Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his commitment to conserve the planet’s amazing biodiversity on 3rd March, “World Wildlife Day,” announced by the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 20th December 2013, by celebrating and raising awareness about the world’s wild fauna and flora.
PM Modi reviewed “Project Lion,” an ambitious endeavor of Rs 2,927 crore, that intends to preserve and increase the number of Asiatic lions as he embarked on a lion safari at Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat to mark World Wildlife Day. He was spotted making the most of his trip, from taking pictures of the lion cubs to savouring the sunrise. He also chaired the National Board for Wildlife’s seventh meeting at Sasan in the Junagadh district, which was also attended by Bhupender Yadav, the Cabinet Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, and other members. PM Modi also interacted with field-level personnel at Gir, such as eco guides, trackers and other front-line staff.
A memorable visit to Gir! Have a look at the highlights… pic.twitter.com/DTqzwlerTc
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 3, 2025
PM Modi also announced the 16th Asiatic lion population estimation, which would take place in May of this year and laid the cornerstone for the National Referral Center-Wildlife in Junagadh on the occasion. Asiatic lion populations are determined once every five years.
The Prime Minister of India declared that prey augmentation and other habitat enhancement initiatives will be used to help lion conservation at Barda Wildlife Sanctuary as the Asiatic Lions have now established themselves there through natural distribution.
Furthermore, he revealed a book about river dolphins and declared the establishment of SACON (Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History), a Centre of Excellence for Human-Wildlife Conflict Management, in Coimbatore of Tamil Nadu.
The National Board for Wildlife examined the government’s wildlife conservation efforts, noting species-specific flagship programs. The creation of the International Big Cat Alliance and conservation initiatives for Asiatic lions and dolphins were also discussed by the board. PM Modi also stressed the significance of raising awareness about dolphin conservation through the participation of local residents and villagers. Additionally, he suggested planning schoolchildren’s excursions to dolphin habitats.
PM Narendra Modi chaired the 7th meeting of National Board for Wildlife on 3rd March in Gir, Gujarat. PM released the first-ever riverine dolphin estimation report in the country, which estimated a total of 6,327 dolphins. PM also laid the foundation stone of National Referral… pic.twitter.com/bmHn4zX0Ff
— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2025
Meanwhile, the government suggested India as a filming destination for Bear Grylls’ popular show, Man vs Wild, citing the country’s vibrant wildlife as a key attraction, in an effort to attract international attention. It was highlighted that the population of Asiatic Lions is prospering in the country as evidenced by the presence of 674 lions in the Gir forest. The government further pointed out that the number of leopards has undergone a massive 75% increase and 75% of all tigers worldwide reside in India now.
On the other hand, poaching of rhinos has almost completely stopped in India. “India isn’t just protecting wildlife – it’s bringing it back,” the post declared with pride.
India is one of the world’s most biodiverse nations, renowned for its rich history and culture. Its topography includes the snow-capped Himalayas, the thick rainforests of the Western Ghats, the dry deserts of Rajasthan and the verdant mangroves of the Sundarbans. Despite having only 2.4% of the global landmass, India is one of the seventeen mega-diverse countries in the world, has 7-8% of all known species owing to its ecosystem, which support an amazing variety of flora and fauna.
It is home to an astounding 7.6% of all animal species, 12.6% of birds, 6.2% of reptiles and 6.0% of flowering plants, which makes it one of the world’s 17 mega-diverse nations. The country includes the Western Ghats, the Eastern Himalayas, Indo-Burma, and the Nicobar Islands, four of the 35 biodiversity hotspots recognized by the world. These areas are vital repositories of earth’s biodiversity.
India has created a network of conservation areas, including more than 106 national parks, 515 animal sanctuaries, 75 wetland sites, and 18 bio-reserves to protect this vast natural diversity. It is noteworthy that ten of these establishments are included in the esteemed World Network of biosphere reserves.
The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, a comprehensive law that prohibits the trade in rare and endangered species, is one of the notable attempts. This law is essential in preventing unlawful practices that jeopardize the existence of endangered species. India led multiple programs and initiatives to preserve its abundant wildlife, with the Wildlife Protection Act functioning as a statutory aspect of the country’s dedication to conservation.
It launched a number of animal conservation initiatives over the years, working with an array of foreign organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Project Tiger, Project Lion, Project Rhinoceros, Project Elephant, and Project Dolphin are among the major wildlife conservation schemes introduced in the nation.
