage Sites, eleven Biosphere Reserves, and forty-nine Ramsar sites.
India’s Wildlife Conservation Parks and Sanctuaries
India houses several wildlife conservation parks and sanctuaries, including Jim Corbett National Park, Ranthambore National Park, Gir National Park, Bannerghatta Biological Park, Periyar National Park, Hemis National Park, and The Great Himalayan National Park.
Threats to Wildlife Species
The extinction of species is primarily facilitated by human activities such as rapid urbanisation causing habitat loss, overexploitation, displacement of species from their natural habitat, global pollution, and climate change. Illegal wildlife trade poses an additional unsustainable threat, harming wild animal and plant populations and pushing endangered species towards extinction. Additionally, it has public health implications, contributing to the spread of zoonotic pathogens.
India’s Domestic Legal Framework for Wildlife Conservation
India’s Constitution includes provisions for wildlife conservation. The “Forests” was added as Entry 17A, and the “protection of wild animals and birds” was included as Entry 17B in the Concurrent List by the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976. It also stipulates the protection of the natural environment, including forests and wildlife, as a fundamental duty of every citizen under Article 51 A (g).
The country operates under a legal framework for wildlife conservation, which includes the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Environment Protection Act, 1986, and The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
India’s Global Collaborations for Wildlife Conservation
India collaborates with international bodies committed to wildlife conservation such as 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 Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC), United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), International Whaling Commission (IWC), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Global Tiger Forum (GTF).