https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Kaziranga Prepares Gen Next For Wildlife Conservation

Divyang children attended a 3-day residential orientation camp in Kaziranga National Park for the first time And so did wards of mahouts (elephant caregivers) and ghasis (grass cutters) The children camp was held at the luxury Wild Grass Resort, whose owner offered rooms at discounted rates
Indian Masterminds Stories

It is not enough to leave behind a beautiful flora and fauna heritage for the next generation if we do not teach them to love, respect, and value the legacy. They would value their inheritance only if they grow up learning about its significance in preserving our planet. A child who will grow up seeing animals and plants around her being valued will be a responsible world citizen of tomorrow who values nature and its infinite treasures.

With this aim in view, and carrying forward a legacy established in 2007, the Kaziranga National Park authorities organised a 3-day residential camp recently, to educate the children living on the fringe villages about forest conservation and peaceful coexistence with wildlife.

One unique aspect of this year’s camp was the inclusion of divyang students and children of mahouts (elephant caregivers) and ghasis (grass cutters). Speaking to Indian Masterminds, Kaziranga’s Field Director, 2000 batch IFS officer Dr. Sonali Ghosh, gave more details about the orientation camp.

NATURE ORIENTATION

The camp for children was organised over three days in a premium resort located near the wildlife park, called ‘Wild Grass’. Usually filled with foreign and Indian high-end tourists, the luxury resort witnessed the pattering of excited feet and the chattering of curious minds, as children from the most underprivileged sections of society made it their home for three days. These kids were there on invitation from the Kaziranga authorities to take part in an orientation camp.

Field Director Dr. Sonali Ghosh said, “I am happy that these children got a chance to come and stay in this resort which they might have seen and admired from far before. They had a good time learning so many new things about Kaziranga while living very close to it, as this resort is located at a vantage point.”

DIVYANG CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION

For the first time in Kaziranga’s history, the orientation camp saw divyang children’s participation. Dr. Ghosh took the initiative to invite them as part of her inclusivity exercise.

“This camp was special as we had four divyang students from the Upper Assam Handicapped Centre school with us. It was a pleasure to see their enthusiastic participation in all activities,” she said.

KIDS OF MAHOUT & GHASIS JOIN

Yet another new aspect was the participation of wards of the Park’s mahouts (elephant caregivers) and ghasis (grass cutters). Six such children joined the camp for the first time. “Bringing them on board was a highlight of this year’s camp. They have grown up seeing their fathers working for animal welfare. Now, they had a first-hand experience of such welfare work,” said Dr. Ghosh.

ANIMAL WELFARE TRAINING

A total of 48 children and four student volunteers participated in the residential camp. Systematic planning was undertaken to reach out to the most rural and underprivileged students and letters were written to schools under the ranges. The male-female ratio was 29:19 and majority of the children were from the 10th standard.

The children were introduced to animal rescue, drone surveys, camera trapping for animal population estimation, and given an overview of the opportunities in sustainable tourism and sustainable farming, eco-tourism, field guiding, and traditional handloom and craft.

There were also special sessions on Kaziranga’s pride – the greater one horn rhinocerous, elephants, and birds and birding. The children were also taken on safari, nature trails to the Karbi Anglong hills, and given a chance to interact with the women frontline staff.

On the sidelines, there were ‘tiger story’ telling around crackling campfires as the sun set in the horizon casting a golden glow on the campsite.

There were also interactive sessions to get the children’s feedback and evaluation, and special sessions taken by experts on ‘How to Be a Forest Ranger’ and ‘How to Mitigate Human-Wildife Conflicts’.

The residential camp, held in one of Kaziranga’s oldest resorts, was part of the Park’s outreach activities aimed at building capacities and strengthening conservation awareness among the rural students living in the forest fringe areas. And, going by the overwhelming response, it fulfills its core target of molding the fringe children into responsible adults of tomorrow, in a world where ‘humans and wildlife live happily ever after’!


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
UPSC Image IAS IPS IFS
UPSC CSE-2024 Results Out: Top 2 Places Bagged By Girls, Shakti Dubey AIR 1, Check Details Here
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)
Bhuwan Chandra Pathak to Continue as Director (Finance) at NPCIL - Know More About him
coal-India limited
Coal India Signs MoU with DVC to Set Up ₹16,500 Crore Ultra Supercritical Power Plant in Jharkhand
delhi-government-resized
Delhi Government Revises Office Timings as Pollution Levels Drop
indian-forest-service IFS Officers
Court Denies Anticipatory Bail to Former IFS Officer in SRLM Scam
psuwatch_import_wp-content_uploads_2022_02_RBI-recruitment-2019
Minors Above 10 Can Now Open and Operate Bank Accounts Independently: RBI
Inter caste marriage promotion scheme
Inter-Caste Marriage Promotion Scheme: Financial Aid of Rs 2.5 Lakh Granted to Two Couples
KVIC Khadi and Village Industries
Khadi and Village Industries Achieve Historic Growth, Sales Cross ₹1.70 Lakh Crore in 2024-25
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-13 at 1.46
This Collector Finds Happiness In Squeaks Of Children With Hearing Impairment Who Start Hearing After Surgery
UPSC Stories
images (14)
Utsav Anand, the UPSC Topper Who Chose Public Service Over a Plush Career
From IIT Bombay to the 2022 IAS batch (Haryana cadre), Utsav Anand’s journey is proof that sharp minds...
pushplata-yadav-ias
How IAS Pushp Lata’s Strategy and Spirit Took Her to AIR 80
From rural Haryana to IAS, Pushp Lata Yadav’s journey reflects focused planning, adaptation, and the...
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
IRS officer Padmapani Bora's 16-year career transcends typical bureaucracy. Discover his surprising journey...
Social Media
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
IAS Vaishali Chopra
Young IAS Vaishali Chopra Takes a Stand Against Caste Bias During Field Training in Uttar Pradesh
While the issue itself may seem small, the post is resonating widely online for its honest reflection...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
UPSC Image IAS IPS IFS
UPSC CSE-2024 Results Out: Top 2 Places Bagged By Girls, Shakti Dubey AIR 1, Check Details Here
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)
Bhuwan Chandra Pathak to Continue as Director (Finance) at NPCIL - Know More About him
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Lokesh M IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-13 at 1.46
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT