How serious are we about protecting endangered animal species? Going by the latest CAG report, the country’s record in even conducting a survey, the first step to any kind of protection, is abysmal.
For one, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), tasked to promote survey, research and prepare an inventory of fauna and prepare a Red Data Book (RDB) of those species that face a risk, last updated the book 20 years ago, in 1994.
For example, data provided by ZSI in 2011-12 show that the total number of ‘threatened’ species (vertebrates) in India has increased from 284 to 433. Against this, the audit observed that RDB carried accounts of only 153 species (35 per cent). Surveys of eight other species during 2001 to 2012 brought out in status reports were also not incorporated in the RDB, the CAG observed.
More importantly, the status survey of seven out of 10 endangered or critical species was not even initiated. After redefining its objectives in 2001, ZSI had fixed a target of status survey of 10 endangered species by 2012, but surveys of seven out 10 identified species — such as snow leopard, black-necked crane, king crab, wild ass, Hangul Kashmir Stag, Hoolock Gibbon and Nicobar Megapode, was not even initiated.
“In respect of the remaining three species, though the survey was undertaken, a publication was brought out in respect of only one species, as of March 2014,” the report said.
Flaying the ZSI for “poorly executing” the mandate given to it, the report said it lagged behind in the targets set for the survey and publication of faunal accounts.
Apart from the fact that there was “no standard methodology either for carrying out surveys or for assessment of the survey reports”, ZSI left the task at the “discretion of the scientists concerned, without any oversight,” it added.
ZSI was also pulled up for not building capacity in terms of trained manpower for taxonomic studies. “Of the total number of species collected (as of March 2012), only 34 per cent was taxonomically identified,” said the report.