Central Zoo Authority Initiates Development of National Wildlife Health Policy

New Delhi: The Central Zoo Authority (CZA), under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), has embarked on the development of the ‘National Wildlife Health Policy’. This initiative was launched at a consultative workshop held today at Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, New Delhi.

Healthy wildlife populations are critical for maintaining biodiversity and supporting socio-economic well-being. However, wildlife faces numerous health challenges, including infectious diseases, habitat loss, climate change, and illicit activities. Recognizing these threats, the proposed National Wildlife Health Policy aims to establish a comprehensive framework to safeguard wildlife populations by integrating ecological, human, and animal health within a shared and interconnected environment.

The policy will provide structured mechanisms for surveillance, research and development, data architecture, capacity-building, legal frameworks, and resource allocation. It focuses on both captive and free-ranging wild animals to maintain balanced ecosystems and biodiversity.

The consultative workshop witnessed the participation of experts from various domains, including government departments, NGOs, academic institutions, and state forest departments. The process is supported by the GISE Hub at IIT Bombay and the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

The inaugural session of the workshop was attended by key officials such as Shri Jitendra Kumar, Director General of Forests and Special Secretary (DGF&SS), MoEF&CC; Shri. Sushil Kumar Awasthi, Additional Director General (Wildlife), MoEF&CC; Shri. Anjan Kumar Mohanty, Additional Director General (Forest Conservation), MoEF&CC; Dr. Gobind Sagar Bharadwaj, Additional Director General (Project Tiger and Elephant) & Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA); Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying; and Dr. Sanjay Kumar Shukla, Member Secretary, Central Zoo Authority, MoEF&CC.

The policy formulation process has also engaged various stakeholders, including NGOs, veterinary universities, zoological parks, and research institutions, to ensure a holistic approach to wildlife health management.