There are 92 existing national parks in India covering an area of 38,569.66 km 2, which is 1.17% of the geographical area of the country (National Wildlife Database, July 2004). In addition to the above 74 national parks covering an area of 16,630.08 km 2 are proposed in the Protected Area Network Report (Rodgers et al. 2002). The network of parks will go up 166 after full implementation of the above report. Maximum number of parks exist in size class less 100-500 km 2 and there are 7 parks, having more than 5,000 km 2.

State-wise break up of National Parks

State/UTs

Area of State (km2)

National Parks

Area Covered (km2)

% of State Area

Andhra Pradesh	275068	4	373.23	0.14
Arunachal Pradesh	83743	2	2290.82	2.74
Assam	78438	5	1968.60	2.51
Bihar	94163	1	335.65	0.36
Chhattisgarh	135194	3	2929.50	2.17
Goa	3702	1	107.00	2.89
Gujarat	196024	4	480.11	0.24
Haryana	44212	2	117.13	0.26
Himachal Pradesh	55673	2	1429.40	2.57
Jammu & Kashmir	222235	4	4680.25	2.11
Jharkhand	79714	1	231.67	0.29
Karnataka	191791	5	2435.14	1.27
Kerala	38863	4	549.34	1.41
Madhya Pradesh	308252	9	3656.36	1.19
Maharashtra	307690	5	955.93	0.31
Manipur	22327	1	40.00	0.18
Meghalaya	22429	2	267.48	1.19
Mizoram	21081	2	250.00	1.19
Nagaland	16579	1	202.02	1.22
Orissa	155707	2	990.70	0.64
Punjab	50362	0	0.00	0.00
Rajasthan	342239	5	4122.33	1.20
Sikkim	7096	1	1784.00	25.14
Tamil Nadu	130058	5	307.84	0.24
Tripura	10486	0	0.00	0.00
Uttar Pradesh	240926	1	490.00	0.20
Uttaranchal	53485	6	4725.00	7.62
West Bengal	88752	5	1693.25	1.91
Union Territories
Andaman & Nicobar	8249	9	1156.91	14.02
Chandigarh	114	0	0.00	0.00
Dadra & Nagar Haveli	491	0	0.00	0.00
Daman & Diu	112	0	0.00	0.00
Delhi	1483	0	0.00	0.00
Lakshadweep	32	0	0.00	0.00
Pondicherry	493	0	0.00	0.00
India	3287263	92	38,569.66	1.17

Source: Wildlife Institute of India

There area 492 existing wildlife sanctuaries in India covering an area of 117,077.41 km 2, which is 3.56% of the geographical area of the country. Another 217 sanctuaries are proposed in the Protected Area Network Report covering an area of 16,669.44 km 2.Maximum number of sanctuaries exist in size class less than 10 km 2 and there are only 2 sanctuaries, having more than 5,000 km 2.The network of sanctuaries will go up 709 after full implementation of the above report (Rodgers et al, 2002).

State-wise break up of Wildlife Sanctuaries

State/UTs	Area of State (km²)	No. of WLS	Area covered ( km²)	% of State Area
Andhra Pradesh	275068	22	12600.09	4.58
Arunachal Pradesh	83743	11	7606.37	9.08
Assam	78438	15	943.31	1.20
Bihar	94163	11	2949.17	3.13
Chhattisgarh	135194	10	3409.13	2.52
Goa	3702	6	647.96	17.50
Gujarat	196024	21	16422.72	8.38
Haryana	44212	8	179.04	0.40
Himachal Pradesh	55673	32	5770.85	10.37
Jammu & Kashmir	222235	15	10312.25	4.64
Jharkhand	79714	10	1862.72	2.34
Karnataka	191791	21	3888.22	2.03
Kerala	38863	12	2143.36	5.52
Madhya Pradesh	308252	25	7158.40	2.32
Maharashtra	307690	36	14376.66	4.67
Manipur	22327	3	393.30	1.76
Meghalaya	22429	3	34.20	0.15
Mizoram	21081	4	771.00	3.66
Nagaland	16579	3	20.34	0.12
Orissa	155707	18	6969.15	4.48
Punjab	50362	10	316.73	0.63
Rajasthan	342239	23	5447.03	1.59
Sikkim	7096	5	265.10	3.74
Tamil Nadu	130058	19	2539.82	1.95
Tripura	10486	4	603.62	5.76
Uttar Pradesh	240926	23	5222.47	2.17
Uttaranchal	53485	6	2413.76	4.48
West Bengal	88752	15	1203.28	1.36
Union Territories
Andaman & Nicobar	8249	96	389.39	4.72
Chandigarh	114	1	25.42	22.30
Dadra & Nagar Haveli	491	1	92.16	18.77
Daman & Diu	112	1	2.18	1.95
Delhi	1483	1	13.20	0.89
Lakshadweep	32	1	0.01	0.03
Pondicherry	493	0	0.00	0.00
India	3287263	492	117077.41	3.56

