Fauna refers to all of the animal life that exists in a given area or time period. With significant regional variation in physiography, climate, and edaphic types, Indian forests provide a diverse range of habitat types that support a diverse range of wildlife in India. With only about 2.4% of the world's total land surface, India is known to have over 7.5% of the world's animal species, accounting for nearly 92,000 species so far known. In this article, we will discuss Fauna - Indian Biodiversity Diverse Landscape which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Fauna Classification

Vertebrates

• Vertebrates are animals with backbones and spinal columns.
• Vertebrates are the most advanced organisms on the planet.
• Although vertebrates make up a very small proportion of all animals, their size and mobility often allow them to dominate their environment.
• The subphylum Vertebrata (fishes, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals) accounts for 6.4% of all animals in India, with fishes being the largest group.
• Factors such as habitat destruction, overexploitation, invasive alien species, and climate change pose serious threats to their survival.

1. Fish

• Fish are cold-blooded creatures that live in water and breathe through their gills rather than their lungs.
• They also have scales and fins and lay eggs.

2. Amphibians

• Amphibians are cold blooded.
• They live on land and water and have webbed feet.
• They breathe with lungs and gills.
• They have moist smooth skin and lay eggs.
• They have four legs and sometimes none.

3. Reptiles

• Reptiles are cold blooded and have scales.
• They have dry skin and usually lay eggs.
• Have ear holes instead of ears, and have four legs or no legs.

4. Birds/Aves

• Aves are warm-blooded and have feathers and wings.
• They lay eggs and have two legs.
• They have ear holes instead of ears.

5. Mammals

• Mammals are warm blooded.
• They have hair or fur and they give birth.
• Mammal mothers nurse their young one with milk.
• They breathe with their lungs.
• Mammals live on land and have four legs (or two legs and two arms) and protruding ears.

Invertebrates

• Invertebrates lack a backbone.
• Invertebrates account for more than 98% of all animal species on the planet.
• Invertebrates lack a bone-based internal skeleton.
• Many invertebrates, such as jellyfish and worms, have a fluid-filled, hydrostatic skeleton.
• Others, such as insects and crustaceans, have a hard outer shell.
• Invertebrates are vital components of the ecosystem, performing functions such as pollination, organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil formation. They play an important role in both land and water food webs.
• Arthropoda is the largest Invertebrate phylum, and Mollusca is the second largest.

1. Annelids

• Annelids have segmented bodies.
• They have highly developed internal organs.
• Can be found almost anywhere in the world.
• They lack limbs.
• Examples include earthworms, leeches, and roundworms.

2. Mollusks

• Most mollusks have a soft, skin-like organ covered by a hard outer shell.
• Mollusks such as the snail and slug live on land.
• Other mollusks that live in water include the oyster, mussel, clam, squid, and octopus.

3. Echinoderms

• Echinoderms are marine animals that live in the ocean.
• Most echinoderms have arms or spines that radiate from the centre of their bodies.
• Common echinoderms include the sea star, sea urchin, sand dollar, and sea cucumber.

4. Protozoa

• Protozoa are single-celled animals.
• They are the tiniest of all animals.
• Most protozoa are microscopic.
• They do, in fact, breathe, move, and reproduce like multicelled animals.
• Examples include Amoebas, flagellates, and so on.

5. Arthropods

• Arthropods have limbs with joints that enable them to move.
• In addition, they have an exoskeleton, which is a hard, external skeleton.
• Arthropods include crustaceans, insects, and arachnids.

6. Arachnids

• Spiders, scorpions, ticks, and mites are examples of common arachnids.
• Antennae do not exist in arachnids.
• Arachnids have two bodies and four pairs of legs.

7. Crustaceans

• Crustaceans are mostly found in the ocean or other bodies of water.
• Crustaceans have a tough outer shell that protects their bodies.
• The crab, lobster, and barnacle are the most well-known crustaceans.

8. Insects

• Insects have an exoskeleton that surrounds their entire body.
• An insect has three body parts, six legs, and antennae.
• Beetles, butterflies, moths, dragonflies, bees, wasps, and praying mantis are some examples.

Fauna Preservation

• India's rapidly dwindling forest cover has harmed the country's wildlife.
• Several species have been severely reduced, while a few are endangered and some are on the verge of extinction.
• This necessitates immediate action to protect wildlife.
• The following measures could aid in wildlife conservation.
  • Implementing the hunting ban strictly according to the letter of the law.
  • Existing national parks and sanctuaries should be improved by providing better facilities for monitoring and protection.
  • Seminars, workshops, and exhibitions should be organised to increase public awareness of wildlife.
  • Proper breeding conditions for wild fauna in national parks may result in an increase in their population.

Measures Taken to Conserve Fauna in India

Indian Wildlife Board

• It was formed in 1952. Its primary mission was to advise the government on wildlife conservation and protection measures, such as the establishment of national parks, sanctuaries, and zoological gardens, as well as to raise public awareness about wildlife conservation.

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

• It governs the conservation of wildlife and the protection of endangered species.
• It makes hunting any wild animal listed in Schedules I, II, III, and IV of the act illegal.
• The Central Government has the authority to establish any area as a Sanctuary if it is of sufficient ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural, or zoological importance.
• The act established the National and State Boards for Wildlife, the Central Zoo Authority, and the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

Project Tiger

• It is a federally funded programme that began in 1973 and has resulted in the establishment of 53 tiger reserves.
• Its primary goals are to:
  • Reduce factors that contribute to tiger habitat depletion and mitigate them through appropriate management.
  • The habitat damage must be repaired to the greatest extent possible in order to facilitate the ecosystem's recovery.

• Maintain a viable tiger population for economic, scientific, cultural, aesthetic, and ecological reasons.

Project Elephant

• In 1992, this was launched as a federally funded programme.
• States with a free-roaming population of wild elephants are given financial, technical, and scientific assistance to ensure the long-term survival of identified viable elephant populations in their natural habitats.

National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP)

• The National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) establishes a strategy as well as programmes for wildlife conservation.
• The Indian Board of Wildlife is the apex advisory body in charge of overseeing and directing the implementation of various wildlife conservation schemes.

Biosphere Reserves

• It is a unique and representative ecosystem of terrestrial and coastal areas that is internationally recognised within the framework of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme.
• It is made up of concentric zones, with the core at the centre, followed by a buffer zone, a transitional zone, and finally a zone of human encroachment.

Livestock Genetic Diversity

• India has abundant livestock and poultry resources, which play an important role in rural livelihood security.
• India is the world's leading producer of buffaloes, second in cattle and goats, third in sheep, fourth in ducks, fifth in chicken, and sixth in camels.
• India's farm animal genetic resources include a diverse range of native breeds of cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep, swine, equines, camels, and poultry.
• Animal husbandry has grown in popularity in India over the years, thanks to the widespread introduction of exotic breeds.
• As a result, the total genetic variability and population size of many local breeds have decreased.
• The vast majority (85%) of domestic livestock in India is raised using low-input production methods.

Conclusion

Fauna is a term that refers to all animal life in a given region, time period, or both. Fauna is a diverse group of animal species whose conservation is essential for future survival. The taxonomy of the animal kingdom is widely available, with the most common categories being birds, fish, microbes, and cryptofauna. The government has taken measures to conserve fauna, such as biosphere reserves, national parks, zoos, and sanctuaries.