As part of the capacity building programme for the conservation of dugong and other marine mammals in the Palk Bay, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Tamil Nadu Forest department have trained recently joined Foresters in underwater monitoring and Scuba diving.
In a week-long special course on ‘Underwater biodiversity monitoring with open water Scuba diving’ organised recently in the Palk Bay in Mandapam area, five newly joined Foresters in Ramanathapuram, Rameswaram, Mandapam, Kilakarai and Thondi were trained for patrolling and rescuing Dugong and other marine mammals, Mr Premjothi, Scientist, WII, said.
The Foresters were trained by Mr Aravind, a member of Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) of Temple Adventurers, Puducherry. The training programme comprised theory and practical sessions, he said.
After completing the theory classes and preliminary training sessions in a swimming pool, the Foresters were taken to the Palk Bay near Pamban Rail Bridge for the open water scuba diving and underwater monitoring, he said. At the end of the training session, the Foresters were given ‘Open water scuba diver’ certificates.
Thanks to the training, the Foresters could now dive and go up to 18 ft deep into the sea independently, Mr Premjothi said adding the Foresters could now be pressed into patrolling and rescuing operations. Last year, five Forest Range Officers were given the training, he added.
The training was offered under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning (CAMPA) – Recovery of Dugong and their habitats in India Project.
The organisers included Mr Sivakumar, Scientist, WII, Rukmini Shekar and Madhu Magesh (Marine biologists, WII). Mr T K Ashok Kumar, Wildlife Warden, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, supervised the training programme.
