Parliament Question: Protection of wildlife corridors

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 58 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026 Protection of wildlife corridors 58. SHRI MASTHAN RAO YADAV BEEDHA: Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has identified ecologically sensitive wildlife corridors across the country; (b) the measures being taken to prevent habitat fragmentation and human–wildlife conflict; and (c) whether the Ministry proposes additional funding for corridor protection and restoration? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) to (c)Protection and management of wild animals and their habitats, including management of human wildlife conflict is primarily the responsibility of the concerned States/Union Territories. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides for declaration of Conservation Reserves that are notified in any area owned by the Government, particularly the areas adjacent to National Parks and sanctuaries and those areas which link one protected area with another, for the purposes of protecting landscapes, seascapes, flora and fauna and their habitat. Further, Eco- sensitive Zones (ESZ) are notified around National Parks and Sanctuaries under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. 32 tiger corridors and 150 elephant corridors have been identified by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and under Project Elephant for conservation and management. The following are the important measures taken for protection of wildlife and their habitat including for management of human wildlife conflict and wildlife corridor: (i) A network of protected areas namely, National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves covering important wildlife habitat have been created all over the country under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals and their habitats. (ii) Rare and endangered species of animals have been listed in the schedules-I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, thereby providing them highest degree of protection.(iii) A specific component of ‘Recovery programmes for saving critically endangered species and habitats’ is provided in the on-going Centrally Sponsored Scheme of ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ for focused conservation action on 24 identified critically endangered species. (iv) An advisory on dealing with human-wildlife conflict has been issued by the Ministry in February 2021 and also issued guidelines to States and Union Territories on 3rd June 2022 on managing human-wildlife conflicts including ensuring safe passage of wild animals along their scientifically-identified movement routes or corridors outside forests, including improvement of habitat conditions in and along those routes. (v) The Ministry has also issued species-specific guidelines to deal with human- wildlife conflict situations on 21.03.2023 for mitigation of Human Wildlife conflicts involving Elephant, Gaur, Leopard, Snake, Crocodile, Rhesus Macaque, Wild Pig, Bear, Blue Bull and Blackbuck. (vi) In accordance with provisions contained under Section 33 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the Ministry has issued guidelines for the process of management planning for protected areas and other landscape elements. The Central Government provides financial assistance to State/Union Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes, ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ and ‘Project Tiger and Elephant’ for management of wildlife and its habitat. The Development of Wildlife Habitats also includes component for financial assistance to the States/Union Territories for ‘Protection of Wildlife Outside Protected Areas’. Financial assistance is provided to States/Union Territories based on the Annual Plan of Operation (APO) submitted by the States/Union Territories and availability of funds. *****