Project Elephant Under the Project Elephant, states
having free-ranging population of wild elephants are given
financial as well as technical and scientific assistance to ensure long-term survival of identified viable populations of elephants in their natur:af habitats.
Main activities of the project are:
. ecological restoration of existing natural habitats and
migratory routes of elephants;
. development of scientific and planned management for conservation of elephant habitats and viable population of wild Asiatic elephant in India;
. promotion of measures for mitigation of manelephant conflict in crucial habitats and moderating pressures of human and domestic stock activities in crucial elephant habitats;
Friday, October 30, 2009
Project Tiger
Project Tiger Project Tiger was launched in 1973 on the basis of the recommendations of a special task force of the Indian Board of Wildlife to (i) ensure maintenance of available population
. of tiger in India, and (ii) preserve the areas of such biological importance as a national heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people.
Project Tiger is a centrally-sponsored scheme. The states receive 100 per cent financial assistance for non-recurring items and 50 per cent for approved recurring items. The government has approved the following major initiatives for implementation during the Ninth Plan:
. creation of six new tiger reserves;
. project allowances to the fielCl staff of tiger
reserves as an incentive measure for officials who work in very harsh and deficient conditions; and
'. development of paramilitary force in troubled tiger reserves at 100 per cent central assistance.
A beneficiary-oriented scheme for tribal development has been launched to rehabilitate the tribal and other families under relocation plan, to shift the families from inside the protected areas to outside. The main components are:
. identification of the villages to be
relocated,
. identification of sites for rClocation,
and
. preparation of rehabilitation projects.
An eco-development scheme in and around national parks and sanctuaries including tiger reserves was launched to provide alternate sources of sustenance to the communities living at the fringes of national parks and sanctuaries including tiger reserves to improve the ecological productivity of the buffer zones of protected areas through the involvement of these communities in protecting these sanctuaries and national parks and their wildlife.
The various activities undertaken under the scheme are: habitat improvement; alternate source of energy; infrastructure building/roads, etc.; and small welfare measures.
'India Eco-Development Project is being implemented in seven protected areas in seven different states as the externally aided centrally-sponsored plan scheme under Eco-Development Around Protected Areas Including Tiger Reserves. It covers two national parks and five tiger reserv~s. The main aim of the project is to conserve biodiversity through eco-development, effective and extensive support for eco-development and preparation of future bio-diversity projects. The project is implemented in seven areas, namely, Buxa, Palamau, Nagarhole, Periyar, Pench, RanthamboreTiger Reserve and Gir National Park.
There are twenty-seven tiger reserves in the country (see table).
. of tiger in India, and (ii) preserve the areas of such biological importance as a national heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people.
Project Tiger is a centrally-sponsored scheme. The states receive 100 per cent financial assistance for non-recurring items and 50 per cent for approved recurring items. The government has approved the following major initiatives for implementation during the Ninth Plan:
. creation of six new tiger reserves;
. project allowances to the fielCl staff of tiger
reserves as an incentive measure for officials who work in very harsh and deficient conditions; and
'. development of paramilitary force in troubled tiger reserves at 100 per cent central assistance.
A beneficiary-oriented scheme for tribal development has been launched to rehabilitate the tribal and other families under relocation plan, to shift the families from inside the protected areas to outside. The main components are:
. identification of the villages to be
relocated,
. identification of sites for rClocation,
and
. preparation of rehabilitation projects.
An eco-development scheme in and around national parks and sanctuaries including tiger reserves was launched to provide alternate sources of sustenance to the communities living at the fringes of national parks and sanctuaries including tiger reserves to improve the ecological productivity of the buffer zones of protected areas through the involvement of these communities in protecting these sanctuaries and national parks and their wildlife.
The various activities undertaken under the scheme are: habitat improvement; alternate source of energy; infrastructure building/roads, etc.; and small welfare measures.
