In recent years man has interfered with nature as never before. He had destroyed forests,
drained swamps, polluted rivers and oceans and annihilated whole species of animal. In the
beginning of this century, a realization dawned that the presence of wild fauna in the
human environment is of great importance for the quality of life and survival of man
himself.
I.U.C.N.
With the birth of the protectionist, conscience, an international scientific organization was
formed in 1948 with headquarters at Morges in Switzerland. It is called the International
Union for the Conservation of Nature and Resources (IUCN).
Its aim is wildlife conservation. IUCN has more than 475 member organisations and 116
governmental agencies in 110 countries. IUCN prepares Red Data Book for endangered
species. It is modified every year and addition or deletion of animal is done in the list of
Book on the basis of animal’s status.
W.W.F.
The World Wild Life Fund (WWF), international, was founded in 1961, and, like the IUCN,
based at Morges in Switzerland. Its principal goal is to collect and distribute fur és or wild
life conservation operations throughout the world. A sort of United Nations, it
embracesndreds of organizations all over the world. Its multifarious activities deal with
education and training with propaganda and publicity, and with conservation itself. The
World Wild Life Fund, (W.W.F.) India, was launched in 1969, with headquarters at Bombay.
The same year, the W.W.F. also launched the ‘Project Tiger’ India. It was most spectacular
and the biggest ever single largest conservation campaign of its kind in the world.
CITES
Habitat destruction and unregulated commercial exploitation are the principal causes of the
decline of wildlife. In India, jackal exploited for the fur, musk deer for musk pod and
rhinoceros for its horn, crocodile for its skin, etc., for fantastic prices in the world market by
poachers, traders and smugglers. In order to prevent over-exploitation of wild fauna and
flora through international trade, a Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed at Washington on 3rd March, 1973.
After its ratification by ten countries, it came into effect on 1 st July, 1975.
Government of India signed this convention in July 1974 and became party to it from 18
October 1976. Under this convention, Inspector General of Forests and Director of Wildlife
Preservation are the Management Authorities in India supported by Director, Zoological