Protected Area Network (pan)
National parks and sanctuaries are areas of significant ecological, floral, faunal or natural significance. They are notified by the State Governments; and protected by the Forest Departments under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 & its amendments, Indian Forest Act of 1927 , Forest (Protection) Act of 1980, Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
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Hunting of wild animals, encroachment and/or destruction of habitat, construction of tourist lodges and other such activities are prohibited in protected areas.
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A National park is a protected area which is reserved for the conservation of biodiversity, where no human interference in any form of harvesting of timber, collecting minor forest products and private ownership rights is allowed; while a wildlife sanctuary is a protected area which is reserved for the conservation of biodiversity and human activities like harvesting of timber, collecting minor forest products and private ownership rights are allowed as long as they do not interfere with the well-being of animals.
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While most of the provisions are common for sanctuaries and national parks,
there are four key differences: -
All rights of people within a national park have to be settled, while in a sanctuary certain rights can be allowed,
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Livestock grazing is prohibited in a national park, but can be allowed in a regulated manner in sanctuaries,
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A sanctuary can be upgraded to a national park, but a national park cannot be downgraded as a sanctuary, and
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Boundaries of sanctuaries are not well defined and controlled biotic interference is permitted, while the boundaries of a national park are well defined and no biotic interference is permitted. Wildlife Sanctuary are species centric and focuses on certain species and National Parks are region centric.