'India Eco-Development Project is being implemented in seven protected areas in seven different states as the externally aided centrally-sponsored plan scheme under Eco-Development Around Protected Areas Including Tiger Reserves. It covers two national parks and five tiger reserv~s. The main aim of the project is to conserve biodiversity through eco-development, effective and extensive support for eco-development and preparation of future bio-diversity projects. The project is implemented in seven areas, namely, Buxa, Palamau, Nagarhole, Periyar, Pench, RanthamboreTiger Reserve and Gir National Park.
There are twenty-seven tiger reserves in the country (see table).
ENDANGERED FAUNA IN INDIA
ENDANGERED FAUNA IN INDIA
Some of the animal species listed below have been identified as endangered ones in India.
Mammals
Primates About 12 out of 19 are endangered. The chief species are, Haolock gibbon (the only ape in India), liontailed macaque. stumptailed macaque, pigtailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, the capped, golden and phayre's leaf monkey.
Pholidota The Chinese pangolin and the Indian pangolin. Carnivora About 28 out of 36 are endangered. These include mainly Indian wolf, jackal, red fox, Indian fox, wild dog, the Himalayan brown bear, sloth bear, red panda, Ermine, ratel, Malabar Civet, tiger Civet, striped hyaena, Tiger, Indian lion, leopard, desert cat, lynx, caracal, jungle cat, leopard cat, Palla's cat, golden cat, Marbled cat and other cats, dugong.
Perissodactyla Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, smaller one-horned and the Asiatic two-horned rhinoceros, Indian wild ass. Tibetan wild ass.
Arliodactyla Andaman wild pig, Kashmir stag or hangul, swamp deer or barasingha. brow-antlered deer, Alpine musk deer, forest musk deer, mouse-deer, blackbuck or Indian antelope, chinkara or Indian gazelle, chiru or Tibetan antelope, four-horned antelope or chowsinga, gour or Indian bison, wild yak, wild buffalo. tahrs.
Lagomorpha Assam rabbit.
Rodentia Eleven species of flying squirrels and two of marmots.
Cetacea Gangetic dolphin, baleen whales, and other whales and marine dolphines.
Birds These include geese. swans, pinkheued duck. whitewinged wood duck, grey teal whooper swan, mute swan. Indian black-crested baza, blyth's baza, black eagle, many bawks, eagles and falcons, game birds, Bamboo partridge. Red spuriowl, painted spuriowl, mountain quail, blood pheasant, satyrtragopan, Blyth's tragopan, several pheasants, koklas pheas- . ant, chir pheasant. peacock pheasant, Indian peafowl. several cranes like eastern common crane, blacknecked crane. Hooded crane, great white crane. masked finfoot, several bustards and floricans like little bustard, houbra bustard, the great Indian bustard, the Bengal florican. Indian skimmer, the Nicobar pigeon, several frogmouths particularly Hodgson's frog mouth. the horn bills as white throated brown bornbill, the rufusnecked hornbill, wreathed hornbill, the great piea hornbill. Indian pied hornbill and the Malabar pied hornbill.
Reptiles Several turtle, tortoise and terrapin as leatherback or trunk turtle. the green sea turtle. the loggerhead and the hawksbill or tortoise shell turtle, the estuarine crocidile. the I marsh crocodile and the gharial; monitor lizards: Indian python.
Amphibia The viviparous toad. Indian salamander. !
Invertebrates
Crustacea The coconut or robber crab. (a large hermit crab).
Insecta Some dragonflies, butterflies and moths and beetles. most endangered ones is tiIIyards dragonfly: of moths and butterflies, 55 forms are known in India, of which 14 are rare.
Some of the animal species listed below have been identified as endangered ones in India.
Mammals
Primates About 12 out of 19 are endangered. The chief species are, Haolock gibbon (the only ape in India), liontailed macaque. stumptailed macaque, pigtailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, the capped, golden and phayre's leaf monkey.
Pholidota The Chinese pangolin and the Indian pangolin. Carnivora About 28 out of 36 are endangered. These include mainly Indian wolf, jackal, red fox, Indian fox, wild dog, the Himalayan brown bear, sloth bear, red panda, Ermine, ratel, Malabar Civet, tiger Civet, striped hyaena, Tiger, Indian lion, leopard, desert cat, lynx, caracal, jungle cat, leopard cat, Palla's cat, golden cat, Marbled cat and other cats, dugong.
