ENDANGERED AND ENDEMIC SPECIES OF INDIA

T he Forest administration in India is more than 100 years old. Efforts to identify plant species as a part of wildlife and to recognize the importance for providing special protection to endangered plant species have so far been negligible. The extinction of certain attractive animals stimulated efforts to protect fauna, but no special heed was given to flora. The word ‘Wildlife’ had till recently been considered synonymous with animal life and consequently, conservations and naturalists have their attention only to conservation of animal species. It was only in the year 1968 at an International Conference (UNESCO 1968) that the problem of conservation of flora and fauna was appreciated and several recommendations were made urging the International Biological Programme (IBP), .the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural resources (IUCN) and various international and national organizations to initiate studies in to the problems involved, particularly the proble...