Wildlife

Wildlife

Wildlife of India is a great natural heritage. It is estimated that about 4-5 per cent of all known plant and animal species an the earth are found in India. India has more than 1200 species of birds, 2500 species offish and between 5 to 8 percent of the world's amphibians, reptiles and mammals, India is the only country in the world that has both tigers and lions. The Himalayas have a large range of animals that survive the bitter cold. Every species of animal has a role to play in the ecosystem; hence conservation is essential. Hunting and pollution is causing threat to animal species. To protect the flora and fauna of the country, the government has taken many steps. Fourteen biosphere reserves have been set up in the country to protect flora and fauna. 89 national Parks, 49 wildlife Sanctuaries and Zoological Gardens are set up to take care of natural heritage.

Wild life:

Over the years, their habitat has been disturbed by human activities and as a result, their numbers have dwindled significantly. There are certain species that are at the brink of extinction.

Some of the important reasons for the declining wildlife are as follows:

• Industrial and technological advancement brought about a rapid Increase in the exploitation of twest resources.
• More and more lands were cleared for agriculture, human settlement, roads, mining, reservoirs, etc.
• Pressuire an forests mounted due to lopping for fodder and fuel wood and removal of small timber by the local people.
• Grazing by domestic cattle caused an adverse effect on wildlife and its habitat.
• Hunting was taken up as a sport by the elite and hundreds of wi!d animals were killed in a single hunt. Now commercial poaching is rampant.
• Incidence of forest fire.