Perissodactyla Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, smaller one-horned and the Asiatic two-horned rhinoceros, Indian wild ass. Tibetan wild ass.
Arliodactyla Andaman wild pig, Kashmir stag or hangul, swamp deer or barasingha. brow-antlered deer, Alpine musk deer, forest musk deer, mouse-deer, blackbuck or Indian antelope, chinkara or Indian gazelle, chiru or Tibetan antelope, four-horned antelope or chowsinga, gour or Indian bison, wild yak, wild buffalo. tahrs.
Lagomorpha Assam rabbit.
Rodentia Eleven species of flying squirrels and two of marmots.
Cetacea Gangetic dolphin, baleen whales, and other whales and marine dolphines.
Birds These include geese. swans, pinkheued duck. whitewinged wood duck, grey teal whooper swan, mute swan. Indian black-crested baza, blyth's baza, black eagle, many bawks, eagles and falcons, game birds, Bamboo partridge. Red spuriowl, painted spuriowl, mountain quail, blood pheasant, satyrtragopan, Blyth's tragopan, several pheasants, koklas pheas- . ant, chir pheasant. peacock pheasant, Indian peafowl. several cranes like eastern common crane, blacknecked crane. Hooded crane, great white crane. masked finfoot, several bustards and floricans like little bustard, houbra bustard, the great Indian bustard, the Bengal florican. Indian skimmer, the Nicobar pigeon, several frogmouths particularly Hodgson's frog mouth. the horn bills as white throated brown bornbill, the rufusnecked hornbill, wreathed hornbill, the great piea hornbill. Indian pied hornbill and the Malabar pied hornbill.
Reptiles Several turtle, tortoise and terrapin as leatherback or trunk turtle. the green sea turtle. the loggerhead and the hawksbill or tortoise shell turtle, the estuarine crocidile. the I marsh crocodile and the gharial; monitor lizards: Indian python.
Amphibia The viviparous toad. Indian salamander. !
Invertebrates
Crustacea The coconut or robber crab. (a large hermit crab).
Insecta Some dragonflies, butterflies and moths and beetles. most endangered ones is tiIIyards dragonfly: of moths and butterflies, 55 forms are known in India, of which 14 are rare.
CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE IN INDIA
CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE IN INDIA Due to continuous increase in the number of endangered species, many steps have been taken to protect and manage the wildlife of the country. Governmental and non-governmental organisations at Centre and state levels have been set up to protect the wildlife. The wildlife management in India aims at (i) protection of natural habitats through a controlled and limited exploitation of species; (ii) maintenance of the viable number of species in protected areas (national park, sanctuary, biosphere reserve, etc.); (iii) establishment of biosphere reserves for plant and animal species; and (iv) protection through legislation.
Wildlife Conservation Programmes A number of Wildlife Acts have been made from time to time by the Union and the state governments. Important among them are:
(i) Madras Wild Elephant Preservation Act, 1873 (ii) All India Elephant Preservation Act, 1879
(iii) The Wild Birds and Animals Prohibition Act, 1912 (iv) Bengal Rhinoceros Preservation Act, 1932
(v) Assam Rhinoceros Preservation Act, 1954
(vi) Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL), 1952
(vii) Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Indian Board for Wildlife (lBWL) The IBWL IS the apex advisory body in the field of wildlife conservJtion in the country and is headed by the prime minister of India. Its main functions are:
. to advise the Central and state governments for promotion of conservation and effective control of poaching of wildlife;
. to advise on the setting up of national parks sanctuaries and zoological gardens;
. to advise on the policy regarding export of living animals, skins, furs, feathers and other wildlife products;
. to review the progress in the field of wildlife conservation and suggest measure for its improvement;
. to promote public interest in wildlife and on need of its preservation in harmony with natural and human environment;
.. to assist in the formation of wildlife societies;
. to act as central coordinating agency for these
societies; and
. to advise the union government on any matter that it may refer to the Board.
