Stump Tailed Macaque, South Garo Hills. ©M D Madhusudan

I propose to use conservation education and awareness of wildlife found in Garo Hills to bring about conservation consciousness within the local community. For example, the project will focus on elephant conservation by addressing the threats to elephant habitat and discussions on the same through different methodologies like film screenings, slide shows and presentations.

I believe that intensive interactions with children & teachers in schools of Baghmara town will help in engendering consciousness towards conservation. This will also provide opportunities to address various local issues like logging, hunting, mining, fishing with poisons and electricity. Eventually this will promote the preservation of elephant habitats and ownership among the local community towards the wildlife occurring in this landscape, particularly the Asian elephant.

I will also address other issues like keeping wildlife as pets, hunting for food and trade which are prevalent in the landscape and are major threats to wildlife in Garo Hills. This is relevant as children frequently disturb bird-nests and remove chicks for keeping as pets. I believe that by addressing such issues to children in schools and imparting awareness on the same will be the best way to promote a positive attitude towards conservation. The process of conservation education & awareness in schools within Baghmara town can slowly bring a major change in the attitudes of the children and teachers towards wildlife conservation in this area.

The project will be working with classes V to VIII and a few teachers from selected schools in Baghmara town. This will help build rapport through interactive discussions and practical activities that promote wildlife conservation. Gradually the conservation education & awareness programmes will become a regular feature in schools.