15YT_Amur Falcon 1
Amur falcons are known for their incredibly long migratory route. Every year, these raptors travel from Russia and China to southern Africa, where they spend their winters. En-route, they make a stop in Nagaland’s Pangti village and nearby areas every October. They must rest well, for a non-stop flight over the Arabian sea awaits them. In 2012, horrifying reports of the birds being slaughtered by local hunters emerged. Dedicated conservation efforts were undertaken and, eventually, the place that was once a massacre ground turned into a safe haven with Nagaland earning the moniker ‘falcon capital of the world’.
15YT_One-horned rhino
An example of a species that has been brought back from the brink is the greater one-horned rhino or the Indian rhino. The largest of the three Asian rhinos, these beautiful creatures were dwindling in numbers a few decades ago, owing to poaching and habitat loss. There were only 600 left in the wild in India and Nepal, in 1975. Efforts were undertaken to protect them and, today, the number stands at around 3,500. Many of them live in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and and Chitwan National Park.
15YT_Wild tiger_Pxfuel
Perhaps the most promising story to emerge from all of India’s conservation efforts is that of the tiger. While thousands of tigers roamed the wild in India and other countries, their population was depleted by habitat loss and poaching. In 2010, 13 countries, including India, decided that they would double the number of tigers in the wild by 2022. After years of work, the efforts seem to have paid off — India reported a population of 2,967, which means it had met its target four years ahead of schedule. Home to roughly two-thirds of the world’s tiger population, India shines as a beacon of hope in the efforts to protect these magnificent beauties.
15YT_Blackbuck
A grazing antelope foraging for food amid the crops may seem like a farmer’s nightmare but not in Odisha’s Ganjam district. For the residents of 70 villages here, the blackbuck shares their fields. In fact, sustained community participation has resulted in an increase in the population of these shy antelopes. People don’t harm them, and the blackbucks have learnt to live around them. This is a shining example of how community-led efforts can make a difference in conservation.
