Endangered plants, Red data book, National Parks and sanctuaries

Endangered plants:- Any species that is at risk of extinction because of a sudden rapid decrease in its population or a loss of its critical habitat.

Some Endangered Plant Species in India:-

i. Malabar Lily (Chlorophytum malabaricum)

ii. Musli (Chlorophytum tuberosum)

iii. Malappuram (Pterospermum reticulatum)

iv. Jeemikanda (Ceropegia odorata)

v. Ebony tree (Diospyros celibica)

vi. Bird's foot (Lotus corniculatus)

vii. Assam catkin (Amentotaxus assamica)

Red data book:- It is a public document that is created for recording endangered and rare species of plants, animals, fungi as well as some local subspecies that are present in a particular region.

> The book was based on research conducted between 1961 and 1964 by biologists in Russia. Hence, it is also called the Russian Red Data Book.

> Currently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature maintains the Red Data Book. 

> IUCN is the world’s most detailed inventory centre of the global conservation status of biological species. 

> The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was founded in 1948 with an aim to maintain a complete record of every species that ever lived.

> The Red Data Book contains the complete list of threatened species. 

> The main aim behind this documentation is to provide complete information for research and analysis of different species.

> The objectives of maintaining the Red Data Book, as provided by the IUCN (1996) are given as follows:

i. To provide scientifically based information on the status of species and subspecies at a global level.

ii. To draw attention to the magnitude and importance of threatened biodiversity.

iii. To influence national and international policy and decision-making.

iv. To provide information to guide actions to conserve biological diversity.

> The information detailed in the Red Data Book is provided in carefully colour-coded sections depending on the level of endangerment that a species has been found in. The specific meanings of the colour coding of the information have been provided below.

i. Black:- Extinct species.

ii. Red:- Critically Endangered Species.

iii. Orange:- Endangered species.

iv. Amber:- Vulnerable Species.

v. White:- Rare species.

vi. Green:- Out of Danger species.

vii. Grey:- Species that are endangered, vulnerable or rare but with a lack of sufficient information to precisely categorise them.

Advantages of the Red Data Book:- 

i. It can be used to estimate the total population of any given species of plant or animal.

ii. It can be used to evaluate the taxa at a pan-global scale.

iii. It can be used to find out the conservation status of any species.

iv. It can be used to evaluate the risk of endangerment of any species of animals, plants or fungi at any given time.

v. It can be beneficial in developing a conservation plan for an endangered species of animals or plants.

Disadvantages of the Red Data Book:-

i. The documentation regarding the sources of the data have not always been properly maintained and as such the validity of the data can sometimes be brought to question.

ii. The Red Data Book is a work in progress and not all of the endangered or extinct species have yet been identified or put in and as such may not provide the most accurate data at any given point in time.

Red Data Book of India:- According to the IUCN Red Data Book of India, the following categories for endangered species have been identified.

i. Malabar Lily:- Found in Tamil Nadu, its botanical name is Chlorophytum malabaricum.

ii. Musli:- Found in Tamil Nadu, its botanical name is Chlorophytum tuberosum. 

iii. Malappuram:- Found in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, its botanical name is Pterospermum reticulatum.

iv. Jeemikanda:- Found in Gujarat and Rajasthan, its botanical name is  Ceropegia odorata.

v. Ebony tree:- Found in Karnataka, its botanical name is Diospyros celibica.

vi. Bird`s foot:- Found in Gujarat, its botanical name is Lotus corniculatus.

vii. Assam catkin:- Found in Arunachal Pradesh, its botanical name is Amentotaxus assamica. 

National Parks:- These are the areas that are set by the government to conserve the natural environment.”

> It is a kind of in-situ conservation of wildlife.

> In-situ conservation includes the places, which are conserved in their natural environment.

> The national parks are the protected regions where no interference from humans takes place except for educational and research purposes.

Importance of national parks:-

i. They protect wildlife and their habitats from human impact and destruction.

ii. They provide animals a safe space to survive and reproduce.

iii. They protect places of natural beauty and are home to several endemic species.

iv. They also protect the places, which are essential to Aboriginal people.

v. The main objective of places like National parks is the conservation of biodiversity.

vi. These parks comprise many kinds of plants that help the environment by providing clean water and fresh air.

Examples:-

i. Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur)

ii. Ranthambore National Park (Sawai Madhopur)

iii. Mukundara National Park (Kota, Chittorgarh)

iv. Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh):- Bengal tigers  

v. Bandhavgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh):- Bengal tigers

vi. Kaziranga National Park (Assam):- One-horned rhinos

vii. Gir National Park (Gujarat)

viii. Sunderbans National Park (West Bengal)

ix. Jim Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand)

Wild life Sanctuaries:- Santury is a place of refuge where injured, abandoned and abused wildlife is allowed to live in peace in their natural environment without any human intervention.

Importance of Wildlife Sanctuaries:-

There are a number of reasons for establishing wildlife sanctuaries. Some of the reasons are listed below:

i. The wildlife sanctuaries are established to protect the endangered species.

ii. It is quite difficult to always relocate the animals from their natural habitat, therefore, protecting them in their natural environment is advantageous.

iii. The endangered species are specially monitored in the wildlife sanctuaries. If they reproduce and grow in number while under protection, few specimens can be kept for breeding in the conservation parks for their survival.

iv. Biologist activities and researches are permitted in the wildlife sanctuaries so that they can learn about the animals living there.

v. A few sanctuaries take in injured and abandoned animals and rehabilitate them to health before releasing them in the forest.

vi. Wildlife sanctuaries preserve the endangered species and protect them from humans and predators.

Examples:-

i. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Rajasthan)

ii. Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary (Odisha)

iii. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala)

iv. Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (Gujarat)

v. Govind Wildlife Sanctuary (Uttarakhand)

vi. Madumalai Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)

vii. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala)