Context:
Recently, 71st National Wildlife Week was celebrated across India from October 2 to 8, 2025, with the theme "Human-Wildlife Coexistence." This significant event aimed to promote harmony between humans and wildlife, emphasizing the need for shared responsibility in conservation efforts. The main event was held at the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP) Dehradun, Uttarakhand, with launch of various projects related to wildlife conservation.
About the theme:
The theme for Wildlife Week 2025 is "Human–Wildlife Coexistence", focusing on transitioning from a mindset of conflict to one of cooperation and shared spaces. It emphasizes:
· Community support for conservation
· Technology-driven interventions for conflict mitigation
· Landscape-level planning beyond protected areas
· Policy synergy between scientific institutions and local governance
Key Highlights of Wildlife Week 2025:
During Wildlife Week 2025, the Environment Minister launched five national-level projects to address human wildlife conflict and species conservation:
1. Project Dolphin (Phase II): Focused on cetacean conservation in freshwater and marine systems.
2. Project Sloth Bear: Launched with a national implementation framework to conserve Sloth Bears and reduce bear–human encounters.
3. Project Gharial: A species recovery initiative for India's endangered crocodilian.
4. Centre of Excellence on HWC (CoE-HWC) at SACON: A national hub for research, policy, and field-level HWC mitigation.
5. Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves: Addresses increasing tiger presence outside protected areas through landscape approaches and community engagement.
About Dolphin:
India is home to two species of freshwater dolphins: the Ganges (Gangetic) river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) and the Indus river dolphin (Platanista minor)
· Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN Red List) and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
About Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus):
Sloth bears are endemic to the Indian subcontinent, found in India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Nepal.
· Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)
· Under Indian law, they are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; trade in parts is prohibited (CITES Appendix I)
About Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus):
Gharial is a highly aquatic crocodilian endemic to Indian subcontinent rivers (Ganges, Chambal, Yamuna, Girwa, Gandak, Mahanadi, etc.)
· Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN); listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and in CITES Appendix I
About Human–Wildlife Conflict:
Human–Wildlife Conflict refers to negative interactions between humans and wild animals, often resulting in loss of life, injury, crop damage, livestock predation, or destruction of property. In India, HWC is intensifying due to:
· Habitat fragmentation and encroachment
· Expanding agriculture and infrastructure
· Shrinking wildlife corridors
· Climate change altering species movement patterns
India’s high population density and dependence on forest-edge agriculture make such conflicts frequent, particularly with elephants, leopards, bears, and big cats.
Conclusion:
Wildlife Week 2025The celebrations marked a significant step towards India's transition to community-driven, technology-enabled conservation. With a focus on human-wildlife coexistence, the event highlighted the need for collaborative efforts to protect India's rich biodiversity.
