Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Abstract Submitted


This post shares an abstract submitted some time ago and that did not get selected ~

Saiha in Mizoram lies within the biodiversity hotspot of northeast India. Some of the best rainforest of northeast India is found in southern Mizoram, covering parts of the districts of Lawngtlai and Saiha (Choudhury 2006). This contiguous forest, primarily community owned, also houses the Palak Lake anImportant Bird Area’ and the ‘Blue Mountain National Park’.

Primary threat to wildlife, in this landscape that they cohabit with community, is removal from their habitat. Hunting which is culturally sanctioned and widely practiced impacts wildlife in a negative fashion while select myths and beliefs that exist in the society further ex­acerbate pressure on wildlife.

Conservation education for a variety of stakeholders is pivotal to achieving wildlife conservation. To make education, worthwhile interesting and effective, it needs to be open yet focused; structured yet flexible; thematic yet spontaneous and directional yet participatory (Trivedi et al. 2006). Emphasis is laid in designing locale specific content that is sensitive to local cultural values and mores. Innovative tools such as film screenings (on laptop computers followed by interaction sessions in these remotely located villages bereft of electricity) and perception surveys (by participants) focusing on select species are undertaken. Regular interactions on wildlife augment sensitivity and awareness levels of community members on wildlife values and lay the crucial platform for ensuring their participation and raising their stakes.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Clouded leopard and Small felids

Some time back I was requested to share information for a workshop on Clouded Leopards and Small felids. The 2 landscapes of South Garo Hills (Meghalaya) and Saiha (Mizoram)  that I have been fortunate to have put in time have been in the rain-shadow of wildlife research and I thought it pertinent to share what little information we had. 

While we had collated local names of wildlife occuring in both these landscapes with help of colleagues and secondary literature we also had undertaken a 'questionnaire survey' at Meghalaya. This putting relevant information together for sharing for the workshop gave me an opportunity to relive some of the moments of the questionnaire survey as also feel glad at the collation of local names. At Meghalaya these were in Garo and / or Atong while at Mizoram these were in Mizo and / or Mara. 

Each time I come across such details (and this happens regularly) I wonder at the stupidity of the term 'north east India'; working in a few hundred sq. kms. in just 2 states when there is so much diversity, richness and goodness in people how can one even think of coining a single term for 8 states!

Take the space to share some of the details I then collated and sent across. 

Local Names.





Sr.
English
Mizoram
Meghalaya
1.
Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa
Kelral
Matcha do.tok
2.
Marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata
Pawak
Matcha bloga
3.
Golden cat Catopuma. temminckii
Keisen
~
4.
Jungle cat Felis chaus
Sauak
Buijare
5.
Leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis
Sanghar
Matcha helguk
6.
Fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus
Keite chi khat
~






Responses (from the questionnaire at Meghalaya).

If / how they are in conflict with humans. 





Sr.
Mammal
Damage to Crops
Damage to Livestock
1.
Clouded Leopard
~
Yes
2.
Marbled cat
~
Yes
3.
Golden cat
~
~
4.
Jungle cat
~
Yes
5.
Leopard cat
Yes
Yes
6.
Fishing cat
~
Yes






If / how humans respond.








Sr
Methods
Leopard Cat
Marbled Cat
Jungle Cat.
1.
Catapult
Yes
Yes
Yes
2.
Shouting
Yes
~
Yes
3.
Domestic dogs
~
~
Yes
4.
Throwing stones
Yes
~
Yes
5.
Rope traps
~
~
Yes
6.
Metal traps
Yes
~
Yes
7.
Bamboo fencing
~
~
Yes
8.
Shooting with guns
Yes
~
Yes









Recent Publications

Happy to share of previous posts that have found space in recent issues of 2 publications. 

The first is Indian Birds where editor (Aasheesh Pittie) has shared the post in the Correspondence section. Seeing the pictures of our young friends on the last page did make us very happy and we warmly thank Aasheesh for this. Compliments from friends have been an icing on the cake. The post can be read here.

The other is Kiltheihrawk. This is a publication from Aizawl (Mizoram) that while primarily publishes articles in Mizo also allows space for some one like me to share my experiences in English. I believe it is pertinent to share of our actions and learning with friends in the region and thank the editor Pu Lalmuansanga for the same. The post can be read here

Thanks.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Kuno Wilderness ...

Sharing images from Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in this post, of course besides those concerning the fortress. Got an opportunity to visit the Sanctuary for few hours, during recent trip to our base at Agraa, and loved the experience. Hope the images convey some 'feel' of the landscape. 

Had been to Ranthambhore National Park prior to Agraa and my pondering mind inevitably drew lines of comparison. With due respects to Ranthambhore, its tigers and others the Kuno wilderness does make Ranthambhore, well at-least the tourism zone, appear a zoo in comparison. At Kuno the species that tells one to stick on alloted paths, give way for others to see tigers and also honks or screams at times does not occur; one is with the wilderness. 


