Meaning And Meaning Of Wildlife

CHAPTER:2

MEANING AND DEFINITION OF WILDLIFE, NEED FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION, PURPOSES OF SANCTUARIES AND NATIONAL PARKS

2.1 Meaning of Wildlife

Most of us think that the term wildlife includes only wild, terrestrial or a aquatic animals living in forests or water such as lions, tigers, leopards, beers, rhinoceros, elephants, deers, etc. but in fact it includes all the living organisms i.e. plants, animals and micro-organisms living in their natural habitat in wild state other than the cultivated plants and domesticated animals. In order to conserve wild life and maintain them, it is essential to provide them favorable atmosphere and helpful ecosystem.

As defined in Section 2(37) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, “Wildlife includes any animals, aquatic or land vegetation which forms part of any habitat.”

The Act also provides the definition of “wild animal” as those animals which are found wild in nature and includes any animal specified in Schedule I to V of the Act, wherever found. These schedules are as follows:-

Schedule I includes list of mammals (from 1 to 41-B)

Schedule II includes red fox, tibetan wolf, cobras, snakes, viper, jackal, languor, rhesus etc.

Schedule III includes barking deer, chital, gorillas, neelgai, sambar, wild pig, sponges etc.

Schedule IV includes hares, pole cats, bittens, bulbul, bustards, ducks, etc.

Schedule V vermins includes common crow, fruit bats, mice and rats.

Schedule VI includes certain specified plants e.g. beddomes cycad, blue