As the year 2019 ends, we look back at some interesting highlights from our 21^st year in service of nature. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular updates as this selection is but a glimpse into the gamut of our conservation action.

Hands on and hands off for wildlife rescues and safe passage: Our team at Kaziranga worked with the Assam Forest Department to provide safe passage to this tigress that took shelter for a day in a local resident’s house when the park was submerged. The indefatigable team also rescued five rhino calves that are currently under rehabilitation at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) and provided safe passage and ex situ treatment to several fauna in distress. Our mobile veterinary units also handled several rescue calls, such as this operation of a leopard rescue from a crowded locality of Dibrugarh.

Kannur Kandal gets more mangrove land: We added 2.86 acres to the existing 19.85 acres of mangroves secured, bringing the area under Kannur Kandal mangrove conservation to 22.51 acres. With an interpretation centre buzzing with activity from local schools and colleges and a mangrove nursery, the Kannur Kandal team has also been reaching out to cities and towns in Kerala through Environment and Nature quiz contests.

Saving the birds in Sambhar Lake: True to its name, our Rapid Action Project moved in swiftly to address the avian crisis unfolding at Sambhar Lake. Working with local partners, our team of veterinarians stayed on site under challenging conditions for over a month to help rescue and treat thousands of birds affected by avian botulism. More than 500 birds recovered after our interventions and palliative care were successfully released at a safe location.

Lakshadweep welcomes the Whale Shark: Our Whale Shark campaign reached out to about 3000 islanders in Minicoy and Kavaratti Islands of the Lakshadweep atoll. Fishermen around this 4 sq. km, island have been witness to the biggest congregation of whale sharks, and this was the first such outreach by a wildlife conservation organization in these islands that sensitised them to the world’s biggest fish and the need to save it.

Public and peers recognise excellence: Our ED and CEO Vivek Menon received the prestigious Clark R Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award given by Animal Welfare Institute from the Secretary General of CITES in Geneva. Close on the heels of this award, he was also honoured with the Excellence Award in Wildlife Conservation by Conde Nast Traveller India.

The tigers’ tale of people living on the edge: We produced Kinara, an animation film about people living in the vicinity of tigers and the threats that both face. With a message of co-existence and solutions to avoid potential conflict situations, this short film also won the Best Animation Film Award at the CMS Vatavaran Film Festival this year. Targeted at communities living in the central Indian tiger landscape, this film was released on Global Tiger Day.

A legend’s legacy comes alive: WTI launched the Ashok Kumar Memorial scholarship in memory of Ashok Kumar our Founder and Chairman Emeritus who dedicated his life to fighting wildlife crime. These scholarships are his legacy for students wanting to pursue Wildlife Law, Policy and Enforcement as a career choice.

Emergency Relief Network at work: Our Emergency Response Network with over 600 members across the country have in 2019 responded both to natural and man-made disasters and incidents. From treating about 6000 birds during the Kite flying festival in Gujarat and Rajasthan to helping fauna during floods in Bihar, Kerala and in Assam, or assessing damage due to Cyclone Fani in Odisha to helping handle the Sambhar Lake bird rescues, this team of volunteer rescuers are spread across India to handle wildlife crises at short notice.

Hands on and hands off for wildlife rescues and safe passage: Our team at Kaziranga worked with the Assam Forest Department to provide safe passage to this tigress that took shelter for a day in a local resident’s house when the park was submerged. The indefatigable team also rescued five rhino calves that are currently under rehabilitation at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) and provided safe passage and ex situ treatment to several fauna in distress. Our mobile veterinary units also handled several rescue calls, such as this operation of a leopard rescue from a crowded locality of Dibrugarh.

The Wild Buffalo goes public: In some iconic conservation campaign messaging, the mascot of the State Animal of Chhattisgarh – the Wild Buffalo- was installed as an exquisitely sculpted bronze statue at a prominent traffic circle in the State Capital (Naya Raipur). Furthering public outreach, the state animal was commemorated on a special postal cover released by the Chief Minister during Wildlife Week in 2019.  

The Elephant marches on to seek Right of Passage: Our current signature campaign ‘Gaj Yatra’ aimed at getting people’s participation in securing elephant corridors reached Tamil Nadu early this year. Generating political and public will, the campaign covered sixteen (16) elephant corridors identified within six tiger reserves and forest divisions and saw the participation of schools in 17 villages, towns and cities of Tamil Nadu. It also resulted in the Southern Railways hosting a workshop to seek solutions to save elephants from train hits.