The conservation of wild species in their natural habitats can also be done in biosphere reserves. Biosphere reserves are large protected areas with well defined boundaries. They usually spread beyond an area of 5000 sq km, and protect much larger areas of natural habitat than a national park or a wildlife sanctuary.
Often the biosphere reserves include one or more national parks in its ambit. They are not meant for any particular species like white tiger or one horned rhinos, etc., but are created to protect and preserve the entire flora and fauna of a given region.
Purpose of Biosphere Reserves:
In biosphere reserves, protection is extended not only to the diverse flora and fauna of the protected region where the reserve has been set up, but also to the human communities who inhabit these regions, and their indigenous ways of life, which faces continuous threats of modernization.
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The biosphere reserves also provide the ideal environment for research and development on wildlife. The purpose of biosphere reserves is the conservation of biological diversity in various ecosystems.
The biosphere reserves are internationally recognized within the framework of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme. The biosphere reserves are demarcated into three definite zones. They are core zone or the natural zone, buffer zone and transitional zone.
Image Source : globalwildlife.org
Various Zones of Biosphere Reserves:
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The core zone or the natural zone is the inner part of the reserve, where every type of human interference is prohibited. This is an area which is completely undisturbed by the interference of human beings.
In the buffer zone, which surrounds the core zone, limited human activity is being allowed. Research and development activities are carried out in this zone.
The transition zone is the outermost area of the biosphere reserves, where a large number of human activities are permitted. In this area, there is usually close interaction between the management of the biosphere reserves and the local population of the area.
So far India has set up 15 biosphere reserves for protecting representative ecosystems, which include Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve, Simlipal Biosphere Reserve, Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve, Nandadevi Biosphere Reserve, Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve among others.
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Out of these fifteen, four are part of World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO’s MAB programme list. They are Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve, and the Gulf of Munnar Biosphere Reserve. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is the first biosphere reserve in India, established in 1986.
