Jackals rescued from Chen area by Panglem Bohlim of Chenwetnyu village released at Singphan Wildlife Sanctuary
Kikavi Chophi
Range Officer Aboi, Mon division
Every year, India celebrates Wildlife Week from 2nd October to 8th October to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation and the need to protect the diverse species that make up the natural ecosystem. This year’s theme “Wildlife Conservation through Co-existence,” highlights acceptance of community participation in the noble cause of wildlife conservation.
This year theme is very relevant to State like Nagaland, which is having more than 90% of its area under Forest cover coupled with a unique land ownership pattern having recognised under Article 371(A) of Indian Constitution. Over the years, the department has successfully able to penetrate the co-existence ethos in community with forest in general and wildlife in particular through many initiatives i.e. through notification of Community Reserve (CR), one of the four recognised Protected Areas(PAs) under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 , across the state having ownership and management responsibility led by the villager among themselves. Today, Nagaland stands tall in area of Community Reserve having largest area under this Protected Area dedicated to Wildlife Conservation.
Apart from this, most of the villages since ages have the conservation ethos through keeping certain area of their villages as Community Conserved Areas (CCAs) which includes banning activities like harvesting of timbers and hunting of animals. Such practices are of the praiseworthy movement toward community-led conservation, following the model of Community Conserved Areas (CCAs) that have successfully reduced hunting and promoted wildlife conservation.
The Externally Aided Project like Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP) has recognised the importance of community Participation through making Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) consisting of villagers as the grassroots authority at the village level for the implementation of this project. The Conservation-specific models like Jhum Conversion to Community Conservation Area (CCAs) and Protection and Expansion of existing CCAs (PEC) led by the project villages have increased the area for the forest conservation. The plantation being the core among all the works reached to the doorsteps of NFMP villages in the district through creation of Forest Nursery, managed by JFMC with the assistance from the department. Such an initiative shall have a long lasting impact on the forest conservation through their empowerment in the field of forest management from raising of nursery to its management with community at the core.
The perseverance and persuasiveness of the department officials has created an positive impacts among the community in last decade or so, where the State which was brought into limelight regarding massive hunting of Amur Falcon, a migratory bird in 2012 to be recognised as “Falcon Capital of the World” at present. In recent years, the community has taken steps to rescue various species, including birds, reptiles, and mammals that may be displaced due to habitat loss, hunting pressures, or accidents. The Community has been involved in the rescue of rare and endangered species later donated to the Rangapahar Zoological Park The awareness regarding the wildlife conservation among the community has shown an upward trends as witnessed through the rescue of wildlife from very remote villages like Chenwentyu few weeks ago, where villagers came forward to rescue three jackals, a schedule II species under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, from their area brought also to knowledge to forest department, which was subsequently released to Singphan Wildlife Sanctuary, also recognised as the 30th Elephant Reserve of the Country. The wildlife rescue efforts in Chenwetnyu Village exemplify the power of community participation in conservation of wildlife.
Wildlife Week 2024 provides an opportunity to emphasize the importance of conservation. This year’s celebration in particular, provides a significant opportunity to highlight the importance of community-driven conservation efforts in safeguarding the unique ecological treasures. Nagaland, with its unique land holding system, where land are mostly owned by the community and the people encourages and empowers more villages to establish their own conservation areas, ensuring that the people who live closest to the land have the tools, knowledge, and support to manage it sustainably.
