Red panda, Ailurus fulgens, and Mishmi Takin, Budorcas taxicolor taxicolor, are both listed as endangered under IUCN Red list of threatened species and Schedule I species under the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Manigaon, which is situated in Shi-yomi district, Arunachal Pradesh and is a part of Eastern Himalaya Global Biodiversity Hotspot, harbours suitable habitat for both the species. It is one of the crucial Red Panda and Takin habitats but remains one of the most under-developed areas due to its remote location. Apart from Red Pandas and Mishmi Takin, the landscape harbours some other threatened animals and bird species such as Clouded Leopard, Red Goral, Musk Deer, Asiatic Black Bear and pheasants like Tragopans and the Sclater’s Monal etc.
Majority of the community is highly dependent on forest resources due to lack of connectivity, education and job opportunities. Most of the hunted species are takin, musk deer, pheasants and other high-altitude species, with the Mishmi Takin being one of the most hunted animals, because of their enormous size and seasonal confluence in the area. Being a community forest, there is no influence of the forest department and thus the need of community-based conservation practices is of high urgency for such habitat and species.
Rimung Tasso’s project is designed around conservation of the Red Panda and Takin through conserving their habitats and reducing forest dependency of local communities on the nearby forest in Manigaon. Using responsible ecotourism as a tool, it focuses on capacity building, awareness and stewardship development to coexist with rare species like the Red Panda, Takin and other high-altitude species in the region. Responsible tourism model is crucial to uplift the economic status of the villagers in a sustainable way, as well as to set an example for other community members to follow and conserve their forest areas. Inclusive stakeholders and steering committee will be formed for long-term monitoring and evaluation of biodiversity and the activities at landscape level.
Rimung’s aim is that at the end of the project, a network of skilled local stakeholders will be running a responsible ecotourism model in Manigaon that will inspire coexisting with nature in a sustainable manner. The committee will also maintain balance of tourism in the area to inhibit overexploitation of resources from crucial habitats and ensure firewood collection through the specific plantation sites and to maintain tourism influx as per carrying capacity of the area.
Crop damage by wild animals is perhaps the most difficult problem that wildlife conservation is going the face in near future. At present it is grossly underrated and there is little research to understand the nature, the extent of the problem and the possible solution. There is more media coverage for carnivore conflict but economically the herbivore conflict is at least hundredfold more serious than the carnivore conflict. Primates, wild boar, nilgai and blackbuck populations are now widely dispersed away from Protected Areas and crops are a major part of their diet. Some are breeding in agricultural lands or orchards and are detached from forests for a number of generations.
There is a big gap between the problem perceived and the problem at actuals. By the estimate done by Dr Watve, agricultural productivity close to rich wildlife areas is less than 50% of that away from reserves, for similar soil and rainfall conditions. Their preliminary estimate for the state of Maharashtra is Rs 25,000 crore of loss per year, out of which only between Rs 50 to 100 crore is paid as compensation to farmers. Crop damage by wild animals is seriously affecting agricultural economics since in certain areas farmers have given up farming, given up rabi cultivation, changed cropping patterns or reduced their inputs in agriculture entirely.
The study proposal by Dr Milind Watve is to qualitatively and quantitatively understand the nature and extent of problem in Maharashtra, make the compensation protocol realistic and farmer-friendly and promote alternative farmer support systems, and lastly investigate the ecological and behavioural causes of the conflict and suggest, model and test with existing data the alternative hypotheses and possible solutions. Although developed for wild animal damage, the evolving system can ultimately be an efficient substitute to crop insurance in general, and they want to advocate and pursue policy-level changes in the state.
Nilssonia leithii and Pelochelys cantorii are two large freshwater turtle species found in India of which N. leithii is an endemic species to peninsular India. Pelochelys cantorii has a wide distribution in Southeast Asia. They are both listed as Critically Endangered species by the IUCN Red List. Despite being protected species, the public has very little awareness about these turtles. In the past few decades, populations of both N. leithii and P. cantorii have declined and become fragmented across the ranges where they inhabit as a result of poaching, habitat degradation and river pollution. Extensive surveys are needed in these regions to identify breeding populations and the threats that these possibly last remaining populations face in Tamil Nadu. This project proposed by Peter Christopher would help assess the fragmented population of these elusive large softshell turtles in the Melagiri and Delta region which would help bring awareness about the importance of these large freshwater turtles in the river among the local stakeholders and fishing community.
