Protected areas: biosphere reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries
India legally protects its ecologically unique, biodiversity-rich regions in situ as biosphere reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries (textbook figures: 14, 90 and 448).
Protected areas in India
India's ecologically unique and biodiversity-rich regions are legally protected as biosphere reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. These are in situ methods: species stay in their natural homes, and the whole ecosystem is protected with them. Your textbook's figures are 14 biosphere reserves, 90 national parks and 448 wildlife sanctuaries (its summary says more than 450 sanctuaries). New areas keep being declared, so the real numbers today are higher. Quote the textbook's figures in the exam.
Comparing the three protected areas
| Feature | Biosphere reserve | National park | Wildlife sanctuary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main aim | Conserve whole ecosystems and their genetic diversity, along with the sustainable life of local people | Protect wildlife and its habitat strictly | Protect particular animals, often one species or group |
| Human activity | Local people go on living and working in it, in ways that do not harm the ecosystem | Not allowed: no grazing, cultivation, forestry or private rights | Some allowed, such as collecting minor forest produce, if wildlife is not harmed |
| Indian examples | Nilgiri, Nanda Devi, Sundarbans, Gulf of Mannar | Jim Corbett (Uttarakhand), Kaziranga (Assam), Gir (Gujarat), Kanha (Madhya Pradesh) | Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu), Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary (Karnataka) |
Protected area vs zoo
Tiger numbers in national parks and tiger reserves are tracked from pugmarks and faecal pellets, as you saw in Chapter XI.
Extra reading (not in your textbook): zones and laws
Biosphere reserves come from UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme, begun in 1971; India's first, the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, was set up in 1986. A biosphere reserve is usually planned as three rings: an undisturbed core zone, a buffer zone for research and education, and an outer transition zone where people live and farm. National parks and sanctuaries in India are declared under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, spread over Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, protects elephants, tigers and shola forests, while communities such as the Todas and Irulas live in and around it. Vedanthangal near Chennai is one of India's oldest bird sanctuaries, guarded by villagers for generations.
1 marks: “According to your textbook, how many biosphere reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries does India have?” 14 biosphere reserves, 90 national parks and 448 wildlife sanctuaries (the textbook's figures; the real numbers have grown since).
2 marks: “Why are biosphere reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries called in situ methods of conservation?” They protect species in their natural habitat, so the whole ecosystem, and biodiversity at all its levels, is conserved along with the threatened species.
3 marks: “Distinguish between a national park and a wildlife sanctuary, with one Indian example of each.” National park: strict protection of wildlife and its habitat; no grazing, forestry or private rights; e.g. Jim Corbett. Sanctuary: protects animals; some harmless activities such as collecting minor forest produce allowed; e.g. Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary.
Park is strict, Sanctuary is softer, Reserve keeps the people. Textbook counts: 14, 90, 448.