Rakesh Shukla

Abstract

The tiger is regarded as a highly endangered species in all the tiger range countries of the world. The conservation of the magnificent species has evoked a tremendous response from all over the world. The situation in India is still far from satisfactory. There are only a few wildlife protected areas, which inspire confidence for the reversal of the tiger population to a safer status. Kanha Tiger Reserve is one such, harbouring tbe typical floral and faunal attributes of Central Indian Highlands and a viable population of the tiger, Kanha, with a long conservation history and a succession of dedicated officers and staff, has developed into an excellent institution for conservation of wildlife in general and tiger in particular. Tiger conservation in Kanha Tiger Reserve involves an allround strategy, comprising relocation efforts, protection, build.up of prey base, and the park-people co-operation. The lessons learnt from Kanha also offer general implications for effective tiger conservation for other Tiger Reserves of the country.

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Rakesh Shukla

Abstract

Kanha Tiger Reserve is one of the most promising centres of in-situ biodiversity conservation in the country. The reserve harbours, besides a wide spectrum of wildlife species, including some which figure prominently in the I.U.C.N.list of the threatened species, an endangered population of the hard ground Barasingha (Cervus duvauceli branderi), a sub-species endemic to the Kanha, and the Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris). Over the years the wildlife management practices for the conservation of wildlife in general and the above two flagship species in particular have proven very effective in reducing to a great extent the adverse effects of the known proximate causes of the loss of biodiversity in the Wildlife Reserve. The long history of managerial input and intervention, involving an appropriate combination of the habitat-specific and species-specific approaches along with the parkpeople cooperation and stringent protection, has contributed tremendously to the understanding of biodiversity conservation which emphasizes that calculated and small disturbances lead to the highest species diversity, whereas large and hasty disturbances cause a decrease in natural species biodiversity.

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Rakesh Shukla

Abstract

The paper deals with the prevalent conservatism seriously affecting wildlife conservation in the country. Despite the fact that wildlife conservation was a great success at the initial stages, serious questions are now being raised about it. A critical analysis has been done to identify the inbuilt factors in the System which are undermining the conservation efforts. These factors include - fatigued infrastructure, neglected incentives, tardy judicial proceedings, the "indispensability" syndrome, protocolized tourism and arbitrary personnel management.

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