Wildlife sanctuary

Also called: Sanctuary · Topic: Biodiversity and its Conservation · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 2 "Forest and Wildlife Resources"; Class 11, Ch 5 "Natural Vegetation"; Class 11, Ch 6 "Natural Hazards and Disasters: Causes, Consequences and Management"; Class 11, Ch 14 "Biodiversity and Conservation"

Meaning

A wildlife sanctuary is a protected area notified under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to protect animals and their habitat. Rules are less strict than in a national park, so some human activities, such as collecting minor forest produce (honey, leaves, gum and similar items), are allowed if they do not harm wildlife.

Sanctuaries matter because they are the largest part of India's protected-area network. They cover about three times the area of national parks. They also let wildlife and local people share the same land.

Explanation

How a sanctuary works (cause → process → result)

• Cause: wildlife needs safe habitat, but local people also depend on the forest.
• A national park bans almost all human use, which is hard to do in areas where many people live.

• A sanctuary gives a middle path between full protection and open use.

• Process: the area is notified under the Wildlife Act.

• Hunting of wild animals is stopped.
• Some activities are allowed, such as collecting minor forest produce, as long as they do not harm wildlife.

• Grazing is banned in a national park, but not in a sanctuary.

• Result: animals get protection, and people keep some of their livelihood.

Where a sanctuary fits among protected areas

India has four types of protected area (PA), which is land or water notified under the 1972 Act to conserve wildlife and its habitat.

Type	Strictness	Human activity
National park	Strictest. Boundaries are fixed by legislation.	No forestry, grazing or cultivation
Wildlife sanctuary	Medium	Minor forest produce and similar uses allowed if wildlife is not harmed
Conservation reserve	Lighter. Usually next to a park or sanctuary, it works as a buffer or a corridor (a strip of land that links two habitats)	People keep their rights
Community reserve	Run by the community, on private or community land outside other PAs	Managed by local people

• A sanctuary can later be upgraded to a national park if stricter protection is needed.
• A conservation reserve is often set up next to a sanctuary to act as a buffer around it.

Management rules after the 2022 amendment

• The Chief Wildlife Warden (the top wildlife officer of a state) must run each sanctuary according to a management plan. The plan must follow central government guidelines [5].
• In special areas, the plan is made only after consulting the Gram Sabha (the assembly of all adult voters of a village) [5].
• This brings local people into decisions instead of just keeping them out.

Size of the sanctuary network

• As of 27 November 2023, India had 573 wildlife sanctuaries out of 1,014 protected areas [2]. NCERT also gives 573.
• The MoEF database lists 574 sanctuaries covering 1,27,241.24 km² [4].
• National parks cover only 44,402.95 km², or 1.35% of India [3].
• Key point: sanctuaries cover about three times the area of national parks. They are the main part of the network.
• All PAs together cover 1,75,169.42 km², about 5.32% of India [2].

Where it occurs

• All over India: sanctuaries are found in every region. With 573 of them [2], they are the most common type of PA by area.
• Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam: a natural World Heritage Site (a place UNESCO lists under the World Heritage Convention, 1972, for its "outstanding universal value") since 1985. It is the only sanctuary on India's natural World Heritage list. It was inscribed in the same year as Kaziranga (Assam) and Keoladeo (Rajasthan).
• Assam has two natural World Heritage Sites, Kaziranga National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, both from 1985.
• Who runs them: the State Forest or Wildlife Department, headed by the Chief Wildlife Warden, under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2022 [5].
• World link: under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), countries are asked to protect 30% of land by 2030. India's sanctuaries are its biggest tool for adding protected land.

Don't confuse with

• National park: no grazing, forestry or cultivation, and its boundaries are fixed by legislation. A sanctuary allows limited use, such as collecting minor forest produce, if wildlife is not harmed.
• Protected forest: a category of forest land (about one-third of India's forest land) that is kept safe from further depletion. It is not a protected area under the Wildlife Act, while a sanctuary is.
• Conservation reserve: usually lies next to a sanctuary or national park and works as a buffer or corridor, and people keep their rights. The 2022 amendment lets the Centre also notify one [5].
• Community reserve: is on private or community land outside any national park, sanctuary or conservation reserve, and it is managed by local people [6].

Prelims Hooks

• Protected areas (27 November 2023): 106 national parks, 573 wildlife sanctuaries, 115 conservation reserves and 220 community reserves, making 1,014 PAs that cover about 5.32% of India [2].
• Grazing is banned in a national park, not in a sanctuary. A sanctuary allows minor forest produce collection if wildlife is not harmed.
• Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (Assam) has been a natural World Heritage Site since 1985. It is part of the 1985 trio with Kaziranga and Keoladeo.
• The MoEF database lists 574 sanctuaries covering 1,27,241.24 km² [4]. That is about three times the area of national parks (44,402.95 km²) [3].
• 2022 amendment: the sanctuary management plan follows central guidelines and needs Gram Sabha consultation in special areas [5].
• Trap: "protected forest" (a forest-land category) ≠ "wildlife sanctuary" (a protected area under the Wildlife Act).

Mains Points

• Sanctuaries carry most of India's protection, but the network is still small and broken up (GS-III):
• Sanctuaries cover about three times the area of national parks, yet all PAs together cover only about 5.32% of India [2].
• The 2022 global target is 30% of land by 2030.

• So sanctuaries need to be linked through corridors and conservation reserves, and backed by OECMs (other effective area-based conservation measures: areas outside formal PAs that still conserve nature).

• A model for conservation that works with people:

• Sanctuaries allow limited local use, such as minor forest produce, so forest-dependent people are not fully shut out.
• The 2022 amendment adds Gram Sabha consultation to sanctuary plans [5].

• This marks a shift from "fortress conservation" (keeping people out) to working with local people, which lowers conflict.

• Risk of overuse:

• Allowed activities can harm habitat if they are not watched closely.
• Management plans under central guidelines [5] and global labels, such as Manas being a World Heritage Site, add monitoring and responsibility.

Related concepts

• National park
• Corbett National Park
• Kaziranga National Park
• Keoladeo National Park
• Great Himalayan National Park
• Sundarbans
• Sundarbans National Park
• Natural World Heritage Sites of India

Read more

• Protected forests and protected areas: national parks, sanctuaries and World Heritage sites