A wildlife sanctuary is a protected area of land that is set aside specifically for the conservation of plant and animal species. These areas can be privately or publicly owned, and they are typically designated by governments or nonprofit organisations. Wildlife sanctuaries offer a variety of benefits to both the environment and the local community.

Some Wildlife Sanctuaries in India are:

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary: The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, India. The sanctuary was established in 1978 and covers an area of 345 square kilometers.

Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary: Bandipur National Park is a national park located in the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, India. The park was established in 1974 and covers an area of 870 square kilometers.

List of Wildlife Sanctuaries of India

Provisions for Wildlife Sanctuary

There are some provisions concerning Wildlife sanctuaries in India as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.

Declaration by the State Government

• If the State Government determines that a particular area has sufficient ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural, or zoological significance for conserving, enhancing, or developing wildlife or its environment, it may notify the public of its intention to create a sanctuary there.
• The State Government may issue a notification detailing the borders of the sanctuary and stating that the indicated region shall be a sanctuary as of the date mentioned in the notification after the original notification has been issued and the deadline for filing claims has passed.

Declaration by Central Government

• If the Central Government determines that a particular region has sufficient ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural, or zoological significance to preserve, develop, or propagate wildlife or its habitat, it may notify the public that the place is a sanctuary.

Boundaries of the Wildlife Sanctuary

• The notification must be as specific as feasible in describing the issue and the area’s borders.
• When territorial waters are involved, the limits must be decided in conjunction with the Chief Naval Hydrographer of the Central Government after sufficient steps have been made to safeguard the professional interests of nearby fishermen.
• A sanctuary’s limits cannot be altered without the National Board for Wild Life’s approval.
  Territorial seas in regions designated as sanctuaries for the preservation of offshore marine flora and fauna were included in the Amendment Act of 1991.

Settlement of Rights

• The State Government shall make alternate arrangements for making fuel, fodder, and other forest produce available to persons affected by their rights.
• According to the Act, the State Government chooses an individual to serve as a “Collector,” who is tasked with investigating and establishing the existence, nature, and scope of any person’s rights in or over the land included in the sanctuary that needs to be notified.
• After the issuing of a notice for the declaration of the Protected Area, no right may be acquired in, on, or over the land included within the boundaries of the area designated in such notification, except through succession, testamentary or intestate.

Importance of Wildlife Sanctuaries

Because they provide numerous benefits for both people and nature, sanctuaries serve as a natural resource that must be protected at all costs.

Help Preserve Wildlife

• Since it takes time and money to relocate endangered species, they are preserved in their native habitat where they can be watched over, reproduce, and increase in population while still being under the close supervision of the sanctuary.
• Biologists and other researchers can learn more about the traits and behaviours of the animals by visiting these sanctuaries.
• Furthermore, because they are in their native environment, they are unrestricted in their movement and are free to roam.

Help with Landscape Protection

• Forests are going extinct. Previously, we could only see trees in our immediate surroundings; currently, we only saw buildings. To create space for settlements, cities, and villages, these forests were removed.
• The forests in these protected regions, however, are conserved and allowed to grow naturally rather than being cut down.
• Additionally, this helps to preserve natural features like rivers, valleys, waterfalls, hills, and mountains.
• Due to protection, they are shielded from exploitation, development, and pollution.

Contribute to the Preservation of Culture and History

• Some tribes that have lived there for millennia also call the woodlands that these sanctuaries occupy home. Additionally, tribes that live in woods, like the Saara adivasis in Odisha, support the preservation of those forests.
• Because they do not have to contend with developers who would otherwise destroy the forest, the tribes that reside in these sanctuaries are likewise protected. Additionally, this helps to preserve their customs and culture.

Endangered Species Protection

• Many plant and animal species are on the edge of extinction as a result of our habits and wants.
• Sanctuaries offer us a secure setting wherever human activities can not negatively impact nature and wherein nature can develop unhindered by humans.

Biodiversity Conservation

• The number of habitats, ecosystems, and species diversity on Earth has been declining as a result of human activity.
• Sanctuaries protect an area from humans and their activities that could damage the ecology, assisting in the conservation of all biodiversity there.
• In-situ conservation, which maintains the ecosystem in its original state and configuration, is another term for this sort of conservation.

Ecotourism

• Ecotourism is the practice of visiting environmentally significant locations with the goal of observing and contributing to the protection of animals.
• Animals can be viewed by the general public in their natural habitat, cage-free, with their young, and without concern about their safety.
• One of the main benefits of ecotourism is that admission fees can be utilised to raise money for conservation efforts. The refuge can then be developed using this money.

Education and Public Use

• The benefits of sanctuaries are not commonly known to the general public.
• But more and more individuals are learning about sanctuaries and joining the committees that support their implementation.
• Celebrities who adopt animals and start charities in support of sanctuaries both in India and throughout the world also help to spread awareness.

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