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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 7
July 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 82
Depletion of Common Property Resources and Threats to
Wildlife: A special reference to Indian Elephants
Dr.B.E.George Dimitrov,
Assistant Professor, eparment of Political Science and Development Administration,
Gandhigram Rural Institute - Deemed University, Gandhigram-624302.
“Every time we lose a species we break a life chain which has evolved over 3.5 billion
years.”
- Jeffrey McNeely
Earth is one of the largest common
property resource where it comprises of
living organisms which no other planet in
the solar system has. It is covered by three
parts of water and one part of land.
Worldwide there are around 1.75 million
flora and fauna species. This is one of the
largest species which nature has gifted.
Nowadays we face a huge threat to common
resources like land, water, forest and other
natural resources. On the other side the
depletion of common resources also affects
the wildlife species where many situations
wild life are threatened and enter into
human habitats. There is a huge quarrel
between man vs. wild in recent years where
forest are been encroached due to the risk of
over population. Resettlements in the forest
areas which gives a huge threat, forest lands
are being changing to cultivated lands,
overgrazing of wet lands. Natural resources
which are given to the private sector for
mining has placed a major encroachment by
the MNC’s in minning.These not only affect
the forest but also the wildlife and mankind.
Wildlife in India
About 1.75 million species are
globally identified out of this 1.26 million
species are reported from India. It holds 8
per cent of the world biodiversity on 2 per
cent of the earths surface which stands 12th
mega diversified country in the world. India
holds17.3 per cent of animal species and 60
per cent fungi, insect species are reported
and it stands 10th in richness of flowering
plants and animal species in the world. The
recent scenario has made wildlife in India
very challenging and leading to
destruction.Forests, wildlife species are very
much threatened almost 50 per cent of the
forest resources has been depleted in the last
century.1/3rd of the lakes, ponds and rivers
are drained out ,70 per cent of them are
already polluted.40 per cent of the
mangroves, coral reefs are destroyed and
Page 2 of 10
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 7
July 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 83
silted away(Environmental Education
Centre,2007)1
.
Mans invasion towards the forests
made wildlife more critical, over population
and deforestation has made a vital change.70
per cent of the India’s population depend
upon forests, wetlands, marine habitats for
their livelihood. Whereas around 10,000
animal and plant species are directly
involved in the process of biodiversity and
livelihood to mankind. Economic value of
plant species are involved in
pharmaceuticals directly in exports to
foreign countries as 1.5 million as foreign
exchange.660 wild species of plants are
widely involved in exports(Biswas,
PK,2005)
2
.
The value of wildlife nowadays has
been depleted where the worlds one of the
best biodiversities has drained out. When the
man’s occupation towards nature has made
contradictory consequences in the
ecosystems. A country’s wealth is always
considered in the means of its natural
resources, wildlife, forests, etc. But these
kinds of ethics are neglected where it has
been a huge conflict in safeguarding them.
Nature’s destruction of human jealous has
made the threat to wildlife ecosystems as a
whole. Wildlife species like Asiatic Lion,
Indian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Hoolock
Gibbon. Vultures, Pariah Kite, Hornbill
species are already vanishing rapidly. Many
sanctuaries in India protect wild animals and
plant species but they are unable to protect
them to a wider extent from poachers. India
is one of the hugest market place for wild
animals where poachers hunt animals for
their skin, tusks, medicine, etc.
Moreover the ecosystems which are
already under threat re not considered as a
major focus. New identities of ecosystems
are converted to eco-tourism centre’s which
is a huge threat to wildlife. Whenever there
is tourism in a ecosystem it faces conflict
between nature and mankind. Often these
kinds of centres are highly polluted by
human habitat and make wildlife more
endangered as a whole.
Man vs Wild
Habitat loss and degradation have
affected about 89 per cent of all threatened
birds, 83 per cent of mammals and 91 per
cent of all threatened plants globally.
Habitat loss is due to deforestation for
extended cultivation, construction of dams,
mining operations and road laying
Page 3 of 10
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 7
July 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 84
(IUCN,2012)3
. When the natural habitat of
animals is destroyed, it leads to a decline in
their primary food supply and breeding and
nesting grounds. Hence their numbers get
drastically reduced. In the case of plants, if
their natural habitat is destroyed and the
species that controls the pests that attack
them are lost, then their survival is at risk.
According to International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on 19 June
2012 released its latest update of the Red
List of Threatened Species. The report
showed that of the 63,837 species assessed,
19,817 are threatened with extinction,
including 41 per cent of amphibians, 33 per
cent of reef building corals, 25 per cent of
mammals, 13 per cent of birds, and 30 per
cent of conifers.(K.S.Sudhi,2012)4
Threatened Species Category Worldwide
Extinct Species 19,817
Amphibians(Extinct) 41 per cent
Reef (Extinct) 25 per cent
Birds(Extinct) 13 per cent
Conifers(Extinct) 30 per cent
Totally Assessed Species 63,837
Source: International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 2012
According to Ministry of
Environmnet says, in India 1.25 million
hectare of ecosystems are occupied by
human habitats illegally. It is estimated that
yearly 1.5 million trees are being evacuated
for the purpose of human habitats directly as
well as indirectly. Andhra Pradesh, Assam
and Chhattisgarh are the worst illegal
encroachments of forests in India.(The
Pioneer,2012)5
. Mans assault on nature has
made serious consequences where we find
wild animal often entering human habitats.
The general understanding shows man has
encroached the ecosystem where wild
animals live and blame that they enter into
human habitats. This scenario has made the
struggle between man vs wild where these
