WILDLIFE FIRST CAMPAIGNS

More Major Initiatives, Endeavors

Bamboo removal from Bhadra thwarted

The large-scale extraction of bamboo from the Bhadra Tiger Reserve was causing considerable damage to the reserve.  Such removal greatly reduced the forage available to large fauna like elephants and gaur.  New roads were constructed inside the reserve, regeneration was being trampled, forest fires were caused by bamboo extractors, and the presence of labor camps inside the reserve resulted in poaching of wildlife. 

With support from some committed forest officers, Wildlife First along with Nature Conservation Guild and Greenwatchers exposed this illegal extraction of bamboo for a large paper mill and many fake artisan societies.  Regular media campaign, exposing facts about the non-existence of  artisan societies in whose name bamboo was being removed, finally led to the stoppage of bamboo removal from Bhadra Tiger Reserve.

Iruppu Hydel Plant blocked

A proposal for construction of a mini hydel power plant at Iruppu in Bramhagiri Wildlife Sanctuary in Kodagu was opposed by Wildlife First and its conservation partners. The Environment Impact assessment report prepared by Institute of Catchment Studies and Environmental Management was critiqued and glaring flaws in the report were exposed. This effort ensured that the project was refused permission by the forest department. 

Consolidation of reserves through land purchase

	Human enclosures inside wildlife reserves will have severe negative  impacts on wildlife

In association with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Kudremukh Wildlife Foundation Wildlife First is involved in an innovative effort to consolidate important wildlife habitiats by enabling the voluntary surrender of agricultural lands in the deep interiors of the reserve in favor of the government by payment of attractive compensation from private funding. Such lands would then be notified as part of the surrounding  reserve which would greatly reduce negative impacts like fragmentation,  restriction of animal movements; increased human-wildlife conflict, forest fires, poaching, illegal removal of timber and non-timber forest products. This effort is now underway in Kudremukh reserve in the Western Ghats in Karnataka state. 

Other Conservation Initiatives

Over the past decade, the forest department and other government officials have been petitioned through letters and memorandums and their attention and active intervention sought on vital wildlife issues in Karnataka. The issues raised cover a wide gamut of issues ranging from the need to strengthen protection to combat poaching and illegal tree felling, sale of deer antlers and such other wildlife and non-timber forest products (NTFP), intensive and timely fire protection work and control of domestic livestock grazing.  These efforts which have been fairly successful are being continued along with active watch dog activities around identified wildlife reserves in Karnataka state.

Other campaigns:
>> Influencing policy and advocacy
>> Training and capacity building
>> Protection and care of protectors
>> Public opinion and outreach