The Task Force was set up in pursuance of the recommendations of the Indian Board for Wildlife and its standing committee at their meetings held on 9th February 1981 and 1st July 1982, respectively. The term 'wildlife' as globally understood, denotes all uncultivated forms of flora and fauna and has been so construed in this report. The Task Force commenced its deliberations by assessing the current levels of awareness and the degrees of apathy, indeed antipathy towards wildlife among the different sections of the public and endeavoured to determine the causes.