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Wildlife Conservation

Forest Department GIS Lab Wildlife Conservation

Geographic Information Systems play a transformative role in wildlife conservation within the Forest Department by enabling data driven planning, monitoring and protection of wildlife and their habitats. The GIS Lab supports efficient decision making through spatial analysis, mapping, and real-time tracking.

Key Contributions of GIS in Wildlife Conservation:

1. Mapping Critical Habitats

GIS accurately identifies and maps vital wildlife habitats such as forests, wetlands, grasslands and scrublands. This supports habitat protection, management and restoration efforts tailored to species-specific needs.

2. Habitat Connectivity and Wildlife Corridors

Maintaining wildlife corridors and migration routes and reducing human-wildlife conflicts is crucial for gene flow and conflict reduction.

3. Species Tracking and Monitoring

By processing GPS and satellite data, GIS enables the monitoring of species populations, migration patterns and home ranges. This insight supports targeted conservation and helps assess the effectiveness of protective measures.

4. Protected Area Planning and Management

GIS aids in the design, boundary management and surveillance of protected areas. It helps ensure the ecological integrity of reserves and assists in zoning for conservation priorities.

5. Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity Monitoring

GIS helps track changes in land use, vegetation cover and forest health. As well as supporting biodiversity assessment, it can spot environmental threats like deforestation or habitat degradation early.

6. Climate Change Impact Assessment

GIS modeling predicts how changing climate conditions could alter species distributions and habitat viability. These forecasts guide adaptive conservation strategies to protect vulnerable ecosystems.

7. Migration and Movement Analysis

We use GPS tracking to analyze detailed movement patterns of migratory or wide-ranging species. This information helps us plan conservation across landscapes and administrative boundaries.

8. Detection of Illegal Activities

GIS integrated with remote sensing, camera traps and drones enables surveillance of protected areas. It helps detect illegal hunting, logging and encroachment. Patrol routes can be optimized using spatial data to target high-risk zones.

9. Support for Research and Policy

The GIS Lab provides valuable spatial data and analytical tools for researchers and policymakers. This supports species recovery programs (e.g., Houbara Bustard, Blackbuck), conservation planning and the formulation of effective wildlife policies.