Wildlife Sanctuaries
India has a rich and diverse wildlife in the world as 8% of the world’s biodiversity is found here. A cruel reality of the country’s accelerated development lies in turning its back on biological species. It is tremendously desperate that animal species are today on the brink of extinction. In India we can find 2546 species of fish, 198 species of amphibians, 423 species of mammals and 408 species of reptiles. Some of the wild animals found in India include the Royal Bengal tiger, Asiatic elephant, leopard, Asiatic black bear, rhinoceros, hyena, Asiatic lion, wild dog, golden jackal and many more. .
These beautiful species of animals in India need to be protected as their numbers may decline in the coming years. To this end, a space dedicated to nurturing the growth of these magnificent animals has been designed. National parks and wildlife sanctuaries serve the above purpose. The protection, recreation and conservation of animals is a requirement provided by national parks. And to safeguard the animals, animal sanctuaries are maintained. These are run by the government and the rangers make sure that no harassment, poaching or hunting of the animals takes place.
The International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated on May 22 of each year. As India has a wide variety of flora and fauna wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in India, it has captivated many tourists from all over the world. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are 543 wildlife sanctuaries and India is home to more than 166 national parks. The wildlife hide is also called a wildlife sanctuary. Category VI protection areas have 50 tiger reserves which come under Project Tiger as Bengal tigers are the most protective species over other species in India. Wildlife refuges like Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala is a natural habitat for tigers and elephants, Kaziranga National Park for rhinos and Govind Wildlife Sanctuary provide a splendid glimpse of snow leopards.
National parks and wildlife refuges on Indian land offer great benefits. Since man is creating a threat to wildlife in India, confined national parks and wildlife refuges keep animal species out of harm’s way. Not only the animals, but also the mountains, gorges, dunes, etc. they are also disappearing due to development. Hence, it also preserves landscapes. The tribes also inhabit national parks and wildlife sanctuaries and protect the culture of indigenous peoples. These spaces offer a fantastic site for recreation and recreation to its visitors.
Animal sanctuaries have dotted the Indian landscape with rich and vivid animal species and have made history on how gentle lives are embraced and fostered in India.