Conservation in India has a long and contested history. This course will aim to provide a historical perspective, whilst discussing the current challenges to conservation. This course will explore the historical perspectives of biodiversity conservation in India, the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, introduction of Project Tiger, protected areas, Forest rights act, community governance, the current status of the wildlife protection act, legal frameworks and policies (including those around traditional ecological knowledge and intellectual property rights), amendments, conservation outside PAs, neglected taxa, and threats to biodiversity.