X - Geo - CH2 - Forest and Wildlife Resources

Everwin Group of Schools
STD: X Social Science

Chapter: 2 Forest and wildlife resources
Flora and Fauna in India:
Biodiversity includes wildlife, cultivated species and different types of life found
on earth. They are linked in a system through multiple network of interdependence.
For example: e.g. eagle depends on snake, snake on frog, frog on butterfly, butterfly
on flowers of plants and plants on sun. We humans are also dependent on the system
for our existence. e.g. we depend on trees for fresh oxygen, we depend on river for
drinking water, we depend on soil that produces our food. The forest and tree cover
in the country is 23.81 % of the total geographical area out of which dense forests
covers 12.24%, open forests cover 8.99% and mangrove forests cover 0.14%.
Classification of Existing plants and animal species –

1.Normal Species – These are the Species whose population levels are considered to
be normal for their survival. E.g. – cattle, pine, rodents, etc.
2.Endangered Species – These are the Species which are in danger of death. E.g. –
crocodile, Indian tiger, and sangai.
3.Vulnerable Species – These are the Species whose population has declined to
levels from where it is likely to move into the endangered category. E.g. – blue sheep,
Asiatic elephant, Gangetic dolphin, etc.
4.Rare Species – These are the Species with small population and are under threat to
move into the endangered category. E.g. – Himalayan brown bear, desert fox and
hornbill, etc.
5.Endemic Species – These are the Species which are only found in some particular
areas usually isolated by natural or geographical barriers. E.g. – the Andaman teal
Nicobar pigeon, Andaman wild pig, Mithun in Arunachal Pradesh.
6.Extinct Species – Species which are not found after searching in the known areas
where they may occur. E.g. – pink head duck, the Asiatic cheetah
Reason for depletion of Flora and Fauna:

1. Industrial Economy
2. Consumption of Resources
3. Humans
4. Development of Transport
5. Agricultural expansion
6. Deforestation
7. Large-scale development projects
8. Mining
9. Grazing by animals
10. Overconsumption
11. Overpopulation
Results of depletion:
1. Many forest dependent communities which depends on forest and wildlife have no
importance and are becoming poor due to destruction of forests and wildlife.
2.There is no electricity and gas for cooking in rural areas, so people make use of
firewood for generating fire. As forests are getting destroyed there is less availability
of fuelwood. Timber and other woods are used by communities for the construction of
houses and for arts and crafts, as forests are getting destroyed there is also less
availability of timber which in turn also affects communities’ income generation.
3. Affecting Human Being
4. Degradation
5. Depletion of the Himalayan Yew (various species of trees)
6. Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India
Need of Conservation:
1.Conservation preserves water, soil, air, and the ecological diversity.
2.Preserve Genetic Diversity
3.Network of Inter-dependency
The Indian Wildlife (Protection) program Act:

 In the 1960s and 1970s, conservationists demanded a national wildlife
protection programme.
 In 1972 the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented. The aim was to
protect the endangered species by banning hunting, giving legal protection to
their habitats, and restricting trade in wildlife.
 Central and many state governments established national parks and wildlife
sanctuaries. The central government announced several projects for protecting
specific animals like the tiger, the one horned rhinoceros, the Kashmir stag or
hangul, three types of crocodiles – freshwater crocodile, saltwater crocodile and
the Gharial, the Asiatic lion, and others.
 Protection against hunting and trade throughout India was given to animals like
the Indian elephant, black buck (chinkara), the great Indian bustard (godawan)
and the snow leopard, etc.
 Under Wildlife Act of 1980 and 1986, several hundred butterflies, moths,
beetles, and dragonfly have been added to the list of protected species.
 In 1991, plants were also added to the list of protected species.
Project Tiger: Reasons for the extinction (death) of tigers are:
a. Poaching for trade – Poaching it is the process of illegal hunting, killing or
capturing of Tigers for their skins, bones, and tooth People poach because
animal products, such as hide, ivory, horn, teeth and bone, are sold to dealers
who make clothes, jewelry and other materials from them.
b. Shrinking habitat – Forests are destroyed to meet the need the growing
population, they are destroyed to make houses and roads, tiger depends on
forest for shelters, and covers. As there is no forest then there are no tigers
c. Depletion of prey base species: Tigers depends on deer and deer depends on
grass for its survival, natural vegetation is destroyed for the expansion
agriculture because of agriculture there is no food for deer to survive. As there
is no prey for tigers to survive, they also die.
d. Trade of tiger body parts: tigers are killed for the trade of their body parts, e.g.
tail is used to cure skin diseases, tiger skin is use to cure mental illness and
can be used for decoration, Tiger’s bones are used for making medicines. all
these are the reasons for the death of tigers
Preventive measures:
To protect the tigers from death in 1973, project tiger a tiger protection program was
started because of which a tiger population went up to 4002 in 1985 and, it was 4334
in 1989. In 1973, “Project Tiger”, one of the well publicised wildlife campaigns in the
world, was launched. In 1985 the tiger population went up to 4,002 and in 1989 it was
4,334. But in 1993, the population of the tiger had dropped to 3,600.
Tiger reserves of India:
India, has, 39 tiger, reserves, covering, an area, of 32137.14, sq km. Some of them
are:
1.Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand,
2.Sundarbans National Park in West Bengal,
3.Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh,
4.Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan,
5.Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam,
6.Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala.
Types and Distribution of Forest and Wildlife Resources:

1.Reserved Forests
2.Protected Forests
3.Unclassed Forests
Community and Conservation
Forests are the home to wild animal and some other communities. In India,
government and communities are struggling together to conserve forests and wildlife
resources. E.g. In Rajasthan at Sariska tiger reserves, Villagers have fought against
mining. (Stop mining it is against wildlife protection act). In many areas, villagers
themselves are protecting forests and wildlife.
Chipko Movement:
The famous Chipko movement in the Himalayas successfully resisted deforestation in
several areas and also implemented the community afforestation.
Beej Bachao Andolan:
Conservation methods or new methods of ecological farming are in practice. Farmers

and citizen’s groups like the Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri and Navdanya have shown
that crop production without the use of synthetic chemicals are possible and
economically viable.
Joint forest management:
It is the institution managed by forest department that works for management and
restoration of degraded forest land. There is need to accept only those economic
activities, that are people centric, environment-friendly and economically satisfying.

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Everwin Group of Schools

STD: X Social Science

Classification of Existing plants and animal species –

Reason for depletion of Flora and Fauna:

3. Affecting Human Being

5. Depletion of the Himalayan Yew (various species of trees)

6. Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India

1.Conservation preserves water, soil, air, and the ecological diversity.

2.Preserve Genetic Diversity

The Indian Wildlife (Protection) program Act:

Types and Distribution of Forest and Wildlife Resources:

Community and Conservation

Beej Bachao Andolan:

Conservation methods or new methods of ecological farming are in practice. Farmers

Joint forest management:

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