Animal Diversity, Natural History and Conservation

Apart from the traditionally maintained forests and other ecosystems by local communities, biodiversity conservation at ecosystem level in India has taken many different shapes for the past few decades. Recognized as a megadiversity country with four biodiversity hot spots, India with its immense bioresources still lacks a proper network and classification of such in situ conservation programmes. In the present text, a concept termed “Conservation Land’ is proposed by the author, which incorporates all of the major (with some minor) in situ conservation approaches taken in the country on a national or international basis. The umbrella term ‘conservation land-use’ deals with a flexible and simple classification based on ‘ecosystem-approach’ that may identify potential ‘gap areas’ in the management programmes of the country; helping further the policy and decision makers as well as conservation biologists of the country towards better management and conservation of the threatened habitats and bioresources of India.