Steps taken to ensure wildlife conservation
In India, protecting wildlife is taken into account for both the creatures and the larger goals of development. For example, preserving healthy ecosystems with high levels of diversification is essential to preserving natural balance because it ensures crop pollination, clean air and water supplies and climate change resilience. One of these is maintaining general bio-resiliency against the consequences of global warming. Moreover, millions of people depend in part on wildlife conservation efforts to maintain a sustainable standard of living, primarily those who reside in rural areas close to forests.
Project Tiger: India’s standing in the world for species conservation has improved markedly since the implementation of this program in 1973. Initially, the program was designed to safeguard the dwindling tiger population. It has gradually protected more tiger habitats, raised awareness of them among local community organizations, and placed stringent measures to combat poaching and the illegal trafficking in tiger parks. The number of tigers in India fell to 1,411 in 2006. However, by 2022, India had 3,167 tigers or more than 70% of the world’s wild tiger population, demonstrating the effectiveness of conservation efforts over the years in protecting the species.
Project Lion: The 1,412 square kilometer protected area of Gujarat’s Gir National Park offers a benchmark for the preservation of Asiatic lions in India. In 1913, there were just 20 lions left in the country due to encroachment and poaching. Gir became a wildlife sanctuary in 1965 after the Indian Forest Department intervened with a wildlife protection campaign. Today, this species has been protected primarily as a result of the involvement of people and an intricate forest department rescue operation. With 674 large cats roaming openly in this park as of 2022, it is undoubtedly a huge success.
Project Rhinoceros for protection of the One-Horned Rhinoceros: One of the best examples of effective conservation efforts in Asia, according to the World Wildlife Fund, is the comeback of larger one-horned rhinoceros. Kaziranga National Park has played a major role in this significant development. Poaching, habitat destruction, and yearly floods have historically caused the rhino population in this region to decline. The Special Rhino Protection Force was created in 2019 to stop rhino poaching in the park.
Numerous initiatives have been put in place to assist in the rehabilitation of the rhinos. The outcomes of the different measures have been encouraging. The 2022 census showed that there were 26 more rhinos in the park than there were in 2021 and no poaching instances were reported throughout the region during this time.
Project Elephant: Project Elephant was started in 1992 by the Indian government with the goal of preserving elephants, their habitats, and migratory routes, as well as reducing human-elephant conflict and treating injured animals as needed. As a species that is endangered, this is carried out to guarantee its long-term survival. According to a 2018 census, there were about 26,786 elephants in India. However, there were 29,964 wild Asian elephants in India by 2022, accounting for more than 60% of the world’s total population.
Project Dolphin: The program was announced by PM Modi in 2020. He released the report of the nation’s first-ever riverine dolphin estimation, which calculated a total of 6,327 dolphins. The initial effort involved surveying 28 rivers across eight states, with 3150 man-days dedicated to covering over 8,500 kilometers. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number, followed by Bihar, West Bengal and Assam.
Efforts to reach wildlife conservation milestones
While wildlife conservation has been an objective for all Indian governments, the Modi administration has paid particular attention to this effort and turned it into a staggering success.
Budget Allocation 2024-25: The budget for fiscal year 2024-25 allotted Rs 3,330.37 crore to the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, in comparison to Rs 3,231.02 crore the year before. The budget for the National Tiger Conservation Authority grew by more than twofold, from Rs 15.8 crore in 2022-2023 to Rs 35 crore in 2023-2024. Furthermore, the National Biodiversity Authority’s budget rose from Rs 14 crore to Rs 16 crore, while the Central Zoo Authority’s budget jumped from Rs 9.9 crore to Rs 12 crore.
Role of Local Communities: In India, the preservation of endangered species and their ecosystems has been shaped by the presence of local communities. These groups are crucial in preventing hunting of endangered species and preserving the habitats in which the animals dwell. They are a crucial component of India’s conservation accomplishments because their involvement goes beyond protection alone and includes reporting illegal cases and wildlife monitoring activities.
Eco-tourism: India has come to understand that eco-tourism can contribute to the conservation of wildlife while also providing genuine advantages to its people by using natural resources sustainably. The eco-tourism market in India was estimated by Allied Market Research to be worth US$ 2.24 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.7% to reach US$ 4.55 billion by 2027.
Industry analysts predict that following the Covid-19 epidemic, India would be one of the top markets for eco-friendly lodging. Increased travel and tourism to far-flung locations, a predilection for wildlife safaris, coral reef diving and other pristine, undisturbed natural regions with the focus on sustainability constitute some of factors driving the Indian eco-tourism industry’s steady growth trajectory.
