Wildlife and Nature Conservation - Centre for Ecological Sciences

under these two categories of protected areas and need to persuade the States toestablish them, providing financial and other support for the same.[154] Situations in which biosphere reserves can be set up be delineated and it beensured that they follow the principles as laid down in the Man and Biosphereprogramme in so far as it is not inconsistent with domestic legislation relating toconservation and management of natural resources. It would also be useful toinclude biosphere reserves within the legal framework, either through a separatelegislation or through its inclusion in the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 orsimilar legislation.[155] Biosphere reserves should not be established in lieu of national parks orsanctuaries but when due to demographic factors the establishment of a nationalpark, sanctuary, Conservation Reserve or Community Reserve is not feasible. Itwould also be improper to impose a Biosphere Reserve over an existing park orsanctuary, as that causes a dichotomy and confusion in approach andmanagement.[156] Significant wildlife habitats including biological corridors where immediatedeclaration as protected area is not possible, be designated as ecologicallysensitive areas (ESAs) under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, (EPA) witha view to restrict certain identified hazardous activities as also change in landusepattern. Ecologically sensitive areas should also include areas such aselephant corridors, important bird areas, etc.[157] Specified areas, including buffer zones of protected areas be designated asecologically sensitive areas (ESA) with a view to restrict identified hazardousactivities. This process should be based on a comprehensive and realisticassessment of the current threat perception in the area surrounding a protectedarea. An ad hoc and arbitrary fixation of ESA, such as a blanket restriction, islikely to be counterproductive and can create hurdles in the creation of newprotected areas (PAs). Control of effluents and emission levels must be enforcedand PA managers must be involved in this control activity.[158] Since the power to declare protected areas largely vests with the StateGovernment, similarly, the concurrent power to declare ecologically sensitiveareas should also vest with the state government.[159] Mitigation measures for man-animal conflict must be both long-term and shortterm.Short-term measures may include barriers after considering whether theyact as barriers to wildlife movement or not, scaring and repelling techniques etc.Long-term measures must include establishment of animal corridors, elephantsbeing a priority, attempting alternate cropping patterns around forests and areasseriously impacted by wild ungulates and having wildlife clearances as amandatory part of broader environmental clearances of development projects.[160] Catching and translocating animals should not be seen as the easiest and mostpolitically-expedient solution to conflict, although it could be advisable in somecases) and must be done only after the troublesome animals have been identified,and when the biology of the species and its needs are taken into account andmonitoring measures are in place. Capture of social beings such as elephants inparticular is counterproductive to conflict resolution, unless whole herds associal units are translocated. It must be borne in mind that according to the WildLife (Protection) Act as recently amended, the capture of Schedule I animalsshould only be done after its release area has been identified and the release mustbe done in the prescribed time-frame.142