India Unveils Major Wildlife Conservation Initiatives on World Wildlife Day

Prime Minister Modi announces expanded cheetah reintroduction, river dolphin census results, and new conservation projects at Gir National Park meeting.

India will expand its cheetah reintroduction program to Gandhisagar Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh and the Banni Grasslands in Gujarat, following earlier successes at Kuno National Park.
The country's first riverine dolphin census reports 6,327 dolphins across 28 rivers, with the highest numbers recorded in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam.
The 16th Asiatic lion population estimation will take place in May 2025, with conservation efforts targeting habitat improvement and prey augmentation in Barda Wildlife Sanctuary.
New initiatives include a National Great Indian Bustard Conservation Action Plan, a gharial conservation project, and a Centre of Excellence for human-wildlife conflict management in Coimbatore.
Prime Minister Modi emphasized the role of local communities in conservation and announced increased use of technology like AI, geospatial mapping, and remote sensing for wildlife management.