INTRODUCTION

Endangered means to be under threat or near extinction. When a species/animal

is endangered it means that they are disappearing fast or have a very small
population - not large enough to survive. Extinction means the end of existence for
a species.

The IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources) have compiled a Red List. This red list is a guide to how endangered a
species is - animals are measured on a scale from 'Least Concern' to the worst,
'Extinct';

Extinction of species has occurred as a natural process since life began on Earth, but
human activities have greatly accelerated the rate of extinction in recent years.
Among the many factors that may contribute to the disappearance of a species are
habitat destruction, over-exploitation, introduction of exotic species, and climate
change. Endangered animals face extinction in all or a part of their ranges unless
specific measures are taken for their protection. Threatened animals are likely to
become endangered in the foreseeable future. Endangered mammals and birds have
received the greatest amount of attention in conservation efforts to date, but there is
a growing recognition of the importance of endangered amphibians, reptiles, fish,
and invertebrates, so these animals are likely to receive more attention in the future.
Although plants are absolutely essential to human and animal life, endangered
plants have received relatively little attention compared with that given to
endangered animals.

This guide is intended to serve a wide research audience, as well as to provide useful,
quality information and research assistance to the interested public. This guide is
not an exhaustive list of resources, but rather a starting point for researching
endangered and threatened species.

IMPORTANCE
Due to destruction of habitats, Wildlife has main threat. The construction of
industries, houses, dams has left fewer areas where animals can breed, nest and
feed.
preventing deforestation is an important method of habitat preservation. Planting
new forests provides shelter and food for wildlife. By creating wildlife sanctuaries
we can protect natural habitat. Habitat can be preserved by preventing
deforestation.

planting trees( afforestation ) to create new forest which provides shelter and food
for wildlife can also protect natural habitat of animals by creating wildlife
sanctuaries.

India has a rich variety of flora and fauna. Man has destroyed them to quite an
extent. Animals that cannot adjust to the environmental changes , begin to die. As a
result, many animals and birds that once existed on the earth , have perished away.

Some important International NGO's with branches in India are :-

» The world wide Fund For nature ( WWF )

» The International Union For the conservation of Nature and Natural resources (
IUCN )

» The World conservation union ( WCU ) work of wildlife conservation.

The Government has taken various steps to conserve our natural vegetation and
wildlife. Some of them are : -

★ Social Awareness programmes .

We have an annual festival in our country wherein trees are planted throughout the
country. All people must participate in social awareness programmes like ' Van
Mahotsava' by planting saplings in their surroundings.

★ Wildlife Protection Act , 1972.

In country like India, where hunting is considered as an act of bravery, animal head
and skin are smuggled to other countries at huge prices. Some body parts of animals
are used in Chinese and Tibetan medicines. Body parts of tiger, lion, and black buck
are used in making trophies. Wildlife protection act , 1972, provides protection to
wild animals, birds, and plants.

★ Special projects .

These have been launched to protect the endangered species, e.g :- Project tiger ,
presently there are 29 tiger reserves in india, e.g :- Sariska tiger reserve , under the
project elephant , there are 14 elephant reserves in india.
★ wildlife Sanctuaries .

These refer to protected areas set up to prevent the extinction of animals. They
primarily protect those endangered species of birds and animals that are under the
threat of becoming extinct. There are 510 Wildlife sanctuaries in india.

★ National parks .

These are the areas where wild animals and natural vegetation are together
preserved. There are 96 national parks in india. e.g ;- Kaziranga national park in
Assam, jim Corbett national park in uttarakhand.

★ Bioreserves .

These refers to large areas where the vegetation, wildlife and Environment are
conserved to preserve the biological diversity. There are 14 Bioreserves in india. , e.g
:- Nanda devi in uttarakhand, Nilgiri in western Ghats.

OBJECTIVES
The breeding of endangered, vulnerable or rare animal species (with a focus on
genetic biodiversity);

The education of learners, students and the general public in conservation and
conservation-related activities;

The release and establishment of captive-bred cheetahs, and other species, in the
wild (prospective destinations must exhibit sound environmental and conservation
management policies);

The promotion of scientific research and development in the wildlife conservation

field;

Fundraising to assist in the operational costs of the centre;

The treatment and rehabilitation of wild animals that are brought to the centre;

The provision of a safe alternative for damage-causing animals on commercial farms,

with a view to ultimately introducing them to conservation areas that can
accommodate them;

Contributing to anti-poaching initiatives on the Kapama Reserve, as well as

providing a sanctuary for rhinos which have been orphaned or injured as a result of
poaching.

PROJECT WORK
METHODOLOGY
1) Learn about endangered species in your area. Teach your friends and family about
the wonderful wildlife, birds, fish and plants that live near you. The first step to
protecting endangered species is learning about how interesting and important they
are.

2) Create a backyard wildlife habitat. Put bird feeders and other wildlife attractants,
such as bird houses and baths.

3) Establish a pollinator garden with native vegetation in your yard. Native plants
provide food and shelter for native wildlife. Attracting native insects like bees and
butterflies can help pollinate your plants. Avoid planting invasive species.
Non-native plants can overtake and destroy native species on which animals depend.