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 The Act, accepted by all states except Jammu and Kashmir which has its own Act, governs wildlife conservation and protection of endangered species. The Act prohibits trade in rare and endangered species. The 1992 Act has been amended to make the provisions more effective. Endangered species of plants and animals have been brought under the purview of the Act.
Wildlife Institute of India (WII) The WII was established in 1982 under the Ministry of Agriculture and subsequently brought to the Ministry of Environment and Forest. The main mandate of this institute is to impart training to government and non-government personnel, to carry out research and training activities and advise on matter of conservation and management of wildlife resources.
Central Zoo Authority (CZA) The CZA with its headquarters in New Delhi was established in 1992 under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to upgrade the management of zoos in the cOlmtry with a view to enhance their role in conservation. It has 10 members and one whole time member secretary and is chaired by the Union minister for environment and forest.
National Zoological Park, New Delhi It is spread over an area of 176 acre and houses about 1200 animals and birds of 135 species. The effort at the Park is to maximise the visitor satisfaction by maintaining a healthy collection of a variety of endangered as well as common fauna.
Protected Areas Network Conservation of wildlife is a comprehensive system of protected areas. There are different categories of protected areas with different objectives. These include: national parks, sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, nature re'serves, natural monuments, cultural ,landscapes, etc.
There are 92 national parks and 500 wildlife sanctuaries in the country covering an area of 1.56 lakh sq km. The Union government provides 100 per cent assistance to the states for non-recurring items of expenditure for national parks and sanctuaries, whereas 50 per cent assistance is provided for recurring items of expenditure also in case of national parks.
Wildlife Conservation Programmes A number of Wildlife Acts have been made from time to time by the Union and the state governments. Important among them are:
(i) Madras Wild Elephant Preservation Act, 1873 (ii) All India Elephant Preservation Act, 1879
(iii) The Wild Birds and Animals Prohibition Act, 1912 (iv) Bengal Rhinoceros Preservation Act, 1932
(v) Assam Rhinoceros Preservation Act, 1954
(vi) Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL), 1952
(vii) Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Indian Board for Wildlife (lBWL) The IBWL IS the apex advisory body in the field of wildlife conservJtion in the country and is headed by the prime minister of India. Its main functions are:
. to advise the Central and state governments for promotion of conservation and effective control of poaching of wildlife;
. to advise on the setting up of national parks sanctuaries and zoological gardens;
. to advise on the policy regarding export of living animals, skins, furs, feathers and other wildlife products;
. to review the progress in the field of wildlife conservation and suggest measure for its improvement;
. to promote public interest in wildlife and on need of its preservation in harmony with natural and human environment;
.. to assist in the formation of wildlife societies;
. to act as central coordinating agency for these
societies; and
. to advise the union government on any matter that it may refer to the Board.
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 The Act, accepted by all states except Jammu and Kashmir which has its own Act, governs wildlife conservation and protection of endangered species. The Act prohibits trade in rare and endangered species. The 1992 Act has been amended to make the provisions more effective. Endangered species of plants and animals have been brought under the purview of the Act.
Wildlife Institute of India (WII) The WII was established in 1982 under the Ministry of Agriculture and subsequently brought to the Ministry of Environment and Forest. The main mandate of this institute is to impart training to government and non-government personnel, to carry out research and training activities and advise on matter of conservation and management of wildlife resources.
Central Zoo Authority (CZA) The CZA with its headquarters in New Delhi was established in 1992 under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to upgrade the management of zoos in the cOlmtry with a view to enhance their role in conservation. It has 10 members and one whole time member secretary and is chaired by the Union minister for environment and forest.
National Zoological Park, New Delhi It is spread over an area of 176 acre and houses about 1200 animals and birds of 135 species. The effort at the Park is to maximise the visitor satisfaction by maintaining a healthy collection of a variety of endangered as well as common fauna.
