Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh): A group of frontline forest staff in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh was trained on widely-used scientific techniques to help track, monitor and estimate abundance of tigers and their prey, last week.

The three-day training was jointly organised by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) to facilitate more effective wildlife monitoring, to tackle human-carnivore conflict issues in the state. The training will also benefit the nationwide tiger estimation programme to be conducted this year. A total of 42 foresters and forest guards from Dudhwa, Katerniaghat, Pilibhit, Shahjehanpur, and North and South Kheri forest divisions attended the training that ended February 5.

“The participants were trained in GPS use, identification and recording of tracks and signs of animals, camera-trapping, vegetation sampling and prey estimation techniques, etc. These basic scientific tools will be helpful in effective wildlife monitoring to evaluate the status of wildlife and help direct necessary conservation measures,” said Dr Rahul Kaul, Director, Wild Species programme, WTI.

The training was a part of the capacity-building drive being undertaken by the Forest Department and WTI. Last month, a training was held for a Rapid Response Team constituted to rapidly and effectively mitigate human-animal conflicts, particularly involving the tiger.

“A number of other trainings are in the pipeline too,” added Dr Kaul.

UP Forest Department and WTI had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) late last year for a collaborative effort to conserve tigers as flagship to preserve the state’s wildlife. Accordingly, WTI has engaged trained biologists, a sociologist and veterinarians to assist the Forest Department. A fully equipped Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) has also been placed in Dudhwa National Park to attend the conflict cases and  help displaced or distressed wild animals.