Section 13 in The Indian Forest Service (Probationers' Final Examination) Regulations, 2016
13. Biodiversity Conservation and Wildlife Management. - (1) Biodiversity Conservation. - (i) Concepts of biodiversity: Gene to ecosystem level diversity; global bio geographic classification; hot spots of biodiversity; endemism; concept of umbrella, flagship, keystone and Indicator species.
(ii)Bio geographic classification of India: Zones, provinces and biomes level, representative faunal associations.(a)Introduction to animal kingdom: classification and essential features.(b)Conservation of biodiversity: IUCN categories of protected areas; history of wildlife management in India; protected areas system in India- national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation reserves and community reserves; special category areas: biosphere reserves, natural world heritage sites, project tiger, project elephant, project snow leopard etc., wildlife management in other countries.(c)Ecotourism-Concept, fundamental principles, visitor impacts, tools for addressing impacts, few case studies; interpretive planning.(d)Wildlife health management. - Introduction to wildlife health management, determinants of disease, transmission of infection, major disease of wildlife, emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) of zoonotic importance, diseases of migratory birds, concept of one health, disease investigations and field procedures, disease management, planning prevention and control of diseases in wildlife, human health risks from global environment changes, bio-warfare, bio-terrorism and animal diseases as weapons.(e)Ex-situ conservation: Ex-situ management of wild animals: theory and practices of Ex-situ conservation, element of zoo management: planning and management of animal facilities; world zoo conservation strategy; national zoo policy; central zoo authority, recognition of zoo rules etc.(f)People & protected areas :Biodiversity conservation and community participation- issues, concept of eco development for wildlife conservation, communities and community participation, biodiversity register, local traditional knowledge and practices in conservation, institutions and institution building process, planning eco development; relocation and rehabilitation of villages from inviolate areas, existing policy and legal framework, case studies for eco development and resettlement; role of extension for local villages and schools, media management and public relations.(2)Wildlife management. - (a) Habitat Ecology: Introduction to the concept of plant and animal succession; concept of habitat, different types of habitats i.e. forests, grassland, deserts, freshwater, marine, estuarine, wetland, animal habitat use patterns; concept of habitat preference & critical habitats; edge effect, niche, limiting factors, role of fire, grazing and other natural calamities like floods, cyclones, tsunami etc. in habitat modification; invasive species and their control, mapping of wildlife resources, Protected Area (PA) Network; Island biogeography & protected area design.(b)Population Ecology & Conservation Biology: Life history traits; patterns of population growth, density dependent and independent mechanisms; concept of population viability analysis (PVA), carrying capacity, meta-population and evolutionary significant units (ESU); monitoring and estimation of wild animals: case study of tiger; endangered species management - principles & practices of reintroduction, restocking; preparation of recovery Plans.(c)Illegal trade in wildlife species and products: Wild animals and animal products in illegal trade and methods (involvement of local people, instruments used, trade routes, trans-boundary issues in illegal trade (inter division, interstate, international), control measures (intelligence gathering, data base of criminals, crime charts, crime mapping, deceptions used, electronic surveillance devices, study of crime scenes, forensics, collection and preservation of evidence, arrest, interrogation, investigation, preparation of case records, court procedures etc.), case studies on successful prosecutions.(d)Human wildlife conflict & mitigation: Nature, causes and mitigation of depredation by wild animals: case studies from India and abroad; wild animal barriers, role of communities in management of conflict situations, crowd control, role of district administration.(e)Management of animal in distress and their rehabilitation: Introduction to physiology of stress, shock and trauma, safe capture of wild animals - equipments and techniques, basic pharmacology of immobilisation drugs, drug classification, legal aspects, immobilisation of ungulates, carnivores and mega herbivores , management of elephants in musths, transport of wild animals, design of transport cages, rehabilitation and monitoring.