Overcoming the obstacles
The difficulties associated with wildlife conservatism have also been addressed by India.
Habitat Fragmentation: Wildlife habitats are getting smaller and more isolated as a result of growing urbanization and human population growth. India has been working hard to link disparate areas by developing wildlife corridors. These corridors lessen the consequences of habitat fragmentation by enabling safe animal migration between various places. For example, tigers and elephants use the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu-Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve as a vital corridor.
Human-wildlife Conflict: When elephants, leopards and tigers cross regions or agricultural areas, they frequently run into people. This can result in crop destruction, cattle losses and even human fatalities. Local communities thus grow to have unfavorable opinions of wildlife, which makes conservation efforts in the region even more difficult. The government has put in place compensation plans for farmers and communities impacted by wildlife operations to remedy this issue. The government of Madhya Pradesh, for instance, provides compensation for crop damage inflicted by elephants.
Illegal Poaching and Wildlife Trade: This underground market has been fueled by the desire for animal parts including tiger skins, rhino horns, and elephant tusks, which has hampered conservation efforts and put greater strain on threatened and endangered species. India has improved surveillance in protected areas and expanded the number of anti-poaching units, strengthening its enforcement measures. One instance of such a mission is the deployment of Special Rhino Protection Forces at Kaziranga National Park.
The government of Narendra Modi has been working hard and making significant contributions to the nation’s wildlife conservation and protection. The percentage of the nation’s land covered by protected areas under this administration has increased from 4.90 to 5.03 per cent. According to reports in 2022, which cited government sources, the number of protected areas in the nation has shot up from 740, which had an area of 1,61,081.62 square kilometre in 2014, to 981, an extent of 1,71,921 square kilometre.
Over the years, the area covered by forests and trees grew by 16,000 square kilometers. India is one of the few nations with steadily growing forest cover worldwide. Additionally, the number of community reserves also increased. According to an official source, their numbers are up from 43 in 2014 to over 100 in 2019 and 219 in 2024. With 106 National Parks, 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 115 Conservation Reserves and 220 Community Reserves, India boasts a network of 1014 protected areas that span 1,75,169.42 square kilometer or around 5.32% of the country’s total land area, per 2023 official data.
Future measures to boost wildlife conservation
The Prime Minister made many announcements on 3rd March that aimed to advance India’s wildlife conservation efforts. States and union territories would receive, through SACON, cutting-edge technology and devices for tracking and warning to Rapid Response Teams, recommending surveillance and Intrusion Detection Systems in areas of high human-wildlife conflict, and enhancing the ability of field practitioners and the community to implement conflict mitigation measures.
The Prime Minister outlined the use of modern technology and involvement of the Wildlife Institute of India with the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N). He suggested that the Forest Survey of India, Dehradun and BISAG-N work together using space technology to improve forest fire monitoring and management, particularly in extremely sensitive protected areas, with a focus on prediction, detection, prevention and control.
The entry of cheetahs would be extended to other regions, including Gujarat’s Banni Grasslands and Madhya Pradesh’s Gandhisagar Sanctuary. The prime minister unveiled a plan to save tigers outside of tiger reserves. The effort seeks to ensure coexistence with local residents in order to address co-predator problems, including human-tiger conflicts, in places outside of these reserves. PM Modi also announced the start of a new project on gharials to ensure their conservation, acknowledging their declining numbers and the need to ensure their survival.
The Great Indian Bustard conservation efforts were also praised by PM Modi. He unveiled a National Great Indian Bustard Conservation Action Plan in recognition of the requirement for continued conservation efforts. He asked that the Board and Environment Ministry collect traditional knowledge and manuscripts from different parts of India regarding the management and conservation of forests and wildlife for research and development during the review meeting.
He ordered for the creation of many task teams to work on the conservation and development of the Indian Sloth Bear, Ghariyal, and Great Indian Bustard. He also outlined a plan for the Ministry’s future actions and wildlife conservation strategy. He cited the example of Gir and added that AI should be used to document the traditional knowledge so that it can be applied to other national parks and sanctuaries. He also proposed strengthening coordination within the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) coordination unit.
The prime minister also offered advice on the study and documentation of medicinal plants found in forested areas, which can be very important for managing animal health. He even discussed the potential for global promotion of plant-based medicinal products for the management of animal health. Motorcycles were also flagged off by the prime minister during the meeting to improve front-line forest staff mobility.
Given the ongoing success of wildlife conservation in India under PM Modi’s direction, the recommendations are expected to help India overcome a number of obstacles and proceed in the right direction.
