Sh. Jagdish Chander, IFS
PCCF & Chief Wildlife Warden, Haryana, Panchkula
The state of Haryana is considered as Forest deficient state but it abounds in unique flora & fauna. Out of the total forest area of the state, approximately 20% of it is covered under Protected Area Network. There are 02 National Parks namely Sultanpur near Gurugram & Kalesar in Yamuna Nagar district of state. There are 07 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 02 Conservation Reserves and 01 Community Reserve. The Wildlife Wing also manages a large network of Conservation Breeding activities encompassing Chinkara Breeding Centre at Kairu & Jhabua in Rewari district, Peacock Breeding Centre at Jhabua in Rewari district, Crocodile Breeding Centre at Bhor Saidan in Kurukshetra district and above all a pioneering Jatayu Conservation & Breeding Centre situated in village Jodhpur near Pinjore town of Haryana.
Wildlife Conservation per se is a complicated and sensitive practice of protecting wild plant and wild species and their habitat. The Wildlife is at the fulcrum of maintaining balance among all ecological components of mother earth. The goal of Wildlife Conservation is to ensure that nature will be around for future generations to enjoy and also to recognize the importance of Wildlife and Wilderness for human beings and other species alike. With the increasing anthropic pressure on Wildlife, it has become very important not only to augment the Wildlife but also conserve it in its present form. Left alone at the mercy of unscrupulous elements in the society, there is a danger of loosing these species forever. The Wildlife is in peril on account of global warming, erratic rainfall, frequent droughts which are the manifestation of the climate change in the recent years. Wildlife Wing of state of Haryana is committed for not only conserving unique flora & fauna in the state but also is equally committed to mitigate the deleterious impacts of climate change by adopting various habitat improvement activities including those of construction of water holes, removal of invasive species and creation of grasslands for wild animal in Protected Areas.
Haryana Forests & Wildlife Department (Wildlife Wing) is very proactive in conservation of endangered species. Akin to these efforts, Wildlife Wing has been able to establish one of its own kind pioneering Vulture Conservation & Breeding Centre which is functioning as a nucleus centre for the entire country. The efforts are also being made to conserve few more species like Gorraiya Bird (House Sparrow) which is disappearing very fast but the reason for its decline are yet to be ascertained. For this purpose, the Wildlife Wing has planned to establish a Conservation Breeding Centre on the lines of Jatayu Conservation & Breeding Centre in collaboration with NGO namely Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
Wildlife Wing of Forests & Wildlife Department Haryana is also very proactive in bringing reputed and credible NGOs on board in Conservation Breeding & Protection of Wildlife in the state. A success story of Vulture Conservation efforts of state of Haryana involving Bombay Natural History Society is case to the point. The state agencies like Wildlife Wing cannot be oblivious of the crucial role of people of the state in protection of Wildlife. For this purpose, efforts are being made to include communities in the efforts of Wildlife Conservation. On these lines, one Community Land of village Thana in district Kurukshetra has been declared as “Golden Jubilee Brahm Sarovar Community Reserve” to conserve endangered species of Indian Soft-shelled turtle (Nilssonia gangetica). Few more community areas are being brought under the ambit of Wildlife Protection to augment Protected Area Network.
Endangered species like Blackbuck(Antilope cervicapra), Chinkara (Gazella bennettii), Vultures(Gyps indicus, Gyps bengalensis, Gyps tenuirostris), Indian Soft-shelled Turtles species (Nilssonia gangetica) are being protected through Conservation and Breeding efforts in the state.
The Wildlife Wing of Forests & Wildlife Department, Haryana is truly committed for the augmentation, protection, conservation and management of Wildlife in commensurate with Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and various International treaties like Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Wildlife Fund.
I call upon all the Wildlife lovers, NGOs, students and other resident of the state to join Forests & Wildlife Department, Haryana in its endeavors to conserve and protect Wild Flora & Fauna in the state.
Let’s strive to pursue the statesmanship of father of nation that we do not inherit this earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
Jai Hind