WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION Wildlife conservation is the wise management of natural environments for the protec­tion and benefits of plants af'ld animals. Wildlife conserva­tion has a long history in ,Europe. In Italy, for example, what is now Gran Paradisco National Park has been a wildlife sanctuary since 1856. Canada created its first national park, Banff National Park, in 1887. Australia set ul? its first national park in 1879. In 1898, the Sabi Game Reserve (now Kruger National Park) was established in what is now South Africa. This reserve was the beginning of the extensive network of national parks and game reserves that covers Africa. The first Asian and South American national parks were created during the early 1900s. A national park is an area set aside by a national government for the preservation of the natural environ­ment. A national park may also be set aside for purposes of public recreation and enjoyment or because of its historical or scientific interest.

The concept of a national park under state ownership originated in the US in 1870, and legislation creating the world's first such park-Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, was signed by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872. The national park system was expanded during the following decades; and the National Park Service was created in 1916 to administer the parks. Partly inspired by the American example, movements in favour of national parks sprang up in many countries.'
Some of the important international agreements/trea­ties signed to protect wild life and important sites are:

(i) The Ramsar Convention, 1971 It has been estab­lished to protect wetlands of the world. As a follow up, in 1988, 46 countries agreed to designate at least one wetland site of international importance in their national territory.
(ii) The Bonn Convention, 1979 It is devoted specifi­cally to the global state of migratory wildlife. Countries who are a party to the convention agree to give the strictest protection to animals listed.
(ii) Convention on International Trade in Endan­gered Species (CITES) of Wildlife Fauna and Flora, 1975 The CITES is an international treaty designed to protect wildlife from being threatened by international trade. This trade has been responsible for large declines in the number of many plant and animal species.