Protected Areas Network Conservation of wildlife is a comprehensive system of protected areas. There are different categories of protected areas with different objectives. These include: national parks, sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, nature re'serves, natural monuments, cultural ,landscapes, etc.
There are 92 national parks and 500 wildlife sanctuaries in the country covering an area of 1.56 lakh sq km. The Union government provides 100 per cent assistance to the states for non-recurring items of expenditure for national parks and sanctuaries, whereas 50 per cent assistance is provided for recurring items of expenditure also in case of national parks.
ECOLOGICAL DIVISIONS
ECOLOGICAL DIVISIONS India is divided into the following five ecological sub-regions for studying its varied wildlife.
I. The Himalayan Mountain System This region is again divided into the following three regions with their characteristic wildlife:
(a) The Himalaya Foothills Big mammals of north India like elephant, sambar, swamp deer, cheetal, hog deer, great Indian one-homed rhinoceros, wild buffalo, golden langur, etc.
(b) Western Himalayas (high altihlde region) Wild ass, wild goats (thar, markhor, ibex) and sheep (Nayan, Marcopolo's sheep, bharal or blue sheep); antelopes (chiru and Tibetan gazelle), deers (hangul or Kashmir stag and slou or Sikkim stag, musk deer); smaller mammals like marmots and pikas, etc.
(c) Eastern Himalayas Red panda, hog badgers, crestless porcupines, goat antelopes (scrow, gora\, takins).
II. Peninsular Indian Sub-region This is a true home of Indian wildlife with two distinct zones (a) peninsular India and its extension into the drainage basin of the Ganges river system, and (b) desert region of Rajasthan.
(a) Peninsular India It is the home of wildlife thriving in tropical moist deciduous to tropical dry deciduous vegetation. Important fauna include elephant; wild boar; deers (cheetal or axis deer, hog deer, swamp deer or bursinga, sambhar); antelopes (four-homed antelope, nilgai, blackbuck, etc.); wild dog; and gaur (a bull).
(b) Indian Desert Animals are mostly burrowing ones. Among mammals rodents are the largest group. The Indian desert gerbils are mouselike rodents. Other animals are wild ass, blackbuck, desert cat, caracal, etc. Among birds the most discussed is Great Indian bustard.
III. Tropical Evergreen Forest Region or Indo-Malayan Sub-region The region with heavy rainfall is very rich in animals. There are wild elephants, gaur and other larger animals. Most species are tree dwellers. The most prominent ones are hoolock gibbons (only ape found in India), golden langur, capped langur or leaf monkey, etc.
IV. Andaman and Nicobar Islands These islands are houses for many species of mammals, reptiles and marine animals. Among mammals, bats and rats are predominant. They constitute about 75 per cent of the total mammals found on islands. Pigs, crab-eating macaque, palm civet and deers are other important land animals of the islands. Dugong, false killer whale and dolphin are prominent marine mammals. The islands house rare birds such as Narcondum hornbill, Nicobar pigeon and megapode.
V. Mangrove Swamps of Sunderbans Fish, small crabs, and the Dorippe (having an unusual association with sea anempne), weaver ants, spotted deer, pigs, lizards, etc., are important animal lives. The most interesting animal is the man-eater tiger of Sunderbans.
I. The Himalayan Mountain System This region is again divided into the following three regions with their characteristic wildlife:
(a) The Himalaya Foothills Big mammals of north India like elephant, sambar, swamp deer, cheetal, hog deer, great Indian one-homed rhinoceros, wild buffalo, golden langur, etc.
(b) Western Himalayas (high altihlde region) Wild ass, wild goats (thar, markhor, ibex) and sheep (Nayan, Marcopolo's sheep, bharal or blue sheep); antelopes (chiru and Tibetan gazelle), deers (hangul or Kashmir stag and slou or Sikkim stag, musk deer); smaller mammals like marmots and pikas, etc.
(c) Eastern Himalayas Red panda, hog badgers, crestless porcupines, goat antelopes (scrow, gora\, takins).
