The Wildlife Trust of India’s D’Ering – Dibru Saikhowa Elephant Link Project team celebrated the 68^th National Wildlife Week across its project sites in Mer and Namsing villages of Arunachal Pradesh, which are project beneficiary villages.

A mask-making and animal impression event was conducted in the Government Upper Primary school of Mer village. “Recovering Key Species for Ecosystem Restoration” was the theme of the event, where students from both primary and secondary classes/level demonstrated their knowledge on different wildlife species through pictures and audio impressions of wild animals. The school headmaster, the village headman of Mer and the committee members of the KCRS (Kotga Community Reserve Society) were in attendance as panelists for the program. Around 100 students participated in the mask-making and animal impression recognition competitions to celebrate wildlife week in their school.

Students during Mask Making event; Photo by WTI

At Namsing village, a street play was organized where the students of the Government middle school of Namsing performed plays celebrating the wildlife. A total of 110 people including local communities along with the students, the village headmen, the KCRS chairman and other committee members were also present for the event. The play intended on spreading the message of the importance of conserving wildlife and the forest, reducing human-wildlife conflicts and minimizing ecological degradation.

As part of the Wildlife Week celebration, the project team also engaged the students of Namsing Middle School in an exposure visit to the Namsing restoration site. The tour was organized to bring awareness among the students about the native plant species of the landscape and their importance for both wildlife as well as human. To conclude the celebration of Wildlife Week 2022, students received hands-on experience in field methods of planting saplings to restore forest habitat to save wildlife.

Since 2019, Mer and Namsing villages have been the beneficiary villages of D’Ering – Dibru Saikhowa Elephant Link Project.