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‘No decline in population of major animal species’
India Blooms News Service
New Delhi, Mar 8 (IBNS): The population of major species of animals like Rhinoceros, Elephants and Lions has increased and there has been no decline in population of any major species, informed Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Jairam Ramesh in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
On tiger population, he informed that the last All India tiger estimation done in the year 2008 puts the population of the tigers in the country (excluding Sunderbans) at 1411 (mid value); the lower and upper limits being 1165 and 1657 respectively.
“This estimation is not comparable to earlier estimates as previously different methodology was used for estimation,” he added.
On Centrally Sponsored Schemes for protection and conservation of wild animals, he said there are several existing schemes, like ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’, ‘Project Elephant’ and ‘Project Tiger’.
The minister pointed that poaching is the main reason for tiger killing because tiger products are in high demand in the international clandestine trade.
The ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’ scheme was modified in 2008 to accord better protection and conservation to wildlife in the country by adding two new components namely Protection of wildlife outside protected areas and recovery programme for saving critically endangered species and their habitats, he added. |
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