In January 2003, the Indian Wildlife Board created an ambitious conservation plan. The plan's aims are to protect wildlife, natural habitats, and the human communities living in close proximity to wildlife reserves.

India's 586 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries span over 1 million square kilometers. These areas are under constant pressure from poaching and illegal land use, such as the unsustainable extraction of wood and other consumable products. Such pressures pose grave threats to the land and the local wildlife. To counter this threat, the conservation plan aims to generate employment for local peoples, thus helping to protect not only wildlife, but also the tribal communities that live near protected natural areas.

The plan also acknowledges the need to protect the integrity of lands surrounding nature preserves and aims to restore degraded border areas around existing parks. Efforts have also been mapped out that would enable law enforcement to better combat poaching.

Animals that have faced the greatest recent threat include tigers (an estimated 285 tigers were killed between 1994 and 1998) and leopards (an estimated 1000 leopards are killed each year).

Although the plan spurs hope for India's conservation efforts, many challenges will surface as the plan is implemented. In late February, 2003, at least five people were killed when armed police and wildlife officials forced approximately 1000 tribal people from the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary.

Find out more: India Launches Conservation Mega-Plan (BBC News)