Field gear provided to volunteers ahead flood season to protect wildlife

way2barak, June 3: “Wild animals from protected areas which survive flood are often healthy individuals that are capable of contributing significantly towards sustaining and strengthening wild populations. So, it is very important to put up best possible efforts for rescuing wildlife during flood,” said Ritupawan Borah, DFO of Biswanath Wildlife Division, Kaziranga Tiger Reserve.

The senior Forest official while addressing a group of 30 community volunteers at Central range, Biswanath Ghat during “Field Gear Distribution and Interaction on Flood Preparedness” programme on June 2 stressed that these flood-hit animals are valuable components of the ecosystem and deserve protection and care.

The programme was organised in collaborative mode by Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org), Biswanath Wildlife Division (BWLD), Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, with support from the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF).

The 30 community volunteers participating in the programme play vital roles in wildlife conservation, flood preparedness, and rescue efforts during emergency situations.

As part of the programme, 30 volunteers were provided with rechargeable torchlights and raincoats to bolster their capacity to respond effectively during the flood-time emergencies when wildlife is under stress.

Besides the DFO Ritupawan Borah, the programme was attended Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) Nayan Jyoti Gogoi, Range Officer Niharika Gogoi, Aaranyak officials Dr. Deba Kr. Dutta, Arif Hussain, Ujjwal Bayan, and Abhinab Bordoloi, and consultants Dr. Khanin Changmai and Sabrina Begum.

Welcoming the participants, Arif Hussain highlighted the importance of community participation in conservation, sought continued cooperation of local villagers and gave an outline of the awareness and outreach activities planned for fringe villages.

Conservation scientist Dr Deba Kr. Dutta, Deputy Director of Rhino Research and Conservation Division (RRCD) of Aaranyak and Dr. Khanin Changmai underscored the critical role of community volunteers during floods, noting that wild animals seek refuge and safety during such events.

They urged villagers to promptly inform the Forest Department whenever a distressed wildlife is encountered and cautioned against certain actions that could endanger either people or animals in such an emergency. They flagged the need for collaborative efforts between local communities and conservation agencies to ensure the well-being of both people and wildlife.

The DFO Borah thanked Aaranyak for its continued support to the Forest Department and expressed hope for sustained collaboration with the organisation and grassroots-level volunteers in future conservation initiatives.

Nayan Jyoti Gogoi, ACF and Niharika Gogoi, RO, also interacted with the participants and encouraged active community involvement in conservation, wildlife rescue, and flood preparedness.

The programme concluded with an interaction during which volunteers shared their experiences, concerns, and suggestions related to flood preparedness, wildlife rescue, and human–wildlife coexistence.

Participants expressed their views and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting conservation initiatives and safeguarding wildlife during emergencies. The programme reinforced the significance of empowering community volunteers as frontline partners in conservation, wildlife safeguarding, and flood response.