Spotlight

Chestnut-breasted partridge photographed at eaglenest wildlife sanctuary by the WPA-India team
Pix: Ayan Banerjee

ABOUT PHEASANTS

Pheasants worldwide
Pheasants of India
Indian laws relating to Pheasants

WELCOME TO WPA-INDIA

WPA-India (World Pheasant Association-India) was established in 1979 as a society under the Societies Registration Act 1860. As a national body, WPA-India is an affiliate of the World Pheasant Association (WPA) with headquarters in the UK. Currently, WPA national bodies exist in 12 countries (apart from India), besides membership in over 40 countries worldwide.

The basic objective of WPA is the conservation of bird species of the Order Galliformes. The basic objective of WPA is common everywhere; the motivation for conservation varies from country to country. While in Europe and USA (where Pheasants were introduced by humans), the main motivation has been propagation through captive breeding/aviculture and release in the wild for hunting, in Asia (the region of the origin of pheasant species), the main focus is on saving the birds in their natural habitats.

India has special significance for WPA because it is the home of 17 out of a total of 50 pheasant species found worldwide. The Indian species include the magnificent Blue Peafowl, the National Bird of India, and the highly versatile Red Junglefowl, the progenitor of all domestic fowl and easily the most useful bird in human history. The other beautiful species include the lovely Himalayan Monal, the bird of nine colours, the Kaleej and some Tragopans. India is undoubtedly the richest country in pheasant species, apart from China.
WPA-India aims at creating awareness in the country about the ecological, economic and aesthetic importance of Galliformes, in general, and Pheasants, in particular, and works to arouse interest and support for their conservation from all sources, including government and non-government bodies and individuals. It also carries out and encourages studies and research on the distribution, population status, and other aspects of individual species in their natural habitats, aimed at improving the conservation status of the species in the country.