| INDIA | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Location | Asia | ||||||||||||||||||
| National websites | Ministry of Environment and Forests | ||||||||||||||||||
| Embassy / Chancery in U.S. | Embassy 2107 Massachussets Ave. NW. Washington DC 20008 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Agencies responsible for biological inventory and conservation | Dept. of Forests and
Environment: Forest Management
ENVIS Paryavaran Bhawan CGO complex Wildlife Institute Lodr Road, New Delhi -110003, India. Forest Education |
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| Non-governmental organizations concerned with conservation | Science & Environment | ||||||||||||||||||
| Major Natural Resources | India is one of the world's most biologically diverse countries with at least 45,000 species of plants, which includes more than 166 species of crop plants, and 320 of their wild relatives, as well as 81,000 species of animals. Indeed, it is one of the top twelve "mega bio-diverse" countries in the world. It is one of the last places which hosts mega fauna such as the rhinoceros, the tiger, and the elephant. Moreover, it has ten different bio-geographic zones and 25 biotic provinces including, forests, wetlands,etc. SOURCE | ||||||||||||||||||
| Major Environmental and Conservation Issues | From the data
that I have been able to gather thus far, one of the seemingly biggest problems in India
is industrial pollution. We can deduce that this is one of the major problems from
the number of laws regarding clean air, and clean water, as well as the new law which
would place liability on polluters. Moreover, in spite of the fact that some of
these laws have been in place for a considerable amount of time, there is not very much
enforcement. Just in September 1993, 191 industries were ordered to
shut down because of their polluting effects on the rivers of India. Development
too, has a very deep impact on the biodiversity of india. Currently there is a threat that many wildlife reserves
will become developped and indstrialized. Apart from this problem, protection of
India's wildlife poses some concern. The protection of forest for in situ
conservation programs, and the protection of endangered animals against hunting are a few
of the challenges India has taken on in order to maintain its amazing biodiversity.
SOURCE |
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| Statistics | Information Sources | ||||||||||||||||||
| Land area | 3,287,590 Sq. km | World fact book | |||||||||||||||||
| Area of forest | About 23% of the country | (map)MoFE | |||||||||||||||||
| Area of wetlands | "The total area of
wetlands (excluding rivers) in India is 58,286,000ha, or 18.4% of the country, 70% of which comprises areas under paddy cultivation." |
SOURCE | |||||||||||||||||
| Area of territorial waters | Total: 314,400 Sq. km
including coastline: 7,000 km ; maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; contiguousd zone: 24 nm; territorial sea: 12 nm; continental shelf: 200 nm. |
World fact book | |||||||||||||||||
| Population: | 970 million people | Density: | average density: 845 /Sq. km | SOURCE | |||||||||||||||
| Area protected (ha) (only areas >1000ha) at all IUCN levels: | Of the 75.23 million hectares of forest, about 40.61 million
hectares are classified as "reserved"; 21.51 million are "protected" (this includes over 40 wildlife sanctuaries, and over 70 national parks extending over 140,000 sq km); and 13.11 million hectares are "unclassified". The only marine protected area covers 276,042 hectares. |
Fraction of land area protected (%): | SOURCE | ||||||||||||||||
| Major Protected Areas | List from
Information Center for the Environment Reserves in country Maps |
Information Center for the Environment | |||||||||||||||||
| Endemic Species |
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endemic ecoindia |
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| Endangered, Threatened and Vulnerable Species |
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World Conservation Monitoring Centre - Animal | |||||||||||||||||
| Extinct Species |
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World Conservation Monitoring Centre - Animal | |||||||||||||||||
| Species listed on CITES Appendices | CITES-listed Species Database | ||||||||||||||||||
| Legislation | |||||||||||||||||||
| Laws protecting endangered or threatened species | In 1976 an amendment to the constitution added a clause which
states that the government should "endeavor to protect and improve the environment
and safeguard the forests and wildlife." Wildlife Protection Act (1974); Environmental Protection Act (1986) |
