The rapid growth of human and livestock populations coupled with urbanization and industrialization in the 19 century and consequent pressures of land hunger and development have taken an increasingly heavy toll of the country’s wilderness. Conservation measures to mitigate the impacts of these pressures however, have largely been slow and inadequate. The first few wildlife Protected Areas (PAs) were set up some fifty years ago, but it was only in the late 1960s that growing concern at the scale of environmental degradation allowed the development of PAs in many parts of the country. Accordingly, in 1983 the Government of India decided that the rational planning and implementation of a comprehensive network of PAs would be the keystone of the National Wildlife Action Plan. In 1984 the then Department of Environment appointed the Wildlife Institute of India to formulate plans for such a network. Consultants were asked to gather data from the states and their information was compiled at the Institute. A draft report was produced in 1988. Four main subject areas were covered: i. The preparation of a biogeographic classification of India designed to facilitate conservation planning. ii. A consideration of important, areas. iii. A review of existing protected areas and iv. The recommendation of new protected areas to ensure an adequate network covering the range of biological diversity in the country.
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