Protection and conservation of wildlife is essential to maintain the earth’s health and environment. The earth is the only known living planet and it is because of its special environment and ecology which are life-supporting. Forests are part and parcel of our environment. They are one of the most valuable resources and gifts of nature. They play a key role in the maintenance climate, rain-patterns, water and soil conservation. They are the natural home of much type- of animals, birds, reptiles, insects etc. They supply timber, fuel, medicines, and wood for pepper-pulp and raw materials for many industries. The increasing depletion and destruction of wildlife is a source of great concern. One out of every seven persons of the world, live in US Zoos.
India has 16 % of the world’s population with only 2.4 % of its plot area. There is much pressure on our natural resources including jungles. In these times of increasing consumerism and nature- hostile activities, the forest-cover is reducing and failing very fast. The protection of flora and fauna which includes native plants and animals depends on safety of forestry. Environment is the direct product of the land resources and habitat conditions. The neglect of forests moans the destruction of the wild animals. Animals, like we human beings, need food, water, and shelter. Destruction of woods, wetlands, marshes, points, grasslands etc. eliminates their sources of food, water and habitat. The National wildlife action Plan launched in 1983 provides the framework of strategy as well as programme for preservation of biota.
Our country is very rich both in flora and fauna but many plant and animal species are already extinct and many other are on the road to extinction. In spite of various acts and rules- regulations against exploitation of wildlife, the real conservation has one of the major wildlife producer counties of the world and yet there is a skeleton of staff to safeguard the interests of wildlife. Robbers are on the prowl even in sanctuaries and protected forest areas. They have become fertile hunting grounds for illegal hunting and killing of animals. The rich and influential people and traders in, animal-skins, horns, etc. have been indulging in hunting, killing and trading of wildlife with impunity. They carry telescopic rifles and other weapons, use traps and poison food and kill the animals.
On many an occasion, the villagers injure more animals then they kill and so the injured animals turn into man-eaters and attack villages at night for food. When a human kill takes place, every leopard or tiger is regarded as man-eater and there is indiscriminate killing consequently, the number of these felines is decreasing fast. Thousands of snails, frog, rats, earthworms, cockroaches and other animals are killed for dissection in schools, colleges and laboratories for experiments. Snakes are also killed indiscriminately out of ignorance as greed. This destroys and disturbs the fragile ecological balance. Tigers are subjected to utmost brutality by man, the most intelligent and evolved animal on the earth.
Forests and wildlife and renewable resources which need to be diligently protected, preserved and increased in a planned way. There is a need to spread the awareness about forest and wildlife conservation. Social forestry can be taught in schools as a subject. There should be a ban on mobile zoos and animal rights activists should come forward to wage a war on behalf of the mute and innocent animals. The forest and wildlife conservation laws should be made more stringent and practiced scrupulously. The full blown assault on forest and wildlife saddens all the Indians and wildlife lovers in other countries.