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| Laws protecting endangered ecosystems | Indian Forest Act (1927); Wazter Prevention and Controll of Pollution Act (1977-1995); Forest conservation Act (1980); Air Prevention and Controll of Pollution Act (1986); Public Liability Insurance Act (1991); National Environmental Tribunal Act (1995) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Signatory to CITES | October 18, 1976 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Signatory to Ramsar Wetlands Convention | February 1, 1982 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Signatory to Convention on Biological Diversity | June 5, 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Signatory to Migratory Bird Treaty | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||
| Member of International Whaling Commission | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||
| Signatory to other international treaties designed to protect or manage biological resources | World Heriatage Foundation, 197; SACEP April 22, 1998; ICEF, 1993 UN Convention to Combat desertification Decembre 17, 1996 for more information treaties see: Conventions and Treaties Antartic-Environmental Protocal; Antartic Treaty; Climate Change; Environmental Modification; Hazardous Wastes; Laws of the Sea; Ozone Layer Protection; Ship Pollution; Tropical Timber 83/94. (These last treaties, however, were not ratified). SOURCE |
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| Natural Resource Use | Information Sources | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fisheries | Fisheries and animal husbandry are major parts to India's economy. India fishes about 3 million metric tons of fish per year. | Economy Fishery |
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| Forestry / deforestation | India's forests cover up to 23% of the country, but is dimminishing.Loss of about 5,500 Sq km. reported in 1995 | Forests Forest strategies |
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| Ecotourism | Ecotourism is crucial for wildlife protection. | Ecotourism
Other |
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| Trade in wildlife products | Chinese, and Tiberian medicine. Connected to hunting. | Illegal trade | |||||||||||||||||
| Hunting | Snow Leopard, Tiger, Wolf, Antelopes, and others. | Illegal trade | |||||||||||||||||
| Other uses of natural resources | Animal husbandry. In situ conservation |
(see under fishery) In situ |
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| Human Impacts on Natural Resources | Information Sources | ||||||||||||||||||
| Air pollution | Measurments of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, suspended particulate matter, amonia, hydrogen sulphide, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons are recorded by the CPCB. DATA SUGGESTS THAT INTHE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF 1999 SPM's HAVE REACHED CRITICAL LEVELS IN NEW DHELI's INDUSTRIAL AS WELL AS RESIDENTIAL AREAS | Air Pollutants | |||||||||||||||||
| Water pollution | Water pollution comes mostly from industrial waste. "The Water Quality Monitoring network covers 126 rivers, 24 wells, 34 lakes, 3 creeks, 2 ponds, 2 tanks, 3 drains and 2 canals. Monitoring of the rivers in North Western Region and a few lakes wells conducted on a quarterly basis and at all the other locations on a monthly basis. Measurements are made for 25 physico-chemical and biological parameters." | Industries | |||||||||||||||||
| Development activities | Any development in the industrial sector is being regulated and analyzed to give "environmental clearance" to the proposed projects. Some of India's protected areas are threatened by development and human settlements. | Regulations
Report Industries Protected Areas |
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| Introduced species | Plans for afforestation of arid zones include the introduction of up to nine exotic plants. | Afforestation | |||||||||||||||||
| Legislation addressing these issues | Air Prevention and Controll of Pollution Act; Water Prevention and Controll of Pollution Act; Public Liability Insurance Act |
click
here for more information on India's environmental Laws |
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| Restoration and Reintroduction | Information Sources | ||||||||||||||||||
| Programs for restoration of damaged habitat | Reforestation; Protection of habitat, and Wildlife | Report
97-98 Aforestation |
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| Programs for ex situ conservation (captive breeding and reintroduction) of endangered species | India has set up ex-situ botanical gardens and include forest
flora. In additionn, India participates in the captive breeding and introduction of the following fauna: Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Red Panda, Crocodiles, and Elephant. |
Tiger (reserves) Asiatic Lion Forest Cocodriles Red Panda |
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Page compiled by Victor Velazquez as part of a class project in h90 "The Science of Biodiversity and Conservation" (Peter J. Bryant, Instructor), University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
