Bhupender Yadav calls for global community-led wildlife conservation

At the WWF Global Conservation Conference in Jaipur, India, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav called for global cooperation with local communities to ensure wildlife conservation and human-wildlife coexistence. Addressing representatives from over 100 countries, Yadav emphasized the need for a unified approach driven by shared hope and clear direction.

He highlighted India's significant progress over the last decade, noting that the number of protected areas has increased from approximately 750 to over 1,000. During this period, tiger sanctuaries rose from 47 to 58, elephant sanctuaries from 30 to 33, and Ramsar sites from 24 to 101. Yadav attributed the recovery of populations of tigers, elephants, rhinos, and Asiatic lions to sustained political will and continuous conservation efforts.

The Minister also noted that scientific research and monitoring systems have been vital to these successes, aiding in habitat improvement and the protection of wildlife corridors for species such as dolphins, lions, and snow leopards. He underscored that India's commitment to conservation is both constitutional and cultural, framing wildlife protection as both a state responsibility and a civic duty.