NBWL and Wildlife Conservation

• 04 Mar 2025

For Prelims: National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), Gir National Park, Great Indian Bustard, Gharial, Geospatial Mapping, Project Cheetah, Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Banni Grasslands, Project Lion, Maldhari Community, Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

For Mains: Recent initiatives and role of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) in wildlife conservation. 

Source: IE 

Why in News? 

The Prime Minister chaired the 7^th meeting of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) at the Gir National Park (Junagadh, Gujarat) on the occasion of the World Wildlife Day (3rd March) and announced several initiatives for wildlife conservation. 

What is World Wildlife Day? 

• About: It is observed annually on 3rd March (adopted CITES in 1973) to highlight the urgent need to protect biodiversity amid the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. 
• Origin: It was established by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2013. 
• Theme 2025: Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet. 
  • It emphasizes the importance of financial investment in wildlife conservation to ensure a sustainable future. 

What are the Key Announcements During the 7th meeting of NBWL? 

• New Initiatives: 
  • Great Indian Bustard Conservation: A National Great Indian Bustard Conservation Plan was announced to address the declining population of this critically endangered species. 
  • Gharial Conservation: A new Gharial conservation initiative was launched to arrest the dwindling population of gharials. 
  • Centre for Human-Wildlife Conflict: The Centre for Excellence in Human-Wildlife Conflict Management was announced and it will be located at the Wildlife Institute of India's Coimbatore campus. 
    • It will equip rapid response teams with advanced tracking and surveillance, deploy detection systems in conflict zones, and train field staff and communities in mitigation. 
    • PM emphasized using AI, ML, remote sensing, and geospatial mapping to tackle forest fires and human-animal conflicts. 
    • WII and Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) will collaborate to tackle human-wildlife conflict.  
  • National Referral Centre for Wildlife: PM laid the foundation stone for the National Referral Centre for Wildlife in Junagadh, a hub for wildlife health and disease management. 
  • New Task Forces: New task forces were formed for the conservation of Indian Sloth Bear, Gharials, and Great Indian Bustard. 
• Expansion of Project Cheetah: The government announced Project Cheetah's expansion to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary (Madhya Pradesh) and Banni Grasslands (Gujarat). 
• Strengthening Project Lion: The government extended the Project Lion for 10 years to expand Asiatic Lions' range across Gujarat's Saurashtra region. 
  • The 16th Asiatic Lion population estimation will be conducted in May 2024 that is conducted every five years (last done in 2020). 
• Riverine Dolphin Estimation: India's 1st Riverine Dolphin Estimation Report was released that revealed 6,327 dolphins in the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus river basins. 
• Traditional Knowledge in Wildlife Conservation: Modi urged NBWL and the ministry to collect traditional knowledge and manuscripts on forest and wildlife conservation for research and development. 
• Community Participation: He emphasized community involvement in wildlife conservation, forest fire management, and sustainable coexistence  
  • E.g., Role of Maldhari community in lion conservation.

Click Here to Read: Who are Maldharis?

What is NBWL? 

• About: NBWL is a statutory body constituted under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (WPA, 1972). It is the apex body on wildlife conservation and development. 
• Composition: The NBWL is a 47-member committee headed by the Prime Minister, who serves as the ex-officio Chairperson, while the Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change serves as the Vice-Chairperson. 
  • Its members include: 
    • Officials involved in wildlife conservation 
    • The Chief of Army Staff, Defence Secretary, and Expenditure Secretary. 
    • Ten eminent conservationists, ecologists, and environmentalists nominated by the central government. 
• Functions: It is mandated to promote conservation and development of wildlife and forest. 
• Role in Tiger Reserves: It ensures that no tiger reserve is diverted to unsustainable use without its approval, with advice from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). 

Drishti Mains Question: 

Discuss the significance of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) in India's wildlife conservation efforts.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs) 

Prelims 

Q. Consider the following protected areas:  

1. Bandipur 
2. Manas 
3. Bhitarkanika
4. Sunderbans

Which of the above are declared Tiger Reserves? 

(a) 1 and 2 only  

(b) 1, 3 and 4 only 

(c) 2, 3 and 4 only  

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 

Ans: (b)

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Mains

Q. How does biodiversity vary in India? How is the Biological Diversity Act,2002 helpful in the conservation of flora and fauna? (2018)