II. Peninsular Indian Sub-region This is a true home of Indian wildlife with two distinct zones (a) peninsular India and its extension into the drainage basin of the Ganges river system, and (b) desert region of Rajasthan.
(a) Peninsular India It is the home of wildlife thriving in tropical moist deciduous to tropical dry deciduous vegetation. Important fauna include elephant; wild boar; deers (cheetal or axis deer, hog deer, swamp deer or bursinga, sambhar); antelopes (four-homed antelope, nilgai, blackbuck, etc.); wild dog; and gaur (a bull).
(b) Indian Desert Animals are mostly burrowing ones. Among mammals rodents are the largest group. The Indian desert gerbils are mouselike rodents. Other animals are wild ass, blackbuck, desert cat, caracal, etc. Among birds the most discussed is Great Indian bustard.
III. Tropical Evergreen Forest Region or Indo-Malayan Sub-region The region with heavy rainfall is very rich in animals. There are wild elephants, gaur and other larger animals. Most species are tree dwellers. The most prominent ones are hoolock gibbons (only ape found in India), golden langur, capped langur or leaf monkey, etc.
IV. Andaman and Nicobar Islands These islands are houses for many species of mammals, reptiles and marine animals. Among mammals, bats and rats are predominant. They constitute about 75 per cent of the total mammals found on islands. Pigs, crab-eating macaque, palm civet and deers are other important land animals of the islands. Dugong, false killer whale and dolphin are prominent marine mammals. The islands house rare birds such as Narcondum hornbill, Nicobar pigeon and megapode.
V. Mangrove Swamps of Sunderbans Fish, small crabs, and the Dorippe (having an unusual association with sea anempne), weaver ants, spotted deer, pigs, lizards, etc., are important animal lives. The most interesting animal is the man-eater tiger of Sunderbans.
BIOGEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS OF INDIA
The Wildlife Institute of India has identified ten biogeographical zones in India which are rich in genetic diversity of plant and animal life.
Trans-Himalayan region Though with a sparse vegetation, this region has the richest wild sheep and goat community to be found anywhere in the world. The rare snow leopard and the migratory black-necked crane are found in this zone.
Himalayan region This region has one of the highest mountain ranges in the world and is rich in species biodiversity.
Indian Desert The region has extensive grasslands with many species including the endangered great Indian bustard.
Semi-arid region Located adjoining the desert. has rich species diversity.
The Western Ghats The dense forests of the Ghats harbour a number of species diverse in nature.
Deccan Peninsula It comprises the Deccan Plateau which is mainly semi-arid.
Gangetic Plains These plains in the north extend up to the foothills of the Himalayas and are rich in biodiversity.
North-East region This region is the richest biodiversity centre in India. It has several species of orchids, bamboos, ferns and other plants. It is the domestication centre of plants of banana, mango, citrus and jute which are cultivated.
Islands The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea harbour many endemic species of plants and animals.
Coasts The coasts of India that stretch over 5,500 km are an important biogeographical region. The estuarine tracts along the coasts have a peculiar mangrove vegetation.
India is one of the twelve centres or regions of diversity of crop plants in the world where a rich genetic diversity occurs in several crop plants and their wild progenitors.
Trans-Himalayan region Though with a sparse vegetation, this region has the richest wild sheep and goat community to be found anywhere in the world. The rare snow leopard and the migratory black-necked crane are found in this zone.
Himalayan region This region has one of the highest mountain ranges in the world and is rich in species biodiversity.
Indian Desert The region has extensive grasslands with many species including the endangered great Indian bustard.
Semi-arid region Located adjoining the desert. has rich species diversity.
The Western Ghats The dense forests of the Ghats harbour a number of species diverse in nature.
Deccan Peninsula It comprises the Deccan Plateau which is mainly semi-arid.
Gangetic Plains These plains in the north extend up to the foothills of the Himalayas and are rich in biodiversity.
North-East region This region is the richest biodiversity centre in India. It has several species of orchids, bamboos, ferns and other plants. It is the domestication centre of plants of banana, mango, citrus and jute which are cultivated.
