Green Defenders
Report of a participant
Report of a participant at an international course on conservation biology and wildlife
management sponsored and conducted by the Satpuda foundation, Nature Conservation Society Amravati and S.G.B. Amravati University with the support and collaboration of wildlife department of state of Maharashtra, India.
-Prajakta N Rain
Participants were selected with scientific background and field experience from
govermental-nongovermental wildlife organization & institutes. They all had a passion for
wildlife conversation, though they came from different habitats and different working
backgrounds.
Rakesh Kalva from Hydrabad is CA, Avantica Bijwe computer Science, Vishal Bansod
Architect, Radhika Kothari Snow Leopard Conservansy Ladakh, (did her education in mass
communication), Dr. Himani Kala FES Udaypur, Suresh Jones Banglore, Ramesh M, Eswar. S from NSTR, Shrisailam, Raghunathan FES Udaypur, Raj Koirala forest institute Pokhra , Nepal, Dr. Amit Vairale (P.hd on spiders), Porf. Nagle & Mr. Ghom from Sant Gadge Baba
Amravati
University. But all of them share one dream of wildlife conservation.
Course demonstrated scientific studies in conservation biology utilized for wildlife
management. Participants were also introduced to various biodiversity conservation issues,
scientific reporting, proposal writing, and handling of various field equipments (GPS,
camera traps etc.) Series of lectures and seminars were followed by field visits at Pench (Maharastra) and Melghat tiger reserve.
Field visits at Pench and Melghat Tiger reserve covered conservation biology and wildlife
population estimation by direct sighting method like transact and indirect method like pug
mark or sign identification method like census, data collection etc. A visit to the
resettled villages of Melghat tiger reserve was for the purpose of a socioeconomic survey
conducted there by the participants. Project writing during course was supervised by Dr.
Rady Rudran, who is currently working as a scientist emeritus at Smithsonian Institute at
Washington D.C. He was ably assisted by Kishor Rithe, president of Satpuda foundation, Dr.
Tidke Head of Botany department Amravati University and Dr. G.N. Vankhede Head of the
Zoology department Amravati.
Scat analysis practical also conducted there to study the food pattern of Big Cat family.
Another interesting project was the identification of spider species in Melghat region under
the guidance of Dr. G.N. Vankhede. Dr. Bivash Pandav from WII and adv. Ritwick Datta lawyer at Delhi Highcourt gave guest lectures. Dr. Bivash Pandav’s lecture was on camera trapping, and on terminology used by naturalists like pug mark, hoof mark, scat, dung,
pellets, dropping. Identification of individuals by using camera trap shots, was revealing.
Adv. Ritwik Datta spoke on wildlife Protection act, environmental law, PA management,
legislation law, schedule and clauses etc. Participants enjoyed watching Ndtv Greenies
Award 2010 with adv. Ritwik Datta” who is one of the winners of “Green Hero Award”.
In those 20 days, participants who came from diverse backgrounds went back with one
conviction-that we need to conserve the wildlife of this unique habitat.
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