Page 83 - Science Class 08

balancing the environment and provides se ng up biosphere reserves wildlife sanctuary,
stability to different natural processes of
nature. It can be found in all ecosystems,
desert, rainforests, plains and other areas.
India’s wildlife is both rich and varied, it
includes all flora and fauna, animals, plants and
microorganisms.
Wildlife is important for its beauty, economic,
scien fic and survival value. It helps to
maintain the ecological balance of nature and
maintains the food chain. It provides useful
substances and wild animal products like ivory,
leather, honey, tusk etc. Besides being a
country’s cultural asset it also provides
aesthe c value to man. We largely depend on
wildlife for every elementary requirement in
our life, e.g., the clothes we wear and the
medicines we consume.
Some important threats before the wild
animals:
v Deforesta on
v Poaching
v Illegal trading of fur, skin, musk, teeth, etc.
CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE
India is a rich country in flora and fauna. It is
said that India has the largest variety of flora
and fauna in the world. But, a wide range of
flora and fauna have been varie es from our
country which is a ma er of great concern.
However, our government has done a commen-
dable job in the conserva on of wildlife by
Science-8
na onal parks, tiger reserves, etc.
Let us study about them in detail:
Biosphere Reserves
Biosphere reserves are the areas meant for
conserva on of biodiversity. You already know
that biodiversity is the variety of plants,
animals and microorganisms generally found in
an area. The biosphrere reserves help to
maintain the biodiversity and culture of that
area. A biosphere reserve may also contain
other protected areas in it.
For example, Panchmarhi Biosphere Reserve
consists of one na onal park named Satpura
and two wildlife sanctuaries named Bori and
Panchmarhi. There are 14 biosphere reserves in
our country.
Some of them are listed below:
Biosphere Area in sq. km. State
Reserve
Nilgiri (1996) 5520 Kerala,
Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu
Nanda Devi 1,580 U arakhand
(1989)
Great Nicobar Andaman and
(1989) 190 Nicobar
Sunderban West Bengal
Wildlife Sanctuaries
Wildlife sanctuaries provide protec on and
suitable living condi on to wild animals. In
wildlife sanctuaries killing (poaching) or
capturing of animals is strictly prohibited.
These sanctuaries are used to increase the
popula on of animals. However, harves ng of
mber, collec on of minor forest products and
private ownership right are permi ed in the
sanctuaries only to an extent which would not
interfere the normal life of the animals. There
are 421 sanctuaries in India.
83