4) Minimize use of herbicides and pesticides. Herbicides and pesticides are

hazardous pollutants that can affect wildlife at many levels. Reduce use of fertilizer.
Excess fertilizer will likely wash into streams and rivers and may lead to amphibian
deformities and deaths.

5) Reduce your use of water in your home and garden so that animals that live in or
near water can have a better chance of survival. Don’t dump paint, oil or antifreeze
or other chemicals, which pollute the water and can harm people and wildlife. Keep
litter and pet waste out of the street drain, which often washes into rivers, lakes or
the ocean.

6) Place decals on windows to deter bird collisions. Millions of birds die every year
because of collisions with windows. You can help reduce the number of collisions
simply by placing decals on the windows in your home and office.

7) Slow down when driving. Many animals live in developed areas and this means
they must navigate a landscape full of human hazards. So when you’re out and about,
slow down and keep an eye out for animals. Don’t litter because trash can attract
wildlife to the roadside.

8) Recycle and buy sustainable products. Buy recycled paper and sustainable
products like Forest Stewardship Council wood products and shade-grown coffee to
save rainforests.

9) Don’t litter/otherwise destroy sensitive habitats, which may be home to

native/visiting species that are endangered or threatened.

10) Organize or participate in a “clean up” campaign of an important habitat in your

area. (Be sure to work with appropriate city officials/environmental organizations.)

11) Never purchase products made from endangered species like ivory, coral and
tortoise shell. Buy exotic plants and animals only from reputable stores.

12) Report any harassment of threatened and endangered species. You can find a
list of state wildlife departments .

13) Visit a national wildlife refuge, park or other open space. These protected lands
provide habitat to many native wildlife, birds, fish and plants. Get involved by
volunteering at your local park or wildlife refuge. To find a wildlife refuge near
you.To find a park near you.To learn more and get involved, contact the Endangered
Species Coalition at

14) Be Vocal. Write a letter to your local newspaper urging support of important
species protection measures. E-mail your Congressional representatives asking them
to support the Endangered Species Act.

15) Join others (and organize) in the annual Stop Extinction Challenge. Organized by
Endangered Species Coalition (usually in August).

OBSERVATIONS
Wildlife observation is the practice of noting the occurrence or abundance of animal
species at a specific location and time, either for research purposes or recreation. A
common example of this type of activity is bird watching.

The process of scientific wildlife observation includes the reporting of what

(diagnosis of the species), where (geographical location), when (date and time), who
(details about observer), and why (reason for observation, or explanations for
occurrence). Wildlife observation can be performed if the animals are alive, with the
most notable example being face-to-face observation and live cameras, or are dead,
with the primary example being the notifying of where roadkill has occurred. This
outlines the basic information needed to collect data for a wildlife observation;
which can also contribute to scientific investigations of distribution, habitat
relations, trends, and movement of wildlife species.

Observation of endangered species in India is:

India is a big diverse country in the world because India is a habitat for so many
species but some species have joined the critically endangered list.

• We can identify whether the particular species of animal is endangered or not by

using the following factors.

* If the population of particular species is less than 250 individuals it is considered

an endangered species.

* If the particular species of animals declining continuously at 25% for three years or
more it is an endangered species.

* If the population of particular species is less than 50 Individuals it is identified as

an endangered species.

• Indian elephant, Ganga river Dolphin, Bengal Tiger, Tibetan Antilope, Forest Owlet
and many more the endangered species in India.

ANALYSIS OF DATA
An endangered species is a species which has been categorized as very likely to
become extinct in the near future. Endangered (EN), as categorized by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, is the second most
severe conservation status for wild populations in the IUCN's schema after Critically
Endangered (CR). In 2012, the IUCN Red List featured 3,079 animal and 2,655 plant
species as endangered (EN) worldwide.[1] The figures for 1998 were 1,102 and
1,197 respectively. Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant
species: for example, forbidding hunting, restricting land development or creating
protected areas. Population numbers, trends and species' conservation status can be
found at the lists of organisms by population

The interagency consultation provisions of the Endangered Species Act are critical to
its implementation and have been at the center of the most high-profile
controversies triggered by its implementation, including the battles over the Tellico
Dam, the Northwest forests, the Klamath River, and, more recently, management of
the San Francisco Bay-Delta.

RESULT AND
CONCLUSION
It is important remember to take care of the animals we have today, and their
environment. We humans are the main cause of extinction. Because of us, they lose
their home just because we need to make paper, or they die because we need food.
Poachers also kill endangered animals or sell them to people who have money and
are willing to spend it on a rare or endangered animal.

There are a lot of ways to help endangered animals today such as volunteering or
donating to help build animal homes. If you want to learn more about extinct and
endangered animals, check out some of these organizations: Defenders of Wildlife,
Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Alliance, African Wildlife Foundation, and the
Animal Welfare Institute. They help endangered animals by finding them a new
home, taking care of them temporarily if they are hurt. Some are dedicated to
animals from a specific country.