Wildlife Trust of India and the Department of Wildlife Protection (DWP), Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) celebrated a long fruitful partnership on the 3rd of October 2022 in Gandhi Bhawan at the University of Kashmir, Srinagar, as a part of the Wildlife Week celebration.

Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) has been working in J&K for more than two decades. In 2005, WTI conducted a population estimation survey on Markhor – the world’s largest wild goat. This was the first census for the species in India and revealed the presence of 250 individuals.

The charismatic wild goat is found only in two pockets of Kashmir – the Kazinag National Park, Baramulla district, close to the ‘Line of Control’ (LOC) and the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary, Shopian district, on the northern slopes of the Pir Panjal mountain range. Once thought to be extinct (in India), the Markhor population was subsequently revived back by the collaborative efforts of the Department of Wildlife Protection (DWP) J&K, and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

Guest of Honour Prof. Irshad A. Nawchoo, addressing the gathering; Photo by Ubaid Rasool 

On this special occasion, Wildlife Trust of India released “Markhor – Hope in a Paradise” a documentary film by Shivang Mehta, produced WTI. The film aimed at showcasing WTI’s long-lasting efforts towards markhor conservation in the landscape along with taking the audience through the remote parts of the Kazinag National Park and Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary. Dr. Mohit Gera, IFS, PCCF & HoFF, Department of Forests, Government of J&K did the honors of releasing the film. Dignitaries who graced the occasion include  – (names first followed by designation) PCCF & Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K – Shri Suresh Kumar Gupta, IFS, Regional Wildlife Warden, Kashmir – Shri. Rashid Yahya Naqash, Wildlife Wardens from North, South, and Central Divisions; Officials from the Department of Tourism, Kashmir; Administrative Heads including the Dean of Research, Dean Biological Sciences, and Joint Registrar and Scientists, Professors, research scholars and students from the University of Kashmir, Srinagar.

Around 150 people including all the local stakeholders from DWP, J&K, Dept. of Tourism, Universities, and NGOs, and all the people from the local communities including field assistants participated in the event.

Dr. Rahul Kaul, CEO, WTI with Sh. Suresh Kumar Gupta, IFS. PCCF and Chief Wildlife Warden, Department of Wildlife Protection, Jammu and Kashmir; Photo by Ubaid Rasool

The event was inaugurated with a welcome address by Dr. Rahul Kaul, CEO, WTI, followed by a short presentation highlighting the conservation efforts of WTI in J&K by Dr. Tanushree Srivastava, Manager and Head, Western Himalaya Mountain Ungulate Project.  Further, a panel discussion on “Wildlife conservation in J&K” was chaired by HoFF & PCCF, Dept. of Forests, J&K, PCCF and Chief Wildlife Warden, DWP, J&K, Regional Wildlife Warden, DWP, J&K, Joint Registrar, University of Kashmir and Dr. Rahul Kaul, CEO, WTI.

The session was moderated by Mr. Athar Parvez, an award-winning journalist from J&K.

The panel discussed various topics including the overall wildlife conservation, human-wildlife conflict, and conservation of wetlands, status of wildlife research and prospects of further conservation initiatives in J&K. The discussion lasted for almost an hour. The panel agreed to work further in close collaboration with each other and the HoFF & PCCF invited all the stakeholders to come up with various proposals for the conservation efforts in Jammu and Kashmir.

The conservation effort would not have been possible without community support. Over the years the community, Government, and WTI staff have been the backbone of these efforts. A felicitation event was organized to honor members from the Department of Wildlife Protection, J&K, the local communities, and previous older local WTI staff members whose contributions have made this long conservation journey a success story.