View from the Forest Guest House. The weather station at the Guest House had shown the temperature crossing 50 degrees a couple of weeks before and water in Kuno river was at its ebb. 


The view of Tongra, highest peak in the Sanctuary and one of the few places that, as I have been told, once can still expect to bump into bears. One of the findings of our survey concerning Moghiyas, undertaken in the landscape, was that they respected bears and as a corollary did not hunt them. Bear is a vehicle for one of their deity - Dhudhu Mai. 


The majestic grasslands of Kuno. A recent report 'Accessing the potential for re-introducing the Cheetah in India' by WII and WTI says of these grasslands - 'Village sites inside the Sanctuary have now been taken over by grasses and scrub, forming a savannah-type grassland habitat'. The report rates Kuno as 2nd most favourable location for Cheetah re introduction. 




We came across this carcass of Nilgai on our way back from Ker Kho; almost on the jeep road ! For some reason, few years ago, a Nilgai was captured from Bhind and released in the Sanctuary after being radio-collared !


A mixed-flock benefits from leakage in the water pipe. During one of my earlier visits the ACF had talked of a 8 km long pipe. 


We came across the carnivores as well ! Besides these wolves we saw a fox a day later. This when we were driving from Agraa to Gwalior. One of the most beautiful sights I have experienced in this landscape was that of a fox walking out of the Pipal Baori gate of the Sanctuary; it's royal tail looking all the more stunning in the backdrop of an angry sun coming down on the Vindhyan Hills.


Cattle Egrets were present in large numbers on the river banks and Indian Pond Herons sat one after another leaving almost uniform gap between themselves, albeit across the river. Chital and peacock too were present in significant numbers on the river bed. 

Thanking Naresh for taking me around. 

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Conservation Leadership Course ~ Talk.

This post shares of my talk at the Conservation Leadership Course.


Had put in time on the talk before I moved from Saiha and made notes (love putting pencil on thick paper that the magazine covers offer) to which I kept on adding points in course of my travel.

Points I had noted for sharing before reaching Ranthambhore.

·         Our understanding of and approach to conservation education. The need to create platforms that enable us to deliberate with different segments of the society on wildlife issues i.e. look beyond school-going children and imparting messages.
·         Share anecdotes; talk of incidents in course of the program that guide us on the road ahead.
·     Discuss our activities in conservation education especially film-screenings, emphasis on process-documentation and sharing.
·         Share of life in our parts of the world.
·         Talk on how other organizations active in India look at conservation education and actions they undertake.
·         Ask participants for their understanding of conservation education and share few definitions with them.

While I was aware of the program schedule and the time I had thought it made sense to freeze the contents after a talk with Dharmendra, at least a day before the program. I also would have some idea on the participants’ profile. What little baggage I carried of apprehension, on the topic, was unloaded after my talks with Dharmendra.









Points discussed with Dharmendra.

·         Share the experience of initiating and nurturing field-units including problems faced in course of interventions. He stressed on this saying it was not very common and would be interest to the group.
·         Talk of experience and learning in context of conservation education as opposed to how once can develop material. Jisko theory hi padhna hoga woh net pe doondh lega he said.
·         Structure the talk such that it is of relevance to participants who want to work on wildlife conservation issues.

There was a high degree of commonality which put me at ease and I worked on the slides. I attended the program as a part of the group and also got to interact with participants which helped me bring in a few modifications. I recalled how my packing is incomplete till I actually leave the house; no matter how early I begin. Modifications continued till the talk came to an end.

During the talk.

·         Bifurcated the time allotted to me with a break and planned accordingly.
·         Had a dilemma on the language I should use which was resolved by a participant requesting me to talk in English during the first slide itself.
·         Screened a film by Kalyan Varma – ‘A Hunter’s Tale’ in lieu of my plan to ask participants to share what they understood by ‘conservation education’. The film was not screened, as we do with participants in course of our programs, with field guides, halts and interactions but I stood silent in a corner, looking at the silent reactions on the participants’ faces.
·         Asked a participant (Smita from FES – Mandla Unit) to talk of her experience with conservation education.
·         Missed a couple of points to share in course of answering the questions mid-way but was happy that the questions were put forth.
·         Tried to make it interactive by asking of pictures - what they depicted. Had asked Yaranjit (colleague from Baghmara field base) not to reply to this set of questions and also requested him to keep track of proceedings in course of the 2 sessions.
·         Designed separate presentations for distinct topics of ‘Samrakshan and conservation education’, ‘Conservation education by other organizations’ and ‘Conservation education – definitions’. This I thought would help communicate in a better fashion.






Importantly, felt good after the sessions.

Images depict select slides from the presentations.
Thanking all the participants and Ranthambhore Safari Lodge.