Pobitora WLS fringe villagers provided with torchlights for safety

way2barak, April 6:  Research-driven biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak  today provided twenty torchlights to the villagers living on fringes of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district of Assam to deal with frequent face-off with wild animals in the area.

The wildlife sanctuary known for the highest rhino density  — 107 one-horned rhinos in 38.8 square kilometre area – and a large population of Asiatic buffalo is fringed by densely populated villages leading to frequent human-wildlife interactions.

The torchlights were distributed by the Aaranyak team after holding an awareness meeting on human-wildlife negative interaction among the villagers from fringe areas of wildlife habitat. The initiative was supported by Zoo Berlin.

During the event, beneficiaries from five villages namely, Kamarpur, Gorubandha, Nakara Habi, Noloni, and Burha Mayong received the torchlights which are expected to enhance their ability to spot from a safe distance wild animals mainly rhinos and buffaloes, that stray out to villages. This will ensure safety to both villagers and wild animals.

The programme was attended by Range Officer of the wildlife sanctuary Nayan Jyoti Das along with other forest staff deployed in the sanctuary. Senior official from Aaranyak Dr Deba Kumar Dutta, and officials Ujjal Bayan, Pranjal Deka, and K9 handler Rahul Das attended the programme and carried out the distribution of torchlights.