Wild Life and Biodiversity

ByAllah Dad Khan

Biodiversity or biological diversity is defined as:

“The variability among living organisms from all sources including inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems (CBD 1992).”

The Convention on Biological Diversity

The Convention on Biological Diversity was opened for signature on 5 June 1992 during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro. The Convention entered force on its thirtieth ratification on 29 December 1993. Since then, it has received 176 signatures and 159 ratification. In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly declared 29 December as the International Day for Biological Diversity.

The Convention on Biological Diversity contd

The Convention on Biological Diversity was signed by Pakistan on 5 June 1992, and was ratified by the Cabinet on July 26 1994. Through the Convention, Pakistan and other signatory countries are involved in an international partnership to help halt the global loss of biological diversity. The Convention addresses biological diversity at the genetic and ecosystem level, and provides a framework for its conservation and sustainable use.

General commitments of Convention

• Take general measures for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity;

• Identify and monitor components of biological diversity, and activities that have an adverse affect on biological diversity;

• Adopt measures for in-situ conservation, including a system of protected areas, the restoration and rehabilitation of degraded areas, and the development of legislation and other regulatory provisions for the protection of threatened species and their populations;

• Adopt measures for ex-situ conservation, including research on plants, animals, and micro-organisms, and measures for the rehabilitation and reintroduction of threatened species;

• Integrate the consideration of sustainable use of the components of biological diversity into national decision making;

General commitments of Convention

• Adopt measures that act as incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity;

• Establish and maintain programmes for scientific and technical education and training in measures for biological diversity conservation. Promote and encourage research and training that contributes to biological diversity conservation;

• Promote understanding of the importance of, and the measures required for, the conservation of biological diversity;

• Ensure environmental impact assessment of projects likely to adversely affect biological diversity with a view to avoiding or minimising adverse impacts;

General commitments of Convention

• Endeavour to facilitate access to genetic resources for environmentally sound measures;

• Facilitate access of other Contracting Parties to technologies relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity;

• Facilitate the exchange of information relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity;

• Promote international, technical, and scientific co-operation in the field of conservation and the sustainable use of biological diversity;

• Take measures to provide for participation in technical and scientific co-operation;

• Provide financial support and incentives for activities that are intended to achieve the objectives of this convention.

Forest Management and Wildlife

Wildlife is an integral part of the forest ecosystem. While managing the forested land, administrative considerations have prevailed on the ecosystem approach in Pakistan. Consequently, the Wildlife Department has been separated from the Forest Department in the provinces of Punjab, KPK , Sindh and Azad Kashmir, while in Balochistan and the Northern Areas these are managed by a wildlife wing under the forest departments.There is an emphasis in our wildlife legislation on game management. Non-game species that are equally important are totally ignored, such as anteaters and some reptiles that are killed due to mere superstition. There is a need to develop strategies to conserve all forms of life

Wild Life Management

Wildlife includes all vertebrates except fish, domesticated animals and human beings. Other broader definitions of wildlife include all plants and animals in wild ecosystems. Wildlife management is therefore concerned with the abundance and distribution of vertebrate species. Wildlife managers must also manage habitats, including vegetation and invertebrates which are food for, or causes of disease to wildlife.

Wildlife management is the science and art of changing the characteristics and the interaction of habitat, wild animal populations and man in order to achieve specific human goals by means of wildlife resources.

IUCN PROTECTED AREAS CLASSIFICATION

• I. Strict Nature Reserve/Wilderness Area• 2.National Park: Protected Areas Managed Mainly for Ecosystem Conservation

and Recreation. • 3.Natural Monument: Protected Areas Managed Mainly for Conservation of

Special Features• 4. Habitat/Species Management Area: Protected Areas Managed Mainly for

Conservation through Management Intervention• 5. Protected Landscape / Seascape: Protected Areas Managed Mainly for

Landscape/ Seascape conservation and recreation• 6. Managed Resource Protected Area Protected Areas Managed Mainly for the

Sustainable Use of Natural Ecosystems