The overarching aim of the proposed project by Peter Christopher is to survey the stretch of the Cauvery River in the Melagiris (Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary) and the delta region outside protected areas in Tamil Nadu for N. leithii and P. cantorii, through field surveys & e-DNA sampling, mapping their microhabitats to know more about their habitat preferences and creating awareness of the threatened status of these turtles among the local community and stakeholders through community outreach. There is barely any data on these turtles from Tamil Nadu other than a few anecdotal records. Preliminary data collected on the population and microhabitat will improve the understanding of the status of these two chelonian species and their habitat preferences in Kaveri. The applicant and his team intend to systematically survey this region, get approximate density estimates of this species, identify high-use areas, and potential nesting habitats, and collate secondary natural history information from local communities as well as the forest department and create awareness about this species.
Mangalajodi wetland landscape spreads over 1507 hectares, and is a Community Conservation Area (CCA). A marshy land which is home to several faunas and floras, every winter it hosts one of the largest congregations (2-3 lakhs) of migratory water birds in the world. Ecotourism has become very popular at Mangalajodi, with the villagers offering guided bird-watching tours on hand sailing country boats, and their efforts have been recognised in national and global forums including UNWTO for their exemplary work.
One of the key challenges in Mangalajodi is the rapid spread of Eichhornia crassipes (Water Hyacinth), the invasive floating plants. Their negative impacts include causing hindrances in the movement of ducks, outcompeting native aquatic species, reducing oxygen levels for fish, creating an ideal habitat for disease-carrying mosquitoes, and increasing sedimentation level through its root system. Large infestations of water hyacinth also prevent boat safari and fishing.
To decrease the negative impacts of the emergent macrophyte, the proposed project by Indian Grameen Services aims to enable local action which includes cleaning the water hyacinth from the wetland and converting it into crafts and compost by upskilling women and youth. This also helps in the setup of crafts and compost manufacturing enterprises as drivers of change and economic empowerment in the region. The action would result in ecosystem restoration and local circular economy. With their project, they also aim to build a knowledge management and learning system to document learnings and disseminate them for adoption by more communities and regions.
The habitat of the Critically Endangered Jerdon’s Courser is under threat from anthropogenic developmental activities. This has led to the fragmentation and loss of its habitat. With the population size unknown, urgent measures are required to monitor and protect this species. The use of advanced technology, such as bio-acoustic tools, proves highly valuable for monitoring and studying nocturnal species
Although significant efforts have been dedicated to studying the Jerdon's courser since its rediscovery in 1986, most previous research has been limited to the SLW, where the bird was last observed in 2008. Unfortunately, the habitat in this region has undergone substantial degradation in recent years.
Joshi proposes long-term bio-acoustic monitoring of numerous potential sites for the Jerdon's courser while also documenting information via interactions with indigenous people. It is important to do this where the habitat remains relatively intact, which could increase the chances of discovering new locations for this elusive bird. It would also identify soundscapes and assess critical habitats beyond protected areas. He aims to develop an automated algorithm for analysing acoustic data on the cloud. This could ideally be used in the longer term by forest departments, conservation NGOs, and local communities or individuals interested in conserving critical species and their habitats.
The north Bengal landscape is home to five species of hornbills: The Great Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Rufous-necked hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill and the Indian Grey Hornbill. The first three species are listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List.
Research done by Nature Mates Nature Club in the region since 2017 has identified key threats to hornbills and their habitat at Buxa Tiger Reserve: poaching at nests, habitat degradation and fragmentation. Habitat loss is a major concern for hornbills as they require specific food plants and nesting trees for successful breeding. It’s also important to note that tourism is an important source of livelihood at Buxa. Increasing nature tourism and demand of birders and bird photographers exert pressure on local guides who have not received formal training on nature tourism. Increasing their skills and knowledge as nature guides with some guidelines would promote regulated nature tourism and improve their scope of livelihoods.
Nature Mates proposes to establish an alliance with the Forest Department to restore degraded habitats through scientific-based forest restoration practices. They aim to provide scientific and technical assistance to the Department and build capacities at the ground level. They also propose to continue their ongoing research to understand long-term patterns of hornbill breeding, roosting and tree phenology to improve ecological understanding of hornbills from this region. Additionally, via the project, they also propose focused programmes with nature guides and local schools to increase support and conservation awareness. The project aims to improve hornbill research and establish a conservation network with key stakeholders at Buxa.
