Wild life and Biodiversity A Report by Allah Dad Khan Bureau Chief Kisan Risala Lahore

2. Wild Life and
Biodiversity
By
Allah Dad Khan

7. Biodiversity or biological diversity is defined as:
“The variability among living organisms from all sources including inter alia,
terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological
complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species,
between species and of ecosystems (CBD 1992).”

8. The Convention on Biological Diversity
The Convention on Biological Diversity was
opened for signature on 5 June 1992 during the
United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro. The
Convention entered force on its thirtieth
ratification on 29 December 1993. Since then, it
has received 176 signatures and 159 ratification.
In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly
declared 29 December as the International Day
for Biological Diversity.

9. The Convention on Biological Diversity contd
The Convention on Biological Diversity was signed
by Pakistan on 5 June 1992, and was ratified by
the Cabinet on July 26 1994. Through the
Convention, Pakistan and other signatory
countries are involved in an international
partnership to help halt the global loss of
biological diversity. The Convention addresses
biological diversity at the genetic and ecosystem
level, and provides a framework for its
conservation and sustainable use.

10. General commitments of Convention
• Take general measures for the conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity;
• Identify and monitor components of biological diversity, and
activities that have an adverse affect on biological diversity;
• Adopt measures for in-situ conservation, including a system of
protected areas, the restoration and rehabilitation of degraded
areas, and the development of legislation and other regulatory
provisions for the protection of threatened species and their
populations;
• Adopt measures for ex-situ conservation, including research on
plants, animals, and micro-organisms, and measures for the
rehabilitation and reintroduction of threatened species;
• Integrate the consideration of sustainable use of the components of
biological diversity into national decision making;

11. General commitments of Convention
• Adopt measures that act as incentives for the conservation
and sustainable use of biological diversity;
• Establish and maintain programmes for scientific and
technical education and training in measures for biological
diversity conservation. Promote and encourage research
and training that contributes to biological diversity
conservation;
• Promote understanding of the importance of, and the
measures required for, the conservation of biological
diversity;
• Ensure environmental impact assessment of projects likely
to adversely affect biological diversity with a view to
avoiding or minimising adverse impacts;

12. General commitments of Convention
• Endeavour to facilitate access to genetic resources for
environmentally sound measures;
• Facilitate access of other Contracting Parties to technologies
relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity;
• Facilitate the exchange of information relevant to the conservation
and sustainable use of biological diversity;
• Promote international, technical, and scientific co-operation in the
field of conservation and the sustainable use of biological diversity;
• Take measures to provide for participation in technical and scientific
co-operation;
• Provide financial support and incentives for activities that are
intended to achieve the objectives of this convention.

13. Forest Management and Wildlife
Wildlife is an integral part of the forest ecosystem. While managing the
forested land, administrative considerations have prevailed on the
ecosystem approach in Pakistan. Consequently, the Wildlife Department
has been separated from the Forest Department in the provinces of
Punjab, KPK , Sindh and Azad Kashmir, while in Balochistan and the
Northern Areas these are managed by a wildlife wing under the forest
departments.
There is an emphasis in our wildlife legislation on game management.
Non-game species that are equally important are totally ignored, such as
anteaters and some reptiles that are killed due to mere superstition. There
is a need to develop strategies to conserve all forms of life

14. Wild Life Management
Wildlife includes all vertebrates except fish, domesticated animals and
human beings. Other broader definitions of wildlife include all plants and
animals in wild ecosystems. Wildlife management is therefore concerned
with the abundance and distribution of vertebrate species. Wildlife
managers must also manage habitats, including vegetation and
invertebrates which are food for, or causes of disease to wildlife.
Wildlife management is the science and art of changing the
characteristics and the interaction of habitat, wild animal populations and
man in order to achieve specific human goals by means of wildlife
resources.

69. IUCN PROTECTED AREAS
CLASSIFICATION
• I. Strict Nature Reserve/Wilderness Area
• 2.National Park: Protected Areas Managed Mainly for Ecosystem Conservation
and Recreation.
• 3.Natural Monument: Protected Areas Managed Mainly for Conservation of
Special Features
• 4. Habitat/Species Management Area: Protected Areas Managed Mainly for
Conservation through Management Intervention
• 5. Protected Landscape / Seascape: Protected Areas Managed Mainly for
Landscape/ Seascape conservation and recreation
• 6. Managed Resource Protected Area Protected Areas Managed Mainly
for the Sustainable Use of Natural Ecosystems