Financial Assistance:

• The government offers financial support to state authorities through initiatives such as the ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats,’ ‘Project Tiger,’ and ‘Project Elephant.’ 
• These programs are designed to enhance national parks and sanctuaries, ensure adequate food and water supplies within forests, and minimize the migration of wildlife into human settlements.

Community Cooperation

• The programs also highlight the importance of collaborating with local communities to manage Protected Areas effectively.
• Addresses people’s concerns regarding human-wildlife conflicts.
• Encourages community involvement in wildlife habitat management.

India adopts Sawen

South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN):

• India has adopted the Statute of SAWEN, becoming a formal member.
• Aims to strengthen ties with South Asian countries to control trans-boundary wildlife crime.
• Focuses on effective communication, coordination, collaboration, capacity building, and cooperation.

Preventive Measures:

• Construction of barriers such as boundary walls and solar-powered electric fences around sensitive areas to prevent wild animal attacks.
• These activities receive Central assistance support.

About SAWEN:

• A regional network comprising eight South Asian countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
• Aims to combat wildlife crime collectively, establishing common goals and approaches to tackle illegal wildlife trade in the region.

MoU Between ZSI & iBOL

Objective

• The MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) is an agreement between the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the International Barcode of Life (iBOL).

• The focus is on a scientific technique called DNA barcoding, which is a method for quickly and accurately identifying different species by analyzing a specific portion of their genes and comparing it to a reference database.

Benefits of MoU: The MoU allows ZSI to participate in global initiatives such as Bioscan and the Planetary Biodiversity Mission.

Programs of iBOL 

BARCODE 500K:

Completed in 2015, BARCODE 500K laid the foundation by establishing facilities, protocols, and collaboration needed to build a comprehensive DNA barcode reference library.

Goals:

• Provide DNA barcode coverage for half a million species.
• Develop the necessary informatics platforms and analytical protocols.
• Set up a core facility to support sequencing and informatics.

Bioscan

Launched in June 2019, BIOSCAN is an ongoing program set to conclude by 2026.

Goals:

• Extend DNA barcode coverage to two million species.
• Implement biomonitoring in participating nations.
• Develop support for high-throughput sequencing through informatics.
• Encourage the application of DNA barcoding in various scientific fields.

Planetary Biodiversity Mission Goals

It is scheduled to launch in 2026 and complete by 2045.

Goals:

• Conduct a comprehensive census of all multicellular species.
• Establish a worldwide biosurveillance program.
• Create a ‘library of life’ by preserving DNA extracts from every species, contributing to global biodiversity conservation efforts.