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Gandhinagar, Feb 20 (IANS) The central government's proposal for inclusion of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), Asian elephant and Bengal Florican in the appendix I of the 13th Conference Of the Parties (COP) to the Convention for Migratory Species of Animals (CMS) was on Thursday unanimously accepted by the Committee of the Whole (COW), a COP CMS 13 panel.
Wildlife species facing extinction threat are included in the appendix I. It leads to push for greater habitat protection, prohibition against poaching and facilitation of their movement in the regions and countries that are part of these species ranges.
The GIB, found only in the Indian subcontinent, is considered close to extinction as its population has dropped drastically, are largely concentrated in the Desert National Park in Rajasthan.
India had submitted that there was seasonal movement of the GIB between India and Pakistan. The fluctuation in their numbers in seasons indicated trans-border movement, it said.
The proposal said including the GIB in the appendix I will help take concerned action, curb the illegal hunting and study their trans-border movement. India said it had taken a series of conservation measures.
Urging the COW to include the Asian elephant in the appendix I, the government said it would help in their greater protection. Found in India, this sub-specie migrates into Bangladesh and Nepal. According to India's proposal, 93 elephants also move across Indo-Bangla border.
The inclusion would help in international conservation and collaboration among the range countries.
India, the home of 60 per cent of the Asian elephant's global population, has a primary duty and responsibility for ensuring their survival. The number of wild elephants is estimated to be 29,964 in India.
In case of Bengal Florican, the government said it was on the verge of extinction and its population is declining mainly due to habitat loss and degradation, and hunting. The bird migrates between India, Nepal and Bangladesh. But for few pockets in Brahmaputra flood plains, it no longer breeds outside the protected areas in the Indian subcontinent.
--IANS
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