Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s recent chairing of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)
meeting at Gir National Park coincided with World Wildlife Day and underscored
India’s commitment to wildlife conservation. The expansion of the Cheetah
reintroduction initiative, the release of India’s first-ever riverine dolphin
census, and the Rs 2,900 crore allocation for Project Lion are commendable
steps. However, the real challenge lies not just in increasing wildlife
populations but in managing human-animal conflicts that inevitably follow
conservation successes.
India’s wildlife
policies have long been measured by the rising numbers of endangered species,
but the carrying capacity of habitats remains poorly understood. The Gir
National Park, home to Asiatic lions, exemplifies this dilemma. Once reduced to
fewer than 20 individuals, lion numbers now exceed 670, with over 300 roaming
outside protected areas. While conservationists celebrate this recovery, the
reality is grimmer—lions increasingly venture into villages, roads, and even
beaches, leading to fatal encounters with humans, livestock killings, and
tragic accidents involving trains.
A similar pattern
is visible in elephant and tiger habitats, where deforestation and
infrastructure projects push animals beyond their traditional ranges,
increasing human-wildlife conflicts. In response, the NBWL meeting proposed the
use of artificial intelligence to mitigate such conflicts, but technology alone
cannot substitute for habitat management and translocation policies. The
Gujarat government’s refusal to relocate lions outside the state, despite
scientific recommendations, is an example of conservation being dictated by
regional pride rather than ecological necessity.
The riverine
dolphin census, which estimated 6,327 individuals, is a step towards better
conservation planning. However, protecting these dolphins requires tackling
threats like river pollution, sand mining, and dam construction—issues that
remain inadequately addressed in conservation policies. Similarly, the
establishment of the International Big Cats Alliance highlights India’s
ambition in global wildlife leadership, but it must first resolve its domestic
conservation contradictions.
While PM Modi
rightly emphasized community participation, the state’s approach to coexistence
remains flawed. Local communities, often the first to bear the brunt of
conservation policies, must be provided with sustainable alternatives, adequate
compensation for livestock losses, and decision-making roles in conservation
planning.
India’s wildlife
conservation success must not be measured solely by population figures. True
conservation demands a holistic approach—one that balances species recovery
with habitat expansion, scientific planning with political will, and technology
with community-led initiatives. Otherwise, we risk turning our conservation
triumphs into new crises, where neither humans nor animals truly thrive.
