India's Wildlife on Brink: Mayday Conservation Fails?

India's approach to wildlife conservation often resembles a 'mayday' response, intervening only when species are on the verge of extinction. The Royal Bengal Tiger's numbers have drastically fallen from 40,000 at the turn of the century to around 1,400 between 2002 and 2008, primarily due to poaching for skins and bones. Conservation projects like Project Tiger were launched in 1973, yet critical declines continued, even leading to zero tigers in Sariska and Panna National Parks at certain points.

Similar alarming trends affect other species. The Asiatic Lion, reduced to a dozen survivors at the start of the century, now numbers around 700 but remains confined to Gujarat, creating a vulnerability to disease outbreaks. The Indian Rhinoceros, once critically low, has seen a population rise to about 4,000, but poaching and habitat fragmentation persist. Critically endangered species like the red panda and the Golden Langur are also under severe threat from poaching and habitat destruction.

Despite these challenges, habitat encroachment by infrastructure projects like highways and dams continues, often within protected areas. Human-tiger conflicts are rising as territories overlap, exacerbated by acts like the Forests Rights Act of 2006. Conservationists are forced to implement innovative measures, such as rope bridges for the lion-tailed macaque, to mitigate threats like road accidents and habitat fragmentation. The article argues that a proactive approach is necessary to prevent further species loss.