Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and our partner organisation the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) have been working in collaboration with the local communities and the state forest departments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh for over 20 years.

In the past week, Mr. Azzedine T. Downes, President & CEO, IFAW and Mr. Vivek Menon, Founder & Executive Director, WTI visited our project sites in the Manas and Pakke landscapes to celebrate a milestone achievement of 20 years of dedicated service to wildlife conservation. They also took this opportunity to engage with key stakeholders including the forest department, policymakers, and local communities, emphasising a holistic approach that combines ecological impact with community-driven conservation.

The week began with a trip to the Great Manas project site in Assam, where WTI-IFAW played a crucial role in securing the natural heritage of Bodoland and restoring the lost World Heritage Site status of Manas National Park. Mr. Azzedine Downes and Mr. Vivek Menon, Founder and Executive Director, WTI,  were honoured by the Hon’ble Chief Executive Member of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Mr. Pramod Boro and Deputy Chief Executive Member Mr. Gobindo Basumatary.  Our efforts, in collaboration with the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Forest Department, and local communities, resulted in significant milestones, including the official notification of the First Addition to Manas National Park in 2016, covering 350 sq km and the Raimona National Park by the Government of Assam in June 2021, covering 422 sq km. The team also addressed human-elephant conflict by implementing community-managed hanging solar fences.

WTI-IFAW honoured by the BTC for 20 years of service to revive the Greater Manas Landscape | Photo by Subhamoy Bhattacharjee

Key achievements in the landscape include the successful reintroduction of the Greater One-horned rhinoceros in Manas in 2006, the translocation of Eastern Swamp deer from Kaziranga National Park to Manas and the ongoing rehabilitation of Asian Elephants since 2007. We have have also constituted 36 Eco Development Committees (EDC) and assisted more than 15,000 households across the landscape, providing law and enforcement support by training over 750 frontline forest staff since 2011, resulting in landmark convictions in Manas. Furthermore, our team’s engagement with school children, parents, and teachers reached 45,000 participants through 85 events from 2011 to 2021, contributing to a holistic approach to conservation and education in the region.

Mr. Vivek Menon expressed his gratitude to the BTC for their unwavering support and guidance, and outlined the vision for the next two decades to secure the rich natural heritage of Bodoland.

Beyond Assam, the collaborative efforts of WTI and IFAW extends to Arunachal Pradesh which is home to the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC) within Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve. CBRC is the first specialised rehabilitation centre for Asiatic black bears in India, where a team of dedicated veterinarians and staff provides shelter, food and veterinary care to cubs that have been orphaned or displaced due to habitat destruction and human-wildlife conflict, with the aim of eventual wild rehabilitation. Over 50 orphaned Asiatic black bear cubs have been successfully reintroduced into the wild, to date.

In celebration of a conservation journey spanning more than two decades in this landscape, community members from Pakke Tiger Reserve, the Department of Environment & Forest, Arunachal Pradesh, and the WTI-IFAW team came together at the Pakke Paga Hornbill playground. This gathering served as a testament to the collective endeavours that have effectively preserved the area’s diverse biodiversity. The event also involved interactions with village elders from the Nyishi Elite Society, the Aka Welfare Society and the Gora Aabhe, who have helped preserve the forests and wildlife in this region.

Mr Azzedine Downes, President,IFAW highlighted the vital role of indigenous people in preserving forest biodiversity |Photo by Subhamoy Bhattacharjee

The celebrations kicked-off with a welcome address by Mr. Satyaprakash Singh DFO Pakke Tiger Reserve followed by the felicitation of the Chief guest
Mr. N. Tam, PCCF (WL&BD) and CWLW Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Mr. Katung Waghe, President of the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP) and other top dignitaries. In honour of the fallen wildlife rangers in Pakke Tiger Reserve, a poignant one-minute silence was observed.

Mr. Takam Nabam, Chairman of Ghora Aabhe Society Seijosa, provided a brief history of conservation activities which was followed by a cultural display of traditional group dances. Mr. Azzedine Downes and Mr. Vivek Menon were honoured with certificates of appreciation by the community heads. The event concluded with
a ‘Grain for grain’ distribution, a scheme initiated by WTI in 2005 to provide assistance to farmers and reduce instances of retaliation against elephants in the area.

Mr. Azzedine Downes emphasised the crucial role of indigenous people in preserving forest biodiversity. He stated that the core belief of IFAW is that both animals and humans can thrive together on this planet. Their commitment extends beyond wildlife conservation to ensuring the safety of communities living alongside wildlife.

The team’s visit to CBRC was marked with a poignant moment of releasing an Asiatic black bear back into the wild at Pakke Tiger Reserve, symbolising the success and feasibility of rehabilitation efforts.

The bear was released by WTI, IFAW and the Department of Environment and Forest Arunachal Pradesh in Pakke |Photo by Subhamoy Bhattacharjee

Our collaborative work with the community over the years, highlights that civil society and the forest department can come together and work as one front to attain significant conservation goals.