Proof of Success: Reports Suggest That India Has Successfully Conserved 73 Critically Endangered Species

Published: 09 Jan, 2019By Ashwini

Highlighting the efforts of conservation of endangered species in India, Anup Kumar Nayak, Secretary of Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi said that India has been trying its best to conserve 73 endangered species. While talking in Mysuru, he also told the audience that India has successfully managed to conserve mouse-deer.

In case you didn’t know

International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed 132 species of plants and animals under the category of critically endangered. The list, also known as Red Data List, was released in 2011, which placed 48 species as critically endangered which was updated in 2012 to 132 species.

What’s the story of conservation in India?

Anup, who was in Mysore for the inauguration of the three-day national level workshop for veterinarians at Indian zoos, pointed out the difficulties faced in conserving critically endangered species. He said that there are lengthy processes and many zoos across the country are involved in the initiative. He told that the objective is to breed endangered animals in captivity and releasing them into the wild to maintain a healthy population in natural habitat.

Anup Kumar also applauded the success at the Nandankanan Zoo in Odisha in preserving gharial and Hyderabad Zoo for mouse deer conservation efforts. However, gharial couldn’t survive in the wild but mouse-deer did.

In Karnataka, 6 species including – deer, wild dogs, wolves, Indian Gaur, lion-tailed macaque are being conserved and are being bred at the reserved centres. Nayak said that the Central Zoo Authority is yet to decide on the release date of these animals.

He also said that endangered Chinkara is being bred at the famous Sakkarbaug Zoo in Gujarat, Golden Langur at Agartala and Snow Leopard at Darjeeling Zoo are also being conserved to repopulate their population in the wild.

Veterinarian determining the prestige of the Zoo

Highlighting the role of the veterinarian at the zoo, Anup Kumar said that the prestige of the zoo relies on the quality of its prestigious veterinarians. He added that as long as veterinarians take good care of the animals in the zoo, the status of the zoo will never diminish. Their role is crucial in ensuring a healthy population of animals in the zoo.

Role of Zoo in conservation efforts

Highlighting the role of the zoo in conservation efforts, Nayak added that if one wishes to see the efforts of Central Zoo Authority in conservation efforts, all that person has to do is check the exemplary record of CZA. He also said that if the zoos are not meeting the standards set by CZA, the authority terminates the licence immediately.

Opinion of others

While talking at the event, HD Narayana Swamy, Vice-chancellor of the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries University said that the challenges faced by the veterinarian in ensuring good health of the animals in the zoo have increased in the recent times. He pointed out the recent Canine Distemper Virus that killed more than 20 lions in Gir.

BP Ravi, Member Secretary of Zoo Authority of Karnataka, meanwhile, focused on increasing human-animal conflicts. He said that this is a result of shrinking forest covers.

What’s next for conservation programmes?

With reports of success in many zoos across India, authorities and conservationists are hopeful about the future results of conservation programmes in India.

Image Source: Times of India