From rescuing snakes to spreading awareness about the importance of forests and wildlife, Viru from the Tiger Research and Conservation Trust (TRACT) shares what drives him to conserve the forests of Ghodajhari Wildlife Sanctuary of central India.
- Tell us a bit more about yourself and what got you interested in working for the environment
When I was in the 9th grade, a team of snake rescuers came to our school to spread awareness about snakes and wildlife. I found this interesting, learnt more, and started helping their team in rescuing snakes from nearby villages. My aim was to educate people about the wildlife around them. Growing up, we observed that the wildlife population in our area was reducing. This raised a question in my mind that the environment around us has changed and the forests might be in danger. I felt that we should do something for our future generations and hence started working with environment conservation NGOs. Eventually, I got an opportunity of working with the TRACT team. Through my work with TRACT, I am now able to spread the message of environmental conservation among a large number of people.
- How does a typical day unfold for you
I start my day early in the morning and on my way to work I often meet community members and try to learn about the nearby tiger movement. I tell them what they can do if they spot a tiger in their area. As my workday starts, I interact with our Tiger Ambassadors (Primary Response Teams) who are representatives from the local community who help us spread awareness and handle conflict situations. I also interact with village residents and spread awareness about conservation and also try to understand what new initiatives we can undertake. In the later part of the day, I attend wildlife rescue calls if any.
- What do you love about your current job
I love the fact that through my work, I can spread awareness among a few people, who in turn can spread awareness among more people. Thus we can make a difference collectively, as opposed to one person trying to bring about a change.
- Could you share a key learning or experience from the field
By working with the TRACT team, I get to learn a lot about flora and fauna and its importance. More importantly, understanding how we can disseminate this knowledge to fellow community members is also something I have learned through my work.
- Have you experienced a positive change regarding conservation in your area
Yes, in some of the villages, we do observe a change. For example, earlier, villagers used to go to the forest for minor forest produce collection alone at all times of the day. After we started spreading awareness, now the village residents go in groups to collect minor forest produce and are more vigilant. This helps reduce human-wildlife conflict. I believe community members have slowly started implementing the conservation focused practices that we have told them about and I feel positive about the future.