Ratnagiri district in the Western Ghats is an eco-sensitive region and with crucial landscape linkage, exhibits a wide range of floral and faunal diversity including housing three species of threatened hornbills. It is a conservation priority area being an important wildlife corridor connecting to Reserved Forests and Protected Areas. More than 50% of the geographic area of Ratnagiri district is forested, but only 0.8% is government-owned, with no Protected Area coverage. These private forests are degraded due to periodical (8-10 years) clearing. Additionally, these forests are being converted to agroforestry monoculture plantations. Three species of threatened hornbills viz. Great Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill and Malabar Grey Hornbill nest in these forests.
Hornbills play a significant role as seed-dispersers to maintain forest ecology. They are dependent on the continued existence of primary rainforests so that they can find mature trees which provide suitable nest cavities for nesting. Forest loss has detrimental impact on the population of hornbills throughout its range, particularly as they show a preference for forest areas with large trees that may be targeted by loggers. Forests in Ratnagiri are lost mainly due to the anthropogenic pressures. Hornbills are unable to persist in areas where low elevation forest have been reduced to small fragments resulted in their declining population.
The outcome of the proposed project by Srushtidnyan is identification and protection of nest sites of hornbills, habitat protection and enhancement by creating hornbill food plant nursery, providing nesting opportunities by installing artificial nest boxes, and local community-based outreach programs for long term species survival. The also aim to garner larger support for hornbills and their habitats, conduct outreach and public engagement activities focusing on children in schools and colleges through the ‘Friends of Hornbill’ initiative.
Bycatch (unintentional capture) caused by non-selective fishing gear is a serious issue resulting in unsustainable fisheries. Hammerhead sharks are heavily threatened; they are caught as bycatch and are utilised for consumption and export, the former being on the rise, but is also unchecked, unregulated and unorganised.
India is in fact, one of the top three contributors to shark-catch in the world, but bycatch off Indian coasts is not always documented or monitored in a systematic manner that is useful to inform conservation and management.
The Zoo Outreach Organisation (ZOO) is trying to conserve threatened shark species, focusing on the Scalloped Hammerhead, off the coast of Tamil Nadu. The organisation aims to conduct outreach activities and understand livelihood dependence in Tamil Nadu. This will help develop conservation strategies and to conduct national Red List assessments of sharks of India. The group aims to create social media campaigns about shark and ray species and encourage volunteers to join in and conduct training workshops at the two sites for interested individuals from relevant stakeholders. Education and the involvement of local communities will allow people from the communities to bolster efforts towards the creation of a conservation plan for these threatened sharks.
Tholpetty Range is part of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Western Ghats part of Kerala. It is the connecting corridor for large number of elephants from Nagarhole National Park in adjacent Karnataka to reach Kabini reservoir during peak summer months. These east sloping, moist deciduous forests and its grasslands are home to species including elephants, tigers, gaurs, spotted deer and critically endangered White-rumped and Red-headed Vultures.
The spread of alien exotic Senna spectabilis is a serious conservation and management challenge in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary particularly due to the allelopathic traits of the species that prevent native plants including grass from growing under it. Tholpetty range has some of the oldest Senna trees, and approximately 40% of the Tholpetty range has been affected by invasive Senna spectabilis and Lantana camara. Dense invasion of Senna spectabilis is fast turning forest lands into “Green deserts”. This has also reduced fodder availability for wildlife. Kerala Forest Department is actively involved in girdling Senna spectabilis in the region. While fruiting and flowering is affected by girdling, the tree is found to coppice from the lateral roots thus reducing the potential for native grass and other flora to thrive.
Forest First Samithi has worked on this landscape since 2020 and works on an alternate approach of manually uprooting the Senna spectabilis tree completely thus restoring grass and native flora. Their technique of Senna spectabilis and Lantana camara removal is already restoring large areas of grasslands and establishing naturally regenerated tree saplings, and their work has received accolades from the Kerala Forest Department for its effectiveness.
With their project, Forest First Samithi aims to eradicate invasive species through handheld tools to improve efficiency thus mitigating human-animal conflicts. Additionally, they want to improve native floral species diversity by planting carefully selected local pollinator species, wild edible fruits, RET, riverine and medicinal plants to support wildlife and restore degraded habitats and enable invasive suppression, as well as set up native species nurseries for communities. Lastly, they want to build social capital and enable local livelihoods by encouraging traditional ecological knowledge and providing livelihood to forest fringe villages, for they have aimed for every activity to be done by a team of restorers from forest fringe communities within Thirunelly panchayat near Tholpetty range.
