wildlife conservation day It is celebrated annually on 4 December to raise awareness about the need to protect and conserve wildlife and their habitats. The day also emphasizes the need to combat poaching, illegal wildlife trade and habitat destruction, which threaten the survival of many species. The threat to wildlife and their natural habitats is real in India too. But efforts at both the individual and macro levels have ensured our biodiversity and the survival of some of the world’s most remarkable species. Here are five inspiring wildlife stories Protection From the national parks of India.

Revival of tigers in Panna National Park

Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh is a remarkable story of tiger conservation and revival. Declared a tiger reserve in 1994, it faced a devastating crisis in 2009 when its tiger population was declared extinct due to poaching and habitat loss. But thanks to Project Tiger, translocation programs from other sanctuaries like Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench, stringent anti-poaching measures and involvement of local communities, the park now boasts a thriving population of Bengal tigers.

Kaziranga’s success in rhino conservation

Kaziranga National Park in Assam is synonymous with the majestic one-horned rhinoceros. Established as a reserve forest in 1905, it became a wildlife sanctuary in 1950, and finally a national park in 1974. Decades ago, this species was on the verge of extinction due to large-scale poaching. Through strong government policies, increased patrolling and community involvement, the park has managed to shelter more than 2,000 rhinos – two-thirds of the global population.

Return of crocodile to Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary

Endemic to South Asia, crocodiles once thrived in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. The wild population was estimated at 5,000 in the 1940s, declining to less than 200 by 1976. Concerned, the Indian government launched a Crocodile Conservation Project in 1975 to save gharials, freshwater crocodiles and saltwater crocodiles from breeding and raising them in captivity before releasing them. them in the forest. Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh is now an important habitat for gharials.

Asiatic Lion Conservation in Gir National Park

Gir forest of Gujarat is the last refuge of Asiatic lions. The park’s journey as a sanctuary began in the early 20th century when the Nawab of Junagadh took measures to protect the dwindling lions. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1965, it gained national park status in 1975. Conservation programs including habitat management and conflict resolution with local pastoral communities, particularly the Maldhari tribe, have helped the lion population to grow again from just 12 at the beginning of the 20th century. Today 600.

Silent Valley’s stance against extinction

Silent Valley National Park in Kerala is a biodiversity hotspot that narrowly escaped destruction. The park’s existence is attributed to grassroots activism led by the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) in the 1970s, which successfully stopped a hydroelectric project that would have flooded its unique ecosystem. Today, the Silent Valley is a symbol of India’s environmental movement and a thriving sanctuary for countless endemic species.

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