Indian Wildlife Club Ezine (June, 2003)

" Colorful and wild butterflies adorn the butterfly garden developed in the school. The aim behind this garden is to allow the children to observe the various developmental stages of butterflies, and thus get acquainted with the various ecological aspects around them. ......................................Many thanks to our parent, Mr. Jayant Deshpande for setting up this garden for us "

Read more about the butterfly garden by clicking on http://www.myshala.com/

All of us at IWC are proud of what you have achieved Jayant! If anyone wants to start a butterfly garden in his/her area Jayant will give expert advice on how to go about it. Photographs of butterflies and moths by  Jayant Deshpande can be viewed at the link

Online story contest " Tiger"

Our new story contest is now online. We had a good response for the elephant story contest. Put on your thinking hat and write a story online for the tigers of Ranthambhore! There are prizes to be won too! Click here to enter the contest.

Vatavaran Film Festival

India's very own environment festival calls for entries!

Second year in succession, this event is being organised by the Centre for Media Studies (CMS) with support of Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt of India. “Vatavaran 2003” is all set to roll from 18th –20th November 2003.
Renowned personalities from various other fields including environment, wildlife cinema and media are closely involved in organizing the festival. Starting July 2003, a chain of pre festival events like seminars, film screenings, exhibitions and talks will be organized to culminate with the film festival in November 2003. “Vatavaran 2003” festival will also be taken to other cities like Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata through our partner agencies like Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Sanctuary Asia, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH).
Eight National Awards with total prize money of Rs.6,50,000/- will be awarded to outstanding documentary films. A special category “Best documentary film or Animated film” produced by children for effectively communicating their view on natural resources or wildlife has also been included. Prize money of Rs. 50,000 will be awarded in this category.
The organizers add…

" As a modest initiative, last year's “Vatavaran 2002”, was a roaring success and 100 entries were received. This year too, we hope such a spirited response from filmmakers, organizations, TV channel, and other organizations.

In this perspective, we solicit your support for:
· Participation in “Vatavaran 2003” – India’s Exclusive National Environment and Wildlife Film Festival.
We request you to block you dates to be part of the most happening event of the year - “Vatavaran 2003” on
November 18-20, 2003 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
· Kindly send films (entries) or facilitate by forwarding this information to other film-makers, organizations, TV channels etc.
· Kindly publicize the film festival through your network.
· Provide link to “Vatavaran 2003” website from your website.
Last date for recieving entries is July 31, 2003."

Centre for Media Studies (CMS)
Research House
Saket, Community Centre
New Delhi 110 017
Phone : 91-11-26522244/55, 26851660, 26864020
Fax : 91-11-26898282
Email: vatavaran2003@cmsindia.org
Web : www.cmsindia.org/vatavaran2003

And Views……..

Interesing thoughts from Adrian Caddy: ( courtesy: http://www.wildlife-film.com/)

There's a good and reliable old maxim; United we stand - divided we fall. And my fear is that we are at risk of the second bit. For many years I have sold, co-produced, devised and licensed programming and projects to just about every media species in existence - and I hope I have tried to protect the security of every idea/programme despite frequent and hideous piracy and subterfuge. But jealousy and OVER-protection runs through conservation groups as well as producers, broadcasters and distributors - and this works against us. So here is a revised e-mail that I sent to Tana Herbert of the Wildlife Awareness Foundation after we met in Missoula last year.

……………Excerpts

Dear Tana

Let's look at enrolment and reward - using the techniques of multi-branded marketeers. To get the population of ANY community/demographic today aware and enthusiastic for conservation matters (without sounding or seeming dull) we need to get a discerned but WIDE range of figures on side - all ages, colours, backgrounds and stories.

I suggest we set up an umbrella organisation, a bit like an airline alliance. We would invite people to join a NETWORK of bodies connected to environment protection via their connection to one or other first choice (i.e. a member of NWF gets a special deal to become affiliated to WWF, WAF, WDCS, RSPB, IFAW etc ) - and thereby invite participation in membership levels and merchandise programmes to work similarly to air miles or bundled channels on cable....

The membership would be invited to "adopt" schemes and programmes to be taken to communities without TV (or affordable mass media) as you do with the WAF. In return, adopters will get coveted certificates, badges, regalia and recognition depending on their level of commitment (A bit like the IWFF and its "animal groups" to reflect the level of Festival sponsor. See www.wildlifefilms.org).

Members would get a combined newsletter or periodical magazine, plus special membership and passes to appropriate venues such as museums, parks, zoos, events etc. Members/participants would also get the chance to enter the 'MOCs'; Members Only Competitions. Prizes could include photographic safaris to Africa, Alaska, Scandinavia, New Zealand, Australia etc - Good TV possibilities anyway, if we tie it up carefully.

I would also seek out and enrol corporate sponsors to get behind a TV programme that I have been TRYING to get made for years. So simple - so cheap. Essentially a talk show, the guests can be from anywhere - entertainment, sport, politics, business, other talk show hosts - anywhere. THIS host is not so much interested in talking to them about their latest movie/album/campaign/game/divorce/deal - but in their favourite aspects of Nature's goings-on. The conversation is interspersed with clips from the best of... This deals with low attention span, makes the celeb look like a caring human being- AND, we have key players from the making of great shows as guests too .……………

I'd use this as a vehicle to promote the "alliance" of organisations, and we'd provide the special guest with some cool and coveted regalia/clothing or whatever to pin their first badge on. The idea is to collect the entire range of associated i.d. that says you are an active and cool protector. (Am I trying to establish a new c –word instead of conservation I wonder? Coolservation? Coolserver? Probably not...) We make this show available in all languages possible (subtitling is cheaper and easier for the talking head sections) and seek corporate sponsors to put their names to the show AND the campaigns and promote the sales of videos and DVDs through the membership. For example, if you join at a level of $100 per year, you get 2 free DVDs and a discount card for all the other books and videos/DVDs associated with the organisation. The higher the membership level, the more you get from ALL affiliated organisations. ………..Vitally, we’d also need to include journalists and media owners who are prepared to make a difference……….

Sorry this is running longer than most e-mails, Tana - but you might guess that I have an incurable enthusiasm for getting Nature elevated and PROPERLY respected in people's awareness. I often get to speak at meetings over here and use the line "It doesn't matter if you're Bill Gates, Bill Cosby, Bill Who or bill me next quarter - without safe natural environments, we're all equally on a road to extinction".

All very best

Adrian

Caddyap@aol.com