Extension of Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary

• 13 Aug 2019

Recently, the Forest Department identified around 300 hectares of revenue land for inclusion in the Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS),

• The land is being diverted as compensation, for setting up a new Missile Test Launch Facility by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
• The move has also been recommended by the National Board for Wildlife.

Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary

• Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Andhra Pradesh, India.
• The sanctuary is a part of the mangrove wetland in Andhra Pradesh and is located in the coastal plain of Krishna delta, spread across Krishna and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh.
• The estuary of the Krishna River passes through the sanctuary.
• It is believed that this region potentially holds one of the most significant populations of fishing cats in the world.

Fishing Cats

• The fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia.
• Fishing cat populations are threatened by the destruction of wetlands and have declined severely over the last decade.
• The fishing cat is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
• The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) lists the fishing cat on Appendix II part of Article IV of CITES.
• In India, the fishing cat is included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and thereby protected from hunting.

Protected Areas

• Broadly, there are three types of protected areas: Wildlife Sanctuary, National Park, and Biosphere reserve.
  
  • Wildlife sanctuaries refer to an area which provides protection and favourable living conditions to the wild animals.
  • National Park implies an area that is exclusively designated by the government for the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity due to its natural, cultural and historical significance

National Parks & Wildlife Sanctuaries

• National parks are highly restricted areas, which are not open to all the people, whereas wildlife sanctuaries have lesser restrictions than national parks.
  
  • For example: To visit national parks, official permission is to be taken from the requisite authorities. In contrast, no official permission is to be taken to visit a wildlife sanctuary.
  • Human activities are allowed to a limited extent in the wildlife sanctuaries, but in the case of national parks, they are strictly prohibited.
• Boundaries of wildlife sanctuaries are not sacrosanct. However, the national parks have clearly marked boundaries (fixed by legislation).
• The International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has declared National Parks in Category II of the protected areas. whereas wildlife sanctuaries are grouped in Category IV of protected areas.
• However, most of the national parks were initially wildlife sanctuaries, which were then upgraded to national parks. Also, tourism is allowed in both of them.

Biosphere Reserves

• Biosphere reserves are protected areas, which tend to conserve the genetic diversity of the plants, animals, birds, etc.
  
  • It comprising terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems.
  • Each reserve promotes solutions reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.
  • Biosphere reserves are nominated by national governments and remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located. Their status is internationally recognized.
  • There are 701 biosphere reserves in 124 countries.
• A biosphere reserve is divided into three zones: Core zone, Buffer zone, Transition zone.
  
  • This categorization gained international prominence through UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme in 1971.
    
    • The core area(s) comprises a strictly protected ecosystem that contributes to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation.
    • The buffer zone surrounds or adjoins the core areas, and is used for activities compatible with sound ecological practices that can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training and education.
    • The transition area is the part of the reserve where the greatest activity is allowed, fostering economic and human development that is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable.

Source:TH