CHE E TAH R E I NTR O DUCTI ON PR OJE CT
Why in news?
Madhya Pradesh forest department seeks to revive the plan to reintroduce Cheetahs in Nauradehi sanctuary.
About the Plan
• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), is nodal agency for the Cheetahs reintroduction plan.
• In 2009 Project Cheetah was launched and Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary (MP) and Shahgarh area in Rajasthan were also identified as other two sites for cheetah reintroduction plan.
• Nauradehi was found to be the most suitable area for the cheetahs as its forests are not very dense to restrict the fast movement of Cheetahs.
46 ©Vision IAS
Significance of the move
• It will make India the only country in the world to host six of the world's eight large cats, including lions, tigers, jaguars, panthers and leopards.
• Cheetah is the flagship species of the grasslands. This will help dryland ecosystems of India to return to their natural state.
Issue Involved
• Earlier plans for reintroduction of Cheetah have been stalled due to insufficient funds and inadequacy of field assessment.
• Some wild life experts are on the view that the introduction of African cheetah may act as an alien species to the native ecosystem which might generate negative effects on indigenous wild life species.
5.9. NE W E LE PHANT R E SE R VE
Related Information
About Cheetahs
• It was declared extinct in India in 1952 and last spotted in Chhattisgarh 1947.
• The only mammal to become extinct in
India in last 1,000 years.
• IUCN status: Vulnerable
National Tiger Conservation Authority
• It is a statutory body and has overarching supervisory/coordination role as provided in the Wildlife (Protection) Act,
1972.
• It approves the Tiger Conservation Plan prepared by the State Governments.
Why in News?
Recently, Nagaland government declared the Singphan Wildlife Sanctuary as an Elephant Reserve, with the approval of central government.
About the Singhphan Elephant Reserve
• It is located in Mon district of Nagaland and spreads over an area of 5825 acres.
• It has huge tracts of forest, strategically located in contiguity with the Abhaypur Reserve Forest of Assam.
• Presently, elephant distribution habitat in Nagaland is highly fragmented, this move will give better protection and conservation of elephants in the state.
Related Information
Status of elephant conservation;
• Elephant is National Heritage Animal and categorised as Endangered under IUCN list.
• It is under schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES).
• Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand is the first Elephant Reserve of the Country.
• Karnataka has the highest number of elephants followed by Assam and Kerala respectively.
• After the declaration it became the 30th Elephant Reserve in the country.
Other Protected areas in Nagaland
• Intanki National Park, Puliebadze Wildlife Sanctuary, Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary and Rangapahar Wildlife
Sanctuary.
5.10. THE NATI ONA L WI LD L I FE GE NE TI C R E SOUR CE BANK
Why in news?
Union Science and Technology Minister dedicated the National Wildlife Genetic Resource Bank (NWGRB) in Hyderabad.
More on News
• It is established at Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) and can store 17,000 vials worth of samples.
• So far, genetic resources from 23 species of Indian wild animals have been collected and preserved. However, it is planned to contain genetic resources from 250 species in the beginning.
Related Information
Wildlife Genetic Resource Banking (GRB) is a systematic collection and preservation of tissues, sperm, eggs and embryos, genetic material (DNA/RNA) of living beings.
Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species
• It is a dedicated laboratory of the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad.
• It is the only institute in the country working towards conservation of endangered wildlife using modern biotechnologies to save endangered wildlife species of India.
47 ©Vision IAS
Utility of the institute
• This facility would increase the collection of genetic resources from wildlife by facilitating exchange of genetic material between Indian zoos for maintaining genetic diversity.
• It would also facilitate research work.
5.11. 3D-PR I NTE D AR TI FI CI A L R E E F
Why in news?
Recently, World's largest 3D-printed reef installed in Maldives, for coral reefs survive due to threat posed by climate change and warming waters.
About the 3D-Printed Artificial Reef
• It was developed using computer modelling and a 3D printer, which resemble reef structures typically found in the Maldives.
• The reef structure is cast in ceramic, an inert material similar to the calcium carbonate found in coral reefs.
• Live coral was then transplanted within the artificial reef, where it will grow and colonize the structure.
Significance
• Rising temperatures across the reefs have led to coral bleaching thus the initiative is vital to ensure the survival of marine habitats.
• Traditionally, coral reefs take hundreds of years to form. However, given the speed of ongoing man-made habitat destruction, reefs wouldn’t have time to recover.
Related Information
What is an Artificial Reef?
• It is a human made structure, similar to natural coral reef, built with the specific aim of promoting the marine life of an area.
• Most common forms of artificial reefs are submerged shipwrecks, bridges, lighthouses, etc, which often start functioning as marine habitat after a period of time.
Similar Initiatives
• In 2017, Tamil Nadu govt in collaboration with IIT Madras have been restoring Vaan Island in Gulf of Mannar by deploying artificial reefs.
What is 3D-Printing Technology?
• It is an additive process wherein an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.
• Artificial reefs helps in generating marine ecosystem and boosting commercial activities by providing fishing grounds.
Why in news?
