Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 7th meeting of the National Board for Wildlife at Gir National Park in Gujarat on Monday. The discussions focused on expanding protected areas, strengthening species-specific programs, and addressing human-wildlife conflict.
The meeting assessed the progress of flagship conservation projects, including Project Tiger, Project Elephant, and Project Snow Leopard. Conservation efforts for dolphins and Asiatic lions, along with the establishment of the International Big Cats Alliance, were also discussed.
During the session, the Prime Minister released a report on the country’s first riverine dolphin estimation, which recorded 6,327 dolphins across 28 rivers in eight states. Uttar Pradesh reported the highest population, followed by Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam. The report highlighted the role of local communities in conservation, and the Prime Minister suggested initiatives to raise awareness, including exposure visits for schoolchildren to dolphin habitats.
The foundation stone for the National Referral Centre for Wildlife was laid in Junagadh, with the facility set to serve as a hub for wildlife health and disease management. The 16th Asiatic Lion population estimation cycle was also announced for 2025, following the last assessment in 2020.
The natural dispersal of Asiatic lions into Barda Wildlife Sanctuary was noted, with plans for prey augmentation and habitat improvement to support the growing population. Eco-tourism development was also discussed, focusing on improved travel access and connectivity for visitors.
To address human-wildlife conflict, a Centre of Excellence will be established at the Wildlife Institute of India’s campus in SACON (Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History), Coimbatore. This center will work with state governments and Union Territories to equip Rapid Response Teams with tracking technology, surveillance systems, and conflict mitigation strategies. The Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) will collaborate with the Wildlife Institute of India to utilize remote sensing, geospatial mapping, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to monitor forest fires and human-animal interactions.
The meeting also addressed forest fire management, with the Forest Survey of India, Dehradun, and BISAG-N expected to collaborate on prediction, detection, and prevention measures in vulnerable protected areas.
The ongoing Cheetah reintroduction program will be expanded to new locations, including Gandhisagar Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh and Banni Grasslands in Gujarat. A conservation program focused on tiger populations outside protected reserves was also announced, aimed at managing human-tiger interactions and supporting co-existence with local communities.
Recognizing the declining gharial population, a new Project on Gharials was introduced to strengthen conservation efforts. A National Great Indian Bustard Conservation Action Plan was also announced to intensify efforts to protect the species.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to document traditional knowledge and conservation practices from different regions for research and development. Various task forces will be set up for the conservation of Indian Sloth Bear, Gharial, and Great Indian Bustard.
Gir National Park’s success in lion and leopard conservation was highlighted as a model, with plans to document conservation techniques using artificial intelligence for wider application in other protected areas. India’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) was reiterated, with discussions on enhancing international cooperation.
The role of community reserves in conservation efforts was noted, with an increase in their number over the past decade. The Prime Minister also spoke about utilizing AI and other advanced technologies for wildlife monitoring and suggested further research on medicinal plants in forest areas to support animal health management.