Source: Wildlife Institute of India

The programme of Biosphere Reserve was initiated under the 'Man & Biosphere' (MAB) programme by UNESCO in 1971. The purpose of the formation of the biosphere reserve is to conserve in situ all forms of life, along with its support system, in its totality, so that it could serve as a referral system for monitoring and evaluating changes in natural ecosystems. The first biosphere reserve of the world was established in 1979, since then the network of biosphere reserves has increased to 425 in 95 countries across the world ( MAB, 2003 ). Presently, there are 13 existing biosphere reserves in India.

List of Biosphere Reserves in India

S.No.	Name of Reserve	Date of Establishment	Area (in sq.km.)	State Location
1.	Nilgiri	01-09-1986	5,520.00	Karnataka, Kerala &   Tamil Nadu
2.	Nanda Devi	18-01-1988	5,860.69	Uttaranchal
3.	Nokrek	01-01-1988	80.00	Meghalaya
4.	Great Nicobar Islands	06-01-1989	885.00	Andaman & Nicobar   Islands
5.	Gulf of Mannar	18.02.1989	10,500.00	Tamil Nadu
6.	Manas	14-03-1989	2,837.00	Assam
7.	Sunderbans	29-03-1989	9,630.00	West Bengal
8.	Simlipal	22-06-1994	4,374.00	Orissa
9.	Dibru-Saikhowa	28-07-1997	765.00	Assam
10.	Dehang-Debang	02-09-1998	5,111.50	Arunachal Pradesh
11.	Pachmarhi	03-03-1999	4,926.00	Madhya Pradesh
12.	Khangchendzonga	07-02-2000	2,619.92	Sikkim
13.	Agasthyamalai	12-11-2001	1,701.00	Kerala

Source: Wildlife Institute of India

Project Tiger was launched by the Government of India in the year 1973 to save the endangered species of tiger in the country. Starting from nine (9) reserves in 1973-74 the number is grown up to twenty seven (27) in 1999-2000. A total area of 37,761 km 2 is covered by these project tiger areas, which is 1.15% of the total geographical area of the country. The estimated tiger population in these reserves was approximately 1,500 and the total population within the country was nearly 4,000 in 1992.

List of Tiger Reserves in India

Sl. No.	Tiger Reserve	Year of Establishment	Total Area (Km2)	State
1.	Bandhavgarh	1993-94	1162	Madhya Pradesh
2.	Bandipur Nagarhole (extension)	1973-74 1999-2000	866 643	Karnataka
3.	Bhadra	1998-99	492	Karnataka
4.	Bori-Satpura	1999-2000	1486	Madhya Pradesh
5.	Buxa	1982-83	759	West Bengal
6.	Corbett	1973-74	1316	Uttaranchal
7.	Dampa	1994-95	500	Mizoram
8.	DudhwaKaterniaghat (extension)	1987-88 1999-2000	811 551	Uttar Pradesh
9.	Indravati	1982-83	2799	Chhattishgarh
10.	Kalakad-Mundanthurai	1988-89	800	Tamil Nadu
11.	Kanha	1973-74	1945	Madhya Pradesh
12.	Manas	1973-74	2840	Assam
13.	Melghat	1973-74	1677	Maharashtra
14.	Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam	1982-83	3568	Andhra Pradesh
15.	Namdapha	1982-83	1985	Arunachal Pradesh
16.	Pakhui-Nameri	1999-2000	1206	Arunachal-Assam
17.	Palamau	1973-74	1026	Jharkhand
18.	Panna	1994-95	542	Madhya Pradesh
19.	Pench (M.P.)	1992-93	758	Madhya Pradesh
20.	Pench	1992-93	257	Maharashtra
21.	Periyar	1978-79	777	Kerala
22.	Ranthambhore	1973-74	1334	Rajasthan
23.	Sariska	1978-79	866	Rajasthan
24.	Simlipal	1973-74	2750	Orissa
25.	Sunderbans	1973-74	2585	West Bengal
26.	Tadoba-Andhari	1993-94	620	Maharashtra
27.	Valmiki	1989-90	840	Bihar

Source: Wildlife Institute of India