Kazinag, 2^nd September, 2023: Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration with Asian Adventures, Astral Foundation and the Department of Wildlife Protection (DWP), J&K organised a sensitisation workshop for nature guides in the Kazinag landscape.

Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in concert with the Department of Wildlife Protection (DWP), J&K under the Markhor recovery project has been facilitating many conservation interventions to address the specific threats to markhor and to strengthen the conservation of markhor by establishing community-based conservation models. One such model is the promotion of eco-tourism in the landscape to provide sustainable livelihood options to the local communities.

The range of the Kashmir Markhor (Capra falconeri), the largest wild goat in the world, lies in India mostly within the sensitive areas of the UT of Jammu & Kashmir. Poaching, deforestation and overgrazing of pastures by migratory livestock are some of the threats to in these areas, with the lack of awareness and sensitization among the local masses being one of the biggest challenges towards the conservation of this near threatened wild goat.

Kazinag National Park holds the largest markhor population in India, and the local communities inhabiting the fringes are one of the most crucial stakeholders in this area. On September 2^nd 2023, WTI with due support from the DWP, J&K and Astral foundation organised a Sensitization workshop for nature guides in Kazinag NP, J&K.

Nature guides training in Kazinag NP | Photograph by Sameer Dar

Nature guides form an integral part of wildlife tourism in protected areas across the country. Their role in national parks goes beyond just spotting and identifying local wildlife to educating tourists and fringe areas on aspects of wildlife conservation and management. Local nature guides are crucial to the growth of eco-tourism and the dearth of efficient, properly trained guides has been a limiting factor. In this context, the workshop aimed at introducing and sensitising these freshly identified nature guides towards their roles and responsibilities as guides to manage and interact with tourists and also to motivate them on future prospects of taking this as one of the sustainable livelihood options. This will be followed by a number of more advanced workshops organised by WTI in collaboration with its partners.

Mr. Mohit Aggarwal (Head, Asian Adventure) delivered the session to 35 nature guides from the Kazinag landscape in the daylong session held at Nature Interpretation Centre, Limber. Mr. Mohit while talikng on the occasion said “Eco-tourism inherently rests on four basic principles – Environment, Social Structure, Traditions and Cultural Sustainability. Management when implemented in true letter and spirit, will go a long way in the form of eco-tourism promotion and development”. He added that nature guides should be capable of assuming the responsibility to act as leaders, educators, host, managers and facilitators.

Group of nature guides that attended the workshop | Photograph by WTI

All the participants found that the sensitization workshop exposed them to new learnings which will help them in adopting and promoting sustainable wildlife viewing practices. They wanted more of such sessions to be conducted in future to qualify as the members of the guild of conservation guides who could lead the local communities in wildlife conservation.

The event was attended by Mr. Altaf Kounsar Kaul (Range officer, Baramulla, DWP), Mr. Riyaz Ahmad Lone (Block Forest officer, Limber Wildlife Sanctuary), Mr. Ghulam Mohammad Zaroo (Block Forest officer, Headquarter Baramulla), Mr. Mohit Aggarwal (Head, Asian Adventures), Mr. Sameer Khazir (Assistant Manager, Wildlife Trust of India) and Jeff Francis (Field Officer, Wildlife Trust of India).

Know more about the WTI’s Kashmir Markshor Recovery Project here.