Islands The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea harbour many endemic species of plants and animals.
Coasts The coasts of India that stretch over 5,500 km are an important biogeographical region. The estuarine tracts along the coasts have a peculiar mangrove vegetation.
India is one of the twelve centres or regions of diversity of crop plants in the world where a rich genetic diversity occurs in several crop plants and their wild progenitors.
WORLD DISTRIBUTION OF LAND ANIMALS
WORLD DISTRIBUTION OF LAND ANIMALS The biosphere can be seen as a single distributional unit (representing the largest animal community) as far as global distribution of all animals is concerned. It can be subdivided into two zoogeographical regions, e.g., (a) Land or terrestrial zoogeographical region; and (b) Aquatic (water) zoogeographical region. Zoogeographical regions are otherwise known as faunal regions.
The various facts worth. considering while studying the pattern of global distribution of animals are:
(a) That physical environmental conditions determine the number, abundance and diversity of animals;
(b) That there is zonal pattern in the global distribution of animals and this occurs in two forms (i) horizontal zones, and (ii) vertical zones;
(c) That the animals have radiated in all directions from the centre of their origin. In other words, the distributional patterns of the world fauna are found in concentric zones;
(d) That the diversity of animals of a region is the result of serveral phases of their dispersal and colonisation;
(e) That the concentration of animals could be possible only in the mammals whereas the distribution of other animal species is more widespread and is not specific;
(f) That the distributional patterns of all the animal species are not uniform because the distribution of same animal species is continuous while that of other species is discontinuous or disjunct.
(g) That the oceanic islands are characterised by special types of animals as there has been minimum migration and dispersal of animals and plants to the islands because
of great oceanic barriers.
Several attempts have been made by scientists from time to time to categorise the world animals into faunal regions. However, A.R. Wallace's classification (done is 1876) still remains the most acceptable. Broadly there are six major faunal regions of the world: (a) Palaearctic, (b) Nearctic, (c) Oriental or Indomalaya, (d) Ethiopian, (e) Australian, and (f) Neotropical regions. These faunal regions are further divided into sub-regions and have their region-specific characteristic animals. (See box on page 94 for details).
India's Wildlife Like an extremely wide variety of flora (plants), India is also very rich in fauna (animals). There are about 81,000 known species dispersed across the country. The country has about 2,500 species of fresh and marine water fish. There are nearly 1,200 species of birds.
The various facts worth. considering while studying the pattern of global distribution of animals are:
(a) That physical environmental conditions determine the number, abundance and diversity of animals;
(b) That there is zonal pattern in the global distribution of animals and this occurs in two forms (i) horizontal zones, and (ii) vertical zones;
(c) That the animals have radiated in all directions from the centre of their origin. In other words, the distributional patterns of the world fauna are found in concentric zones;
(d) That the diversity of animals of a region is the result of serveral phases of their dispersal and colonisation;
(e) That the concentration of animals could be possible only in the mammals whereas the distribution of other animal species is more widespread and is not specific;
(f) That the distributional patterns of all the animal species are not uniform because the distribution of same animal species is continuous while that of other species is discontinuous or disjunct.
(g) That the oceanic islands are characterised by special types of animals as there has been minimum migration and dispersal of animals and plants to the islands because
of great oceanic barriers.
Several attempts have been made by scientists from time to time to categorise the world animals into faunal regions. However, A.R. Wallace's classification (done is 1876) still remains the most acceptable. Broadly there are six major faunal regions of the world: (a) Palaearctic, (b) Nearctic, (c) Oriental or Indomalaya, (d) Ethiopian, (e) Australian, and (f) Neotropical regions. These faunal regions are further divided into sub-regions and have their region-specific characteristic animals. (See box on page 94 for details).
India's Wildlife Like an extremely wide variety of flora (plants), India is also very rich in fauna (animals). There are about 81,000 known species dispersed across the country. The country has about 2,500 species of fresh and marine water fish. There are nearly 1,200 species of birds.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
