1
Summary
Environment Class 10

INTRODUCTION (1:06 PM)

  • Overview of the previous class.

Topics to be covered (1:10 PM)

  • Risk Assessment Categories
  • IUCN-Categories of Protected Areas 
  • Man and Biosphere Programme
  • Biosphere Reserves

Risk Assessment Categories (1:14 PM)

  • (1) Present population size of that species.
  • (2) Present geographic extent of the range.
  • (3) Rate of decline of population in the last 10 years.
  • (4) How restrictive is the range in a given species?
  • (5) Clear quantitative analysis to assess the probability of extinction.

Categories-

A. Extinct:

  • Exhaustive surveys in all known ranges- historical and recent have shown that there is no doubt that the last individual of species has died.
  • Beginning in 1990, till now 543 vertebrate species have become extinct in different regions of the world.

Examples of Extinct (1:31 PM)

  • (1) Dodo
  • The flightless bird of Mauritius became extinct by 1681 primarily due to man.
  • (2) Pink-headed Duck
  • Lived in the river basins of India and Burma, particularly in North-East India.
  • It became extinct in both regions by the 1950s.
  • (3) Indian Cheetah
  • Also called the Asiatic Cheetah became extinct in India by 1952 primarily due to hunting by man.
  • Secondarily, due to loss of habitat.
  • The Indian Cheetah was last recorded in MP in the Rewa region in the 1940s.
  • (4) Barbary Lion
  • It was found in the Atlas mountain of Northern Africa and became extinct after 1942 primarily due to hunting.
  • It has become regionally extinct but is preserved in captivity.
  • (5) Hawaiian Crow 
  • Hawaiian crow of the Hawaii islands, North Pacific became extinct in Hawaii by 2002.
  • It is maintained in captivity in the USA.

B. Extinct in the Wild (1:38 PM)

  • Exhaustive surveys in all known ranges- historical and recent have shown that there is no doubt that the last individual species has died in its natural ranges, but is artificially captivated in some man-preserved reserves, for example, Zoo.

C. Threatened Species (1:42 PM)

  • (1) Critically Endangered Species
  • (2) Endangered Species
  • (3) Vulnerable

(1) Critically Endangered Species

  • The population has declined by 80-90 % in the last 10 years or 3 generations, or;
  • The present population size of adult individuals is anywhere between 0-50, or;
  • The probability of extinction is 50% in the next 10 years based on quantitative analysis.
  • Critically Endangered means the species faces an extremely high risk of extinction.

Examples:

  • (i) Malabar Civet 
  • It is endemic to the Western Ghats and is one of the rare small mammals of the Western Ghats.
  • (ii) Sumatran Rhino
  • This is a very small rhino in terms of height.
  • It was part of North-East India, and also the Indonesian islands of Java, and Sumatra.
  • It became extinct from India and is CE from Java and Sumatra.
  • (iii) Great Indian Bustard
  • Found only in India.
  • Most of them are in the Desert National Park of Rajasthan (India's second biggest National Park after Hemis National Park in Ladakh).
  • About 1/3rd are in the Thar Desert of Pakistan. 
  • (iv) Gharial
  • The river-dwelling crocodile is only found in the Chambal basin of MP, UP, and Rajasthan.

(2) Endangered Species 

  • Reduction in population size by 50-70% in the last 10 years or 3 generations; or,
  • The present population size is 50-250 adult individuals; or,
  • The probability of extinction is 20% in the next 20 years.
  • EN means the species faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild. 

Examples:

  • (i) Himalayan Musk Deer
  • It is a kind of deer species but is devoid of antlers.
  • Only males have musk glands.
  • It is part of the Himalayan regions of Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Kashmir. 
  • (ii) Indian Wild Dog
  • Also called Dhole locally, is found in Central Indian Highlands like Vindhyans, Satpuras, and Western Ghats.
  • (iii) Lion Tailed Macaque
  • Only found in the Nilgiri regions of Western Ghats, particularly of Kerala, TN, and partly Karnataka.
  • Habitat destruction is the main threat.

(3) Vulnerable

  • Population size reduced by 30-50% in the last 10 years, or;
  • Adult population size presently is 250-1000, or;
  • The possibility of extinction in the wild is 10% over the next 100 years.
  • The species faces a high risk of extinction.

