Conserving India’s Wildlife Through Integrative and Holistic

Approaches

Mayukh ChatterjeeWildlife Trust of India

India – Wildlife And People• Over 350 species of Mammals, 1224 species of

Birds and nearly 3151 species of Reptiles, Amphibians and Fishes

India – Wildlife And People• Over 650 Protected Areas (Tiger and Elephant

Reserves, National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Reserve Forests) ~ 4.9 % of geographical area

• Over 1.2 billion people!

• Consumers and protectors

India - Why People Are Important• 17% of world population

• Nearly one thirds directly depend on natural resources and critical ecosystems for survival

• Nature can be only preserved by the commons

India - Why People Are Important• Traditional preservationists

• Need vs. Greed ~ changing fast!

• Wildlife and Nature ~ back seat

Holistic Conservation – What and Why?

• Holism ~ look at the larger picture

• Complex Issues ~ multifaceted inclusive problems

• Sustainability ~ complete conservation

Integrated Conservation – What and Why?

• Integrated Conservation?

• Communities are major stakeholders

• Unethical ~ one’s fancy are another’s predicament

• Exclusion is a failure

• No sustainability without integrated conservation

Wildlife Trust of India• Only NGO with 8 distinct skill sets ~ founded in 1998

Rescue and rehabilitationHabitat securementSpecies recoveryH-W conflict mitigationLegal and PolicyMass awarenessCommunity workCapacity enhancement

• All skill sets work together in projects to provide a holistic, integrative approach

Two Case Studies

Greater Manas, Assam – Case Study 1

• (26º35’-26º50’N, 90º45’-90º15’E) Abode for wildlife ~ Over 1000 km2 of pristine forests and grasslands

Greater Manas– A Vision• Home of the Bodo people, the Tiger, the Indian

one horned rhinoceros, the Asian elephant and a myriad of other beings.

• A National Park, a Tiger and Elephant Reserve and a World Heritage Site.

Greater Manas – The Crisis• 1980s Bodo uprising ~ decimation

Greater Manas – The Crisis• 1980s Bodo uprising ~ decimation

• At least two large mammals ~ locally extinct

• Other wildlife and habitats lost• 1992 ~ WHS in danger

• 2003 ~ Bodoland Accord

Habitat Securement• 2003 ~ Priority areas mapped for restoration and reclamation

• 2011 ~ 340 Ha of vital habitats reclaimed and added

• 2012 ~ Patch restoration ongoing

Rescue and Rehabilitation• 2003-2010 ~ 7 Rhinos, 10 Elephants, 7 Black bears, 4 Clouded Leopards and 1 Tiger rehabilitated

Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation

• 2006 ~ Establishment of Kokrajhar Wildlife Transit Home

• 2006 ~ Establishment of a Rescue MVS and team

• 2008 ~ Elephant Proof Fencing (18 Km) and 4 Ex-Gratias

Legal and Policy• 2010 ~ BTC declares Greater Manas as Protected Area

• 2011 ~ UNESCO removes Greater Manas from Danger List

Mass Awareness• 2010 ~ Campaigns ~ 2 small campaigns; full fledged ‘Manas Pride’ campaign

• 2010 ~ Animal Action Education ~ over 20 schools/1200 students

•2008 ~ Over 40 villages targeted for mass awareness

Community Work• 2010 ~ Adoption of green livelihoods

Firewood dependence reduction (182 cookstoves)

Weaving training and support for 35 women (70 handlooms/1 center)

Support for horticulture (1 horticulture shed and cash crop plantations; mustard, ginger, chilly and turmeric)

Small businesses (4 families; tailoring and grocery shops)

8 CBOs constituted and supported

Capacity Enhancement• 2006, Supporting Frontline Forest Staff ~ over 50 staff

•2007-2013, Training CBOs ~ over 450 staff in 8 CBOs

Species Recovery• Bringing back the Eastern Swamp Deer (Rucervus d. ranjitsinhii)

• 2011-2014: Studies in Kaziranga initiated on the subspecies

• Preparation underway to translocate individuals to Manas

Nagzira-Nawegaon, Maharashtra – Case Study 2

Nagzira-Nawegaon – The Landscape• Two small and disjunct areas ~ connects 3 main tiger

habitats

• Home to tigers, leopards, Gaur and several other fauna ~ but neglected

• Not under stringent protection ~ Wildlife Sanctuaries

Nagzira-Nawegaon – The Crisis• Large parts are of connective patches under FDCM• Surrounded by over 200 villages ~ over 4000 households

• Severe degradation and increasing human-wildlife conflict

• Habitat degradation and fragmentation – 2 major highways

Habitat Securement• 2010 – 2012 ~ Attention is focused on connective corridor, surveys and mapping begin

Species occupancy and usage

Threats

Legal background

Legal and Policy

• 2011 ~ Declaration as Tiger Reserve ~ success in 2013

• 2012 ~ Proposal for protection of corridor ~ ESZ, 2012

• Expansion of NH7 halted

Mass Awareness• 2011 ~ Local schools targeted for Animal Action Education (over 1000 school children)

• Consultative meetings with nine villages – 3 BMCs formed

• A large scale campaign is being planned

Community Work• 2010 ~ Two villages prioritized (Jambulpani and Sodalagondi)

• 2011 ~ Intensive community work planned and initiated

Community Work•Intensive Community work initiated

Over 300 fuel efficient cookstoves distributed

5 Biogas plants installed

8 Community orchards developed

Backyard grazing promoted

Capacity Enhancement• Over 230 Frontline Forest Staff have been trained, including reserve forest staff

• Over 120 staff have been equipped with patrolling equipment

• Anti-Poaching and Conflict Mitigation Training ~ June 2014

Conflict Mitigation• 2012 ~ 2 km long electric fence bordering Jambulpani, setup

• A Protection camp was built and handed over to FD

• Water holes on forest fringes are replenished every summer

Rescue and Rehabilitation• A proposal has been submitted to MoEFCC for Establishment of a Rescue Centre, that will cater to not just Nagzira and Nawegaon, but also to Kanha NP, Pench TR and Tadoba-Andhari TR

Other Projects…

• Western Himalayas Mountain Ungulates

• Valmiki Tiger and Gharial Recovery

• U.P. Big Cat Conflict Mitigation

• Southern Western Ghats Elephant Corridors

• West Coast Marine Project

• Garo Green Spine

Other Projects…

• A total of 42 projects spread across 13 states across India

• Employ integrative and holistic approaches over long periods of time.

The Road Ahead…

• Intensify integrated and holistic approaches

• Linking initiatives to sustainability ~ pull out in gradual phases

• Include ‘family planning’ as a key exercise

• Increase focus on children ~ our future torchbearers

THANK YOU!www.wti.org.in