Munnar, Kerala, 20 Oct 2020:

Essential work kits comprising a rain jacket, backpack, field shoes, sleeping bag, torch (flashlight) and a first aid kit were handed over to frontline forest staff of Eravikulam National Park and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary by Shri James Zacharias Sr. Advisor, WTI in the presence of the Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director, Kottayam, Shri Anoop KR who inaugurated the distribution.

“During these difficult and uncertain times, support from agencies like WTI because of their quality of work under the most difficult terrain and climatic conditions is well appreciated” he said thanking WTI for our immediate response in equipping the frontline forest staff with field equipment.

Click here to read our article from 2017 on Star Tortoise Rehabilitation in Chinnar WLS

This aid via WTI’s Rapid Action Project grants was made possible by the support of Foundation Segre and has helped equip 132 frontline staff engaged in patrolling duty of eight forest camps in the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Chinnar WLS, spread over 90.44 sq km and located in rain shadow region of the Western Ghats is a second habitat of the grizzled giant squirrel and the star tortoise apart from its sandal wood trees. Equipping forest guards helps raise their work morale and engagement.

WTI also handed over 140 essential kits to the frontline staff of Eravikulam National Park engaged in 10 forest camps in this National Park a critical habitat of the endemic Nilgiri Tahr of the Western Ghats. Spread over 97 sq km of the Western Ghats in Idukki district it’s a high altitude protected area with a base elevation of 2000m and a terrain of high altitude shola grasslands and apart from the Nilgiri Tahr is a habitat of many Western Ghat endemics.

“Eravikulam National Park and nearby protected areas are one of the finest southern high altitude parks with biodiversity rich grasslands and sholas. The forest guards patrolling these remote areas need support and WTI is happy to extend a helping hand” added Vivek Menon, ED and Founder, WTI about this support to Kerala Forest Department

WTI has also sanctioned essential kits to 86 frontline staff on duty at 14 forest camps of the Shola National Park comprising four protected areas namely, the Pambadum Shola National Park, Mathikettan Shola National Park, the Anamudi Shola National Park and the Kurijimala Sanctuary. With Kurinjimala Sanctuary being the first sanctuary declared protected by Kerala for the famous Neelakurinji plant (Strobilanthus kunthiana). All four of these protected areas play a crucial role in maintaining animal corridors in the Munnar Landscape.

The distribution ceremony was also attended by Ms Laxmi R, Wildlife Warden, J. Neriamparambil, Asst. Wildlife Warden and Chairman of the High Range Wildlife and Environment Association.

Wild Aid is one of our longest running programs at WTI, under which our Rapid Action Project grants are targeted on focussed, short term and immediate interventions needed for conservation solutions.

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