Govt proposes national wildlife health policy with science-based health management

New Delhi: The government has proposed a National Wildlife Health policy, an official statement said without giving details.

Indian wildlife faces various health threats such as infectious diseases, habitat loss, climate disasters, illicit activities and others.

The statement pointed to the need for “a long-term vision for a science-based wildlife health management considering ecological, human, and animal health as parts of a shared and interconnected environment.”

Mint earlier reported the government was mulling a national health policy for its wildlife.

To formulate the policy, the Central Zoo Authority, under the aegis of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), on Tuesday organized a consultative workshop in New Delhi.

Also read | India to set up a carbon trading, green bond regulator

The proposed policy aims to establish a comprehensive framework for safeguarding wildlife populations integrating with public health and the domestic animal health management domains. It recognizes the importance of the health of captive and free ranging wild animals that directly impact balanced ecosystems and biodiversity, according to the statement.

The policy will develop structured mechanisms elucidating pathways for surveillance, research and development, data architecture, capacity development, legal frameworks and resource allocation needed to achieve the expected outcomes.

The workshop involved the concerned divisions and departments in the government, experts from all domains of the wildlife sectors such as government departments, NGOs, and academic institutes. The policy development process is supported by GISE Hub, IIT Bombay and Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

There are more than 91,000 species of wildlife in India. The landmass of India is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. A wide range of birds and animals live in the diverse terrain of the country. From Royal Bengal Tigers to Asiatic Elephants, India is home to a huge variety of animals in its 89 National Parks, 18 bio-reserves, and more than 400 wildlife sanctuaries.

The country has over 1,000 protected areas, including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, elephant reserves, and other conservation and community reserves.