India’s biodiversity at risk: Urgent action needed to protect wildlife

India’s diversity extends far beyond its people, food and culture. It encompasses a breathtaking array of biodiversity. With nearly 6.5% of the world’s wildlife species, India is home to some 7.6% of mammals and 12.6% of bird species. Sadly, this natural wealth is under threat. Take elephants. The latest population estimate, conducted by Wildlife Institute of India and forest departments, shows their number has plummeted from 19,825 in 2017 to 15,887, a decline of almost 20%. This estimate, based on DNA analysis between 2022 and 2023, excludes tuskers from northeastern states. While some attribute this drop to a different counting method, more significant factors include habitat loss, poaching, electrocution and train accidents. Data presented in Lok Sabha revealed that 528 elephants have died from unnatural causes over the past five years, with electrocution claiming 392 lives and train accidents resulting in 73 deaths. These are ‘killings’, not ‘deaths’.

We must create space for wildlife and secure corridors they use to move from one area to another. Innovative solutions are crucial for reducing human-animal conflict and making space for animals. HCL Group-backed The Habitats Trust implemented a mobile-based early warning system in the Valparai plateau of Tamil Nadu. This system alerts locals via bulk SMS and voice calls, helping them avoid fatal encounters with elephants. These efforts have fostered community participation, reduced human injury incidents and enhanced coexistence, serving as a model for other states.

Such creative, tech-backed thinking is the need of the hour. We can’t afford to lose this richness to callousness and lack of will. Preserving our biodiversity is essential for our future and planetary health.