Course Syllabus
| Module 1: Concept of Biodiversity | (6 hours) |
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Definition, Levels, Values, Measurement of Biodiversity; Concept of Wildlife.
| Module 2: Conservation of Biodiversity | (24 hours) |
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Unit I: Threats
Factors causing biodiversity degradation, Concept of species extinction.
Unit II: Species Conservation Techniques
In situ conservation (Biosphere Reserves, National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves, Community reserves, Sacred Habitats), Ex-situ conservation (Botanical & Zoological Gardens, Gene Banks, Seed And Seedling Banks, Pollen Culture, Tissue Culture and DNA banks, Butterfly Gardening); Concept of Biodiversity Hotspots and Mega-diversity Country.
Unit III: Traditional Conservation Practice
Traditional Ecological Knowledge and documentation of local biodiversity.
| Module 3: National and International Protection Measures | (8 hours) |
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Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Concept of Schedule in Wildlife Protection; Indian Biodiversity Act 2002; IUCN Red list of Threatened Species; The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
| Module 4: Biodiversity and Wildlife Resources in India | (15 hours) |
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Biodiversity of Indian subcontinent, Bio-geographical region in India, India as a mega diversity nation; India’s National Biodiversity Action Plan, Biodiversity hotspot in India; Species conservation projects in India (Tiger, Rhino, Lion, Turtles, Crocodiles, Birds, Coral reefs).
| Module 5: Human-Wildlife Interaction | (9 hours) |
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Man-animal conflict in India; Human-wildlife Coexistence; Eco-tourism; Wildlife Crimes, Sustainable Utilization of Biodiversity Resources.
| Module 6: Identifying Wildlife | (12 hours) |
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Field techniques for identification of plants, mammals, birds, herpetofauna, indigenous fishes, butterflies in field.
| Module 7: Estimation of wildlife and its habitat | (20 hours) |
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Unit I : Observation and survey techniques
Species Census methods; Species sampling method (Quadrat, Line Transect, Belt Transect, Pit fall, Mark-Recapture technique, Radio-telemetry etc.); Ethics in Field Studies.
Unit II: Data handling
Methods of recording field observations; Essential Field kit and its usage; Data analysis
| Module 8: Wildlife Photography | (6 hours) |
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Basic Principles; Fundamentals of camera lenses and accessories; Learning to see, Finding the best subject, Positioning the subject, Utilizing colour, lines, shapes, patterns and texture; Techniques for photographing mammals, birds, fish, insects, reptiles, and amphibians; Composition on landscape photography; Ethics; Legalities.
HANDS-ON
Field work and educational excursion in an ecosystem:- Practical aspects of wildlife biology will be covered viz., identification & characterization of floral and faunal diversity in any wildlife habitats (Mountain, Hill, Forest etc.) of India.
- Participants will be required to undertake exercises in habitat description, mapping and evaluation, estimation of wildlife populations.
- The participants will be given hands-on training to analyse the data collected in the field using software.
- Basic techniques on Wildlife Photography