-By Sourav Dutta
The forests, rivers, and wildlife of Ntangki National Park have always been integral to the lives of the Kuki, Dimasa, and Zeliang communities living along its fringes. Yet, for years these culturally distinct villages in Nagaland, although living in proximity maintained limited interaction despite managing common property resources, landscapes, challenges and aspirations.
This meant that as the communities managed their lands and forests independently, common challenges of declining traditional knowledge and practices, human wildlife coexistence and problems of crop yield in shifting cultivation remained independent problems.
This changed when the Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP) introduced initiatives that encouraged communities to come together. The project activities were created and led by the community, fostering a shared understanding that collaboration among themselves is essential for achieving conservation goals.
A New Beginning: From Isolation to Interaction
Apart from conservation and livelihood initiatives, the project facilitated exposure visits, inter-village meetings and offsite training programs. These gatherings provided platforms for village folks to interact, exchange ideas and share experiences. There was hesitation at first, as decades of living separately had built invisible walls. But as the frequency of these joint meetings increased, a remarkable transformation was witnessed: people began to speak, listen, and learn from each other.
Beyond their discussions on forest protection and sustainable livelihoods, these meetings fostered friendships. I saw our youth partners from different villages working together, women sharing insights on weaving and silkworm rearing practices, elders exchanging their administrative challenges and the problems they face within their villages, particularly in implementing and enforcing hunting rules and regulations, especially for people coming from other parts of the state.
Community members from all 6 project villages meeting for the first time
Bridging Differences Through Shared Challenges
An example of inter-village cooperation occurred during a meeting on human-elephant coexistence; people from the neighbouring villages of Beisumpuikam and Manglamukh came together to discuss the increasing incidents of elephant raids on their farmlands. People from both villages shared their adaptive experiences and realized that pooling resources could result in better outcomes. A decision was taken by them to form ‘Anti-Depredation Squads’ (ADS), in both villages, and a ‘WhatsApp’ communication system to share information on elephant movement between ADS members of both villages was established. A month later, ADS members from both villages embarked on an exposure trip to Goalpara District in Assam to learn from communities that have lived with elephants for decades.
Community members from Beisumpuikam and Manglamukh during ADS training
Significance of Collective Voice
During one of the inter-village meetings in July 2024, villagers from Nsenlo, Ikeisingram, and Nkio B raised concerns about the lack of a bridge over the Ntangki and Duinaki rivers. The absence of a crossing made it extremely difficult for people to travel, risking their lives and affecting their ability to sell agricultural produce in markets, especially during the monsoon season. This issue was collectively raised with the Divisional Forest Officer and the Ntangki National Park Director during a meeting. Continued efforts and advocacy strengthened the push for a bridge over the Duinaki river, resulting in its sanction in December 2024. This milestone highlights the power of a collective voice in driving meaningful change.
A Collective Future Built on Unity
Our collective journey is ongoing. The initial steps toward collaboration have paved the way for deeper bonds and our hope is that these interactions will lead to long-term cooperation not just in conservation, but in livelihood development, cultural exchange, and mutual support.
During an inter-village meeting in February 2025, their discussions culminated in a collective decision to protect Ntangki National Park through joint efforts involving 25+ villages. Additionally, existing socio-political organizations from the region have requested a joint meeting with WCS India members and Ntangki National Park authorities. They propose to express their support for the park's protection, contribute to conservation initiatives and facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration with the authorities. This effort aims to ensure that everyone plays a collective role in conserving Ntangki.
As I reflect on this journey, I realize that success in conservation lies not just in creating policies or protected areas, but also in the bonds forged toward cooperation between people. When communities come together to manage common resources, they build a future where people and nature thrive side by side and in that shared future, Ntangki stands not as a National Park on a map, but as a symbol of resilience, belonging and the strength of people united for a greater cause.
“We have been conserving a part of our village for a long time because we know its value. The area provides us with a good water source and has salty terrains that naturally attract wildlife. Protecting it is not just for the animals, but for our own future.”
- Chairman, Chungai of New Ngaulong Village
*The Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP) is an initiative implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and funded by German Cooperation via KfW Development Bank, which contributes to the global effort to double tiger numbers in the wild by 2022 by supporting landscape level conservation work benefiting species, communities and habitats. Coordinated actions, enhancing conservation skills, developing new livelihoods and improving governance and infrastructure are delivering results in terms of better protected tigers across these landscapes.
About the Author:
Sourav Dutta has been working on community-based conservation and development projects for the past few years, collaborating with local communities to support sustainable initiatives. Currently, he is a Project Coordinator with WCS-India working in Nagaland.