π Topic 05 of 6 Β· Chapter 05 Β· Natural Vegetation & Wildlife
IUCN Categories & Endangered Species of India
IUCN categories, critically endangered species, conservation projects β complete notes for UPSC & PSC exams.
πΏ IUCN Red List Categories
| Category | Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Extinct | EX | No individuals remaining anywhere |
| Extinct in Wild | EW | Survives only in captivity |
| Critically Endangered | CR | Extremely high risk of extinction |
| Endangered | EN | High risk of extinction |
| Vulnerable | VU | High risk if threats continue |
| Near Threatened | NT | Close to qualifying as threatened |
| Least Concern | LC | Widespread and abundant |
πΎ Critically Endangered Species in India
- Great Indian Bustard β Rajasthan; fewer than 150 remaining
- Gharial β Chambal, Girwa rivers; critically endangered crocodilian
- Hangul (Kashmir Stag) β Dachigam National Park, J&K
- Malabar Large-spotted Civet β Kerala
- Namdapha Flying Squirrel β Arunachal Pradesh
πΎ Major Wildlife Conservation Projects
| Project | Year | Species | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Tiger | 1973 | Bengal Tiger | 54 tiger reserves; India has ~75% of world’s tigers |
| Project Elephant | 1992 | Asian Elephant | 30 elephant reserves; Karnataka has most elephants |
| Project Crocodile | 1975 | Gharial, Mugger, Saltwater Crocodile | Successful recovery of gharial population |
| Project Snow Leopard | 2009 | Snow Leopard | Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, J&K, Sikkim, Arunachal |
| Project Hangul | 1970 | Kashmir Stag | Dachigam National Park, J&K |
β Cheetah Reintroduction:
India reintroduced cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park (Madhya Pradesh) in September 2022. Cheetahs had become extinct in India in 1952. This is the world’s first intercontinental cheetah translocation project.
India reintroduced cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park (Madhya Pradesh) in September 2022. Cheetahs had become extinct in India in 1952. This is the world’s first intercontinental cheetah translocation project.