Examples:

  • (i) One-horned Rhino
  • It has improved its status to Vulnerable from earlier EN.
  • It is found in Manas and Kaziranga National Parks.
  • Poaching for its horns has been the main reason for its rapid population decline. 
  • (ii) Indian Bison or Gaur
  • Living in the Evergreen forests of South Asia and South East Asia and also living as a domesticated animal.
  • (iii) Chausingha or The-Four Horned Antelope
  • Found in Nepal, and peninsular India, it is a protected species in the Gir National Park.
  • (iv) Barasingha or Swamp Deer
  • Found in North India, Central India, and South West Nepal.
  • It is a protected animal in Kanha National Park, MP.
  • (v) Dugong or Sea Cow
  • It lives close to Mangrove forests' continental shelf and also in shallow waters of continental shelves because it feeds on seagrass.
  • No hind limbs, herbivores, and benthic.

(4) Near Threatened 

  • Species have been evaluated against the risk criteria of the threatened class but have not attracted any of these criteria.
  • It is likely to attract in the near future and slip into the threatened category.

(5) Least Concerned

  • Species have been evaluated against all risk criteria and are not close to threatened or near threatened categories.
  • The population is abundant and is also widespread in different regions.

(6) Data Deficient

  • Risk assessment is incomplete because of a lack of data and therefore conservation status is not decided.

(7) Not Evaluated

  • Species have been identified by scientists but have not been studied by the IUCN for the risk.

IUCN Category of Protected Areas (2:59 PM)

  • Based on:
  • The kind of species that are a part of the region:
  • The ecosystem they conserve
  • Cultural Diversity
  • The risk faced by life forms
  • The local communities

Protected Areas:

  • IUCN Categories of Protected Areas to define the aims of conservation for different Protected Areas and also to design the right patterns of human activity that can be allowed in different protected areas without harming the natural resources and ecosystems.

(1) Nature Reserves

  • Part of Class 1 A.
  • These are strict Nature Reserves.
  • These are regions with nature almost in its pure state and many ecosystems in almost their natural state.
  • These may also have a spiritual value for the surrounding communities.
  • All human activity is prohibited so that natural resources in the ecosystem are allowed to continue in their natural State.
  • Only scientific research and environmental monitoring are allowed under strict regulation.
  • Nature Reserves allow the last few regions in their purest natural state to exist on planet Earth without being altered by man.
  • They also are very important for Baseline Information on the natural state of the natural resources in ecosystems.
  • This information is used as a reference to understand the changes brought about by man in comparable ecosystems.
  • Biosphere Reserves in India come closest to Nature Reserves.

(2) Wilderness Area

  • Part of Class 1 B.
  • These are very close to Nature Reserves but have larger areas, and indigenous communities, who have been exploiting resources in the region without causing much harm to nature and ecosystems.
  • Therefore, these Protected Areas allow the indigenous communities to live there and exploit the resources but on the basis of scientific exploitation so that nature is still allowed to exist in its near-pure state.
  • No modern developmental activity is allowed.
  • Some national parks which have a huge area in their natural state can be called to be a part of Wilderness areas in India. 
  • Gulf of Mannar Narain National Park, Hemis National Park, etc. 

(3) National Park

  • Category II
  • They are particularly rich in flora and fauna and therefore require conservation.
  • They are large in area and therefore have many ecosystems within them.
  • These are therefore regions with importance for ecological processes which again need to be protected.
  • Many communities have been living in these regions and have been exploiting resources that have changed the natural character of the resources to a certain extent.
  • Therefore, protecting these regions aims to protect the functioning of different ecosystems of the region and conserve the rich flora and fauna.
  • Communities will be allowed to continue their patterns of activity but under regulation and some types of economic activity will not be allowed in certain regions of the National Park.
  • These communities will be provided alternative livelihoods via recreation and regulated tourism.
  • These communities will be allowed to exploit the resources of surrounding areas but in a manner that is not going to affect the ecosystems and the flora and the fauna. 
  • Human occupation of these ecosystems is not allowed. 
  • All National Parks in India can be put under the category II of National Parks in India.

(4) Natural monument 

  • Category III
  • These are small areas with a natural monument which is a special geographic or geological feature.
  • Sometimes some historical structure is also considered to be a natural monument.
  • For Example, the Pyramids of Egypt, Hanging Gardens, etc.
  • These regions and their surrounding habitats need to be protected because of their geographic or cultural value.
  • The surrounding regions also benefit because of conservation strategies.

TOPIC FOR THE NEXT CLASS: BIOSPHERE RESERVES, CONVENTION ON BIODIVERSITY, ETC.