Big Idea: Recover population/sub-populations of at least six threatened species by improving their recovery states (categories) and demonstrating recovery through improved recovery scores.
The Species Recovery division uses improved techniques, intensive management, conservation breeding, reintroduction and restocking to recover populations of threatened species.
WTI has helped the recovery of the last remaining wild buffalo sub-species in central India through cloning and conservation breeding. We have restocked Manas NP with Eastern swamp deer translocated from Kaziranga NP to save this sub-species in Assam. We have also restocked the former habitats of cheer pheasants in Himachal Pradesh and proved the existence of markhor in new areas of Jammu and Kashmir through surveys.
The generous donation made by Dr George Schaller, kickstarted WTI’s Schaller Conservation Surveys. The inaugural survey focused on the markhor, a spectacular goat found on the India-Pakistan border in Kashmir, and its findings prompted the government to declarr a new National Park. Additionally, a survey of the range of the Tibetan antelope along the China border, has for the first time, established numbers and demographics in India.
Our species recovery projects demonstrate a long-term organizational commitment and are selected based on the conservation status of the species, conservation relevance of a project, resource availability, local support, and government priorities.
Current Projects Involved: