World Wildlife Day

On 4th December 2024, World Wildlife Conservation Day is celebrated.

India harbors 7-8% of recorded species globally, including 45,000 plant species and 91,000 animal species, making it one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries.
The country encompasses four of the 34 global biodiversity hotspots: the Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats-Sri Lanka, and Sundaland, showcasing its ecological richness.
Economic growth and increasing natural resource demand have intensified human-wildlife conflict, often leading to poaching, trafficking, and habitat destruction.
As of 2022, India has 73 species classified as "critically endangered," according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a number that has risen due to improved monitoring and habitat degradation.
Endemic mammals like the Kashmir Stag, Malabar Large-spotted Civet, and Nicobar Shrew face significant threats, alongside birds such as the Great Indian Bustard, which suffers from collisions with powerlines in Rajasthan.