Course in Conservation Biology

UNIT I - BIODIVERSITY; SPECIES CONCEPTS; ANIMAL DIVERSITY
What is Biodiversity? - Components of Biodiversity (Ecosystem, Genetic and Species diversity)
- Assigning values to biodiversity - Species concepts - Animal diversity: (Distribution,
inventory, species richness) - Biodiversity Hotspots (Western Ghats, Indo-Burma region).
UNIT II - LOSS OF ANIMAL DIVERSITY, STATUS OF SPECIES
Extinctions: Past rates of Extinctions - Concepts of Island biogeography and extinction rates
on Islands - Human induced, Modern and local extinctions - Population reduction-threats to
wildlife (examples)- Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. Threats to animal diversity in
India - Status of species: Rare, endemic and threatened species - Measuring status of species in
the wild - IUCN Red list (Assessments and methodologies) - Status of Indian animals.
UNIT III - CONSERVATION: TOOLS IN ANIMAL CONSERVATION
What is conservation biology? - In situ and Ex situ conservation of Indian animals (Case
studies) - Population management -Project Tiger and Elephant - Captive breeding programme
- peoples participation in conservation - Successes and failures of conservation actions in India
(Case study) -Tools in Conservation: Interpretation of various data on wildlife - GIS - remote
sensing - Landscape model - PVA and CAMP processes.
UNIT IV - ANIMAL LAWS AND POLICIES IN INDIA; ECONOMICS OF
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
Wildlife (Protection) Act of India (1972) - Protected Area network - forest policy - Prevention
of cruelty to Animal Act - Convention on Biological diversity, International Trade in endangered
species - Zoo policy- Laws and their applications in Zoological parks, wildlife sanctuaries and
biosphere reserves - Economics of biodiversity conservation.
UNIT V - CONSERVATION EDUCATION AND AWARENESS
Wildlife / Animal magazines, Journals- How to write popular and Scientific articles - Magazine
and Journal information - Wildlife, nature, environment games (examples) - Role of NGO's and
Government organizations in wildlife conservation - Wildlife celebration days in India -
Biotechnology in conservation.