Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 4.2
IUCN classifi cation of species most commonly involved in human-wildlife confl icts
in India
Category
IUCN version
3.1
Schedule under
Wildlife Protection
Act of India, 1992
Animal
Remarks
Tiger
(
Panthera tigris
)
Endangered
I
Only about 1 411 tigers are alive in the
wild and populations show a decreasing
trend
Leopard
(
Panthera pardus
)
Near Threatened
I
Most incidences of confl icts are with
humans
Elephant
(
Elephas maximus
)
Endangered
I
Fragmentation of their habitat is the main
threat, leading to incidences of crop raid-
ing and trampling
Sloth bear
(
Melursus ursinus
)
Vulnerable
I
Involved in second most human attacks,
after the leopard
Snow leopard
(
Uncia uncia
)
Endangered
I
Killing sprees lead to intense dissent
among goat herders
Striped hyena
(
Hyaena hyaena
)
Near Threatened
III
Scavenging behaviour leads to secondary
poisoning
Vultures
(
Gyps
spp.)
Least Concern to
Endangered
I
Bonnet macaque
(
Macaca radiata
)
Least Concern
II
Present in large numbers and cause
damage to crops
Wild boar
(
Sus scrofa
)
Least Concern
III
4.4 Regulation and management of human-wildlife confl ict
Several governmental and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as international bodies
play an active role in the conservation of wildlife in India and in mitigating human-wildlife con-
fl icts (Table 4.4). The Ministry of Environment and Forests, under the Central Government and the
Department of Forest in various State Governments, are primarily responsible for the protection of
wildlife. Legislation to protect wildlife and govern the use of pesticides is also in place under the
Constitution of India. The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 contains several procedures to deal with
matters related to wildlife management. Poisoning is defi ned under Hunting, and is prohibited under
Section 9 of Chapter III and punishable under the Act. It also deals with the declaration of Protected
Areas (in the form of Sanctuaries and National Parks), and contains a list of different wild animals
under six schedules. The Indian Forest Act also deals with laws relating to forests in terms of pro-
duce, felling of trees and other relevant duties.
The Insecticides Act was passed in 1968 to regulate the import, manufacture, sale, transport, dis-
tribution and use of insecticides with a view to preventing risks to human beings and animals. The
Act (and the rules framed therein) make it compulsory to register pesticides with the Ministry of
Agriculture, part of the central level of the Government of India. The granting of a license for manu-
facture, formulation and sale are dealt with at the State level. The Insecticide Rules of 1971 provide
clear instructions with respect to the storage, use, packing and labelling, transport and disposal of
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