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(January 07, 2021) The great Indian bustard (GIB) is a ‘Critically Endangered’ species under the IUCN Red List, and has the highest resident breeding population in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. It is believed that the total world population of the species in the wild is less than 100 individuals.The Thar landscape in western Rajasthan is home not only to the critically endangered GIB, but it also boasts the highest livestock population in Rajasthan and some of the best quality sheep wool is collecte...

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(December 17, 2020) This is to confirm that Ms. Prakriti Srivastava has left WCS-India. During her tenure with WCS-India, Ms. Srivastava had many outstanding conservation achievements. These include the creation of a program that supports the Government of India’s laudable efforts to counter illegal wildlife trafficking, the creation of a technical team to support efforts to conserve the Great Indian Bustard, the strengthening of efforts to support the livelihoods of communities living near critical wildlife ...

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(December 17, 2020) The Supreme Court of India, in a recent hearing, has directed the powerlines in the great Indian bustard (GIB) landscape to be undergrounded. We, under our GIB Conservation Project, took the initiative in demonstrating the alternatives to save the birds till the undergrounding of powerlines happens in Jaisalmer district. Two stretches of approximately 6.5 kms were selected between Chacha to Dholiya villages in Pokhran tehsil after due consultations with the Rajasthan Forest Department and ground...

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(December 07, 2020)   Counter Wildlife Trafficking Newsletter November 2020   Updates from WCS-India State Forest Training Institute, Walayar, Kerala and WCS-India organised a two-day online training on 17th and 18th November for 49 Beat Forest Officers. The training focussed on capacity building of the trainees to detect, investigate and prosecute wildlife offenders. The training began with the inaugural address by Ms. R. Keerthi, Director, SFTI, Walayar, Kerala. Read more ...

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(November 30, 2020) Voluntarily relocated tribal man, Vijaya, was honoured as a 'Superstar Farmer' by the Kannada newspaper Vijaya Karnataka in Mysore on 27 November 2020.Vijaya Karnataka daily is identifying progressive farmers with help from the experts for the last couple of years. Vijaya, a first-generation farmer who is also a primitive tribe, was selected for this award from the Heggadadevana Kote Taluk.Vijaya’s father Puttaiah was a resident of Maladahadi tribal settlement of Antharasanthe Wildlife Ran...

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(November 28, 2020) Continuing our efforts in fostering partnerships with communities for Great Indian Bustard (GIB) conservation,  a livestock health camp was held in a village situated in Desert National Park, on 27th November. The camp was held in collaboration with the Animal Husbandry Department of Jaisalmer.1295 sheep and goats were vaccinated with Enterotoxemia vaccine by staff from the animal husbandry department during the course of this camp, this has been a regular  drive of the department to v...

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(November 19, 2020) State Forest Training Institute, Walayar, Kerala and WCS-India organised a two-day online training on 17th and 18th November for 49 Beat Forest Officers. The training focussed on capacity building of the trainees to detect, investigate and prosecute wildlife offenders. The training began with the inaugural address by Ms. R. Keerthi, Director, SFTI, Walayar, Kerala.Day 1: First session was an introduction to wildlife trafficking and context setting by Ms. Aathira Vasudevan, Project Assistant, WCS...

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(November 17, 2020) On 05th November, WCS-India conducted an online training on ‘Countering Wildlife Trafficking’ for 35 DCFs, ACFs and RFOs of the Goa Forest Department, on the topics of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, search, seizure and arrest protocols, and applications of wildlife forensics in crime scene investigation. To take these sessions we had with us, Mr. Praveen Bhargav, Managing Trustee, Wildlife First; Dr. S. P. Goyal, Scientist-G, WII and Ms. Pradipty Bhardwaj, Legal Trainer, WCS-India. ...

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(November 13, 2020) (Update written by Sourabha Rao) The last day of our IFS training course began with several IFS officers sharing their experiences of the voluntary relocation process in their areas. Mr. Mukesh Kumar, Deputy Director, South Division (Palamau Tiger Reserve); Balaji Kari, DCF, Udaipur North and Ram Karan Khairwa, CF, Wildlife, Udaipur (Sariska Tiger Reserve); N. Ravindra, CCF Southern Zone UP, Prayagraj, were the speakers. They said that with the support of senior officials and the willingness ...

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(November 12, 2020) (Update written by Sourabha Rao) Our IFS training course today began with a presentation by our very own Mutthana P. M., Senior Director of our Conservation Support Group. He explained the nuances of voluntary relocation work in Karnataka and Kerala that he and his team work on, drawing from his immense experience in the field.       "The notion that people are living harmoniously with wildlife in certain areas is far from the truth. If you spend time inter...

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