Wildlife conservation gets a big and youthful push

While we talk of conservation and awareness, many college students in the city and state are not just doing the talking but are also taking it very seriously. These students are not just helping in various wildlife conservation activities; they also act as informants.
Naveen Kumar, an engineering student in a college in Chikkabalapur, has helped forest department sleuths in catching tribes men who hunt and sell slender loris and monitor lizards.

“I went for dinner with some friends and saw them doling out dishes they called ‘delicacies’. A few days later, I learnt they were selling quail and rabbit meat. I have been going to forests to help NGOs in their works, but I realised it was not conservation alone, stopping people from eating wild animals and ensuring that sellers are sentenced is what I was aiming for. I decided to help the police, forest department and NGOs in stopping these activities.”’

Students not only in Bangalore, but across the state, are doing the same. Many students from other parts of the state, who come to Bangalore with friends on weekend trips, take time out to meet officials and tip them off.

Inamdar, a student from Bellary, who comes with friends to Bangalore over the weekend said, “I told my friends that I had some work and met the officials on forest duty to give them important information.”

Some even call up and help. Officials get calls from these informants in Mangalore, Chikkballapur and Karwar.

A senior forest official, on conditions of anonymity, pointed that students come to meet him not only to learn about conservation but also to tip off on cases. “There have been many instances where we have been tipped off by students. Their curiosity and the urge to experiment help us in work,” he said.

“Most of the time, students come across cases where wildlife is being traded or they come across unusual things in hotels and restaurants and come and tell us. We then take the leap and check the eateries. In some cases, students guised as customers help us nab the culprits. With their help, we are able to keep tab on many bars, restaurants and dhabas,” the official added.

While this helps in reducing wildlife crime rate, some officials point that students are being exposed to crime, which is not good as it can work otherwise also. But they also said that if the intention is right and conservation is the main aim, we have future conservationists in the making. (Some names have been changed on request).