Madhya Pradesh forest department seeks to revive the plan to reintroduce Cheetahs in Nauradehi sanctuary.
About the Plan
• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), is nodal agency for the Cheetahs reintroduction plan.
• In 2009 Project Cheetah was launched and Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary (MP) and Shahgarh area in Rajasthan were also identified as other two sites for cheetah reintroduction plan.
• Nauradehi was found to be the most suitable area for the cheetahs as its forests are not very dense to restrict the fast movement of Cheetahs.
46 ©Vision IAS
Significance of the move
• It will make India the only country in the world to host six of the world's eight large cats, including lions, tigers, jaguars, panthers and leopards.
• Cheetah is the flagship species of the grasslands. This will help dryland ecosystems of India to return to their natural state.
Issue Involved
• Earlier plans for reintroduction of Cheetah have been stalled due to insufficient funds and inadequacy of field assessment.
• Some wild life experts are on the view that the introduction of African cheetah may act as an alien species to the native ecosystem which might generate negative effects on indigenous wild life species.
5.9. NE W E LE PHANT R E SE R VE
Related Information
About Cheetahs
• It was declared extinct in India in 1952 and last spotted in Chhattisgarh 1947.
• The only mammal to become extinct in
India in last 1,000 years.
• IUCN status: Vulnerable
National Tiger Conservation Authority
• It is a statutory body and has overarching supervisory/coordination role as provided in the Wildlife (Protection) Act,
1972.
• It approves the Tiger Conservation Plan prepared by the State Governments.
Why in News?
Recently, Nagaland government declared the Singphan Wildlife Sanctuary as an Elephant Reserve, with the approval of central government.
About the Singhphan Elephant Reserve
• It is located in Mon district of Nagaland and spreads over an area of 5825 acres.
• It has huge tracts of forest, strategically located in contiguity with the Abhaypur Reserve Forest of Assam.
• Presently, elephant distribution habitat in Nagaland is highly fragmented, this move will give better protection and conservation of elephants in the state.
Related Information
Status of elephant conservation;
• Elephant is National Heritage Animal and categorised as Endangered under IUCN list.
• It is under schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES).
• Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand is the first Elephant Reserve of the Country.
• Karnataka has the highest number of elephants followed by Assam and Kerala respectively.
• After the declaration it became the 30th Elephant Reserve in the country.
Other Protected areas in Nagaland
• Intanki National Park, Puliebadze Wildlife Sanctuary, Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary and Rangapahar Wildlife
Sanctuary.
5.10. THE NATI ONA L WI LD L I FE GE NE TI C R E SOUR CE BANK
Why in news?
Union Science and Technology Minister dedicated the National Wildlife Genetic Resource Bank (NWGRB) in Hyderabad.
More on News
• It is established at Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) and can store 17,000 vials worth of samples.
• So far, genetic resources from 23 species of Indian wild animals have been collected and preserved. However, it is planned to contain genetic resources from 250 species in the beginning.
Related Information
Wildlife Genetic Resource Banking (GRB) is a systematic collection and preservation of tissues, sperm, eggs and embryos, genetic material (DNA/RNA) of living beings.
Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species
• It is a dedicated laboratory of the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad.
• It is the only institute in the country working towards conservation of endangered wildlife using modern biotechnologies to save endangered wildlife species of India.
47 ©Vision IAS
Utility of the institute
• This facility would increase the collection of genetic resources from wildlife by facilitating exchange of genetic material between Indian zoos for maintaining genetic diversity.
• It would also facilitate research work.
5.11. 3D-PR I NTE D AR TI FI CI A L R E E F
Why in news?
Recently, World's largest 3D-printed reef installed in Maldives, for coral reefs survive due to threat posed by climate change and warming waters.
About the 3D-Printed Artificial Reef
• It was developed using computer modelling and a 3D printer, which resemble reef structures typically found in the Maldives.
• The reef structure is cast in ceramic, an inert material similar to the calcium carbonate found in coral reefs.
• Live coral was then transplanted within the artificial reef, where it will grow and colonize the structure.
Significance
• Rising temperatures across the reefs have led to coral bleaching thus the initiative is vital to ensure the survival of marine habitats.
• Traditionally, coral reefs take hundreds of years to form. However, given the speed of ongoing man-made habitat destruction, reefs wouldn’t have time to recover.
Related Information
What is an Artificial Reef?
• It is a human made structure, similar to natural coral reef, built with the specific aim of promoting the marine life of an area.
• Most common forms of artificial reefs are submerged shipwrecks, bridges, lighthouses, etc, which often start functioning as marine habitat after a period of time.
Similar Initiatives
• In 2017, Tamil Nadu govt in collaboration with IIT Madras have been restoring Vaan Island in Gulf of Mannar by deploying artificial reefs.
What is 3D-Printing Technology?
• It is an additive process wherein an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.
• Artificial reefs helps in generating marine ecosystem and boosting commercial activities by providing fishing grounds.
ReplyDeleteIt was really great blog provide helpful information !
Top 10 Best Known Unique Wild Animals In India