Identify major biosphere reserves of india and discuss their role in the conservation of forest and wildlife
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Answer:
India has about 65,000 known species of fauna. Of these, 40,000 are insects, 372 mammals, 1,228 birds, 428 reptiles and 2,546 fishes. The mammals include elephant, rhinoceros, bison, wild sheep, swamp deer, spotted deer, nilgai, antelope, tiger, lion, snow leopard and the marbled cats. The forests and wet lands are inhabited by a number of colorful birds like pheasants, geese, ducks, mynahs, parakeets, pigeons, cranes and hornbills.
There are crocodiles and gharials in the rivers and lakes. The Himalayan range has goats, ibex and the panda. A large number of butterflies, moths and beetles are listed as endangered. So are 81 mammals, 47 birds and 15 reptiles.
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Extinction of plants and wildlife species is an outcome of interference by man leading to disturbance in the biological environment. Animal life in any area is to a large extent determined by the nature of plants in that area.
The two together constitute a composite ‘Ecosystem’. In a pond, the aquatic life survives on Algae. The food waste discharged in turn supports the plant life. The plants and aquatic creatures are thus interdependent. If there is a variation in plant life, it will lead to a change in animal life within the ecosystem.
Deforestation is one of the major factors leading to extinction of some wildlife species. Housing colonies lead to change in physical environment making a number of plant species extinct. Biomes are large ecosystems on land with a set of characteristic vegetation and animal life.
Forests Savanna, Temperate grass lands, Deserts and Tundra are the five major Biomes of the world. This classification helps in study of natural vegetation. With a view to protect India’s rich fauna, 92 national parks, 500 wildlife sanctuaries and 35 zoological gardens have been set up in the country. These cover about 4.5% of the country’s area.

Biosphere Reserves:
These reserves are intended to protect and conserve the diverse flora and fauna found in the country. Every plant and animal species will be protected in these reserves. The first such reserve came up in 1986 at the trijunction of the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It covers an area of about 5, 500 sq.km.
Two years later, another such reserve was set at Nanda Devi (Uttar Pradesh). The third reserve was set up in Meghalaya (Nokrek) in the same year. The submarine flora and fauna are to be preserved at Andaman and Nicobar Islands at the fourth bio reserve. The bio reserves need to be spread over diverse climate and vegetation zones such as valley of flowers, Thar Desert (Rajasthan), Rann of Kachchh (Gujarat) and Kaziranga, the home of horned Rhino.
The living species, both plant and animal need to be protected and preserved in their natural form. The bio reserves form the inner most circle. The outer zones are to be used for forest research and agricultural experimentation. There are at present 13 biosphere reserves in the country. The areas at Sunderbans, Gulf of Mannar and the Nilgiris are included in the world network.
Conservation:
It is very important that the existing species are protected for the coming generations. It has taken thousands and thousands of years for evolution of a particular form of life. It would be very irresponsible on the part of present generation to neglect their preservation.
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At present, 81 species of mammals, 38 of birds and 18 of amphibians and reptiles are considered to be endangered in India. Among the plants, 1300 species are endangered. Twenty species are already extinct. Every time a new housing colony or industrial unit comes up, some varieties of plants and animals lose their natural habitats. We lost the Cheetah due to uncontrolled hunting. We can no longer do the same to the tiger, rhino, lion or the Indian bustard.

Modern researches have enabled mankind to discover the medicinal values of a number of naturally occurring plants. A wide variety of medicinal plants is found in the forests and as natural vegetation. Quinine, the drug used in treatment of Malaria is extracted from the bark and wood of ‘Cinchona’. Camphor oil is distilled from the camphor tree. Morphine is obtained from opium poppies.
The Indian Ayurveda identified around 200 plants that have medicinal value. As many as 250 of them are being used by Ayurvedic physicians and as home remedies in Indian homes. Neem is commonly used as an antiseptic. Tulsi leaves are used to cure cough and cold.
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Tamun is used for its diuretic property by patients of diabetese. Sarpgandha, found only in India is used to regulate blood pressure. It would be a disaster if after having discovered the medicinal value; we find that the concerned flora is no longer available.
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