Seinthuk, 21st October, 2025: The second edition of the Seinthuk Nature Camp was organised by Garung Thuk NGO from 15th to 20th October 2025 in Shergaon, Arunachal Pradesh, with support from the Hon’ble Kalaktang MLA Tseten Chombay, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), WWF, Nature Mates, Shergaon forest division, and NCF.

The camp was conducted in two batches and attended by 70 school students from various neighbouring villages, including Government Secondary School, Dengzi; Government Upper Primary School, Birpur; Denchham Public School, Kalaktang; and the Government Higher Secondary Schools of Kalaktang and Rupa.

Demo on Camera trapping | Photo by Genesis

The week-long camp featured sessions and field trips that introduced participants to local flora and fauna, including birds, mammals, butterflies, moths, and plants, along with hands-on experiences in camera trapping and snake rescue. Activities that promote mindfulness and mental well-being, such as nature journaling, aqua therapy, tree hugging, and stone painting, were also organised.. Additionally, sessions on wildlife photography and traditional ecological knowledge helped raise awareness on conservation and inspired students to explore future career paths in the field.

WTI led two sessions — Introduction to Mammals and Camera Trapping. With support from our field assistants Dorjee Khandu Khrimey and Pema Wangdi Thungon, students gained hands-on experience in setting up and monitoring camera traps.

Field sessions on birds and butterflies were also conducted by respective resource persons, resulting in the documentation of 50 bird species and 40 butterfly species in and around the camp area.

The students made stone paintings inspired by local butterfly and moth species | Photo by Suranjita Roy/WTI

The closing ceremony was graced by the Zilla Parishad Chairperson Karma Dorjee Thongdok, who attended as the Chief Guest, while ADC Rupa Lobsang Tseten was invited as the Guest of Honour. They were accompanied by the ZPM Shergaon Tsering Wangmu Lama and Phunchu Norbu Thungon, secretary (RWD).

A talk was delivered by Suranjita Roy, Field Biologist, WTI, highlighting the ongoing initiatives under the Forgotten Cats of Seinthuk project, supported by the Royal Enfield Social Mission, and the long-standing collaboration between Garung Thuk and WTI, which has continued for over eight years.

The students learned about the collaborative conservation initiatives of WTI and Garung Thuk | Photo by Genesis

With the hope that such nature camps will continue to motivate the younger generations and nurture a passion for conservation early on, Garung Thuk aims to continue organising similar programmes in the years to come. The team believes that fostering environmental awareness from a young age will pave the way for a more responsible and conservation-minded community.

Closely linked with the ongoing Forgotten Cats of Seinthuk project, such nature camps play a crucial role in raising awareness about the lesser-known species that inhabit the local forests – species that were once unfamiliar to both the community and the students. The project not only focuses on research and documentation but also aims to build local stewardship for wildlife conservation. By actively involving children and the community, it ensures that conservation becomes a shared responsibility.

Together with Garung Thuk and the community, these efforts sow the seeds of awareness and action, helping shape a generation that will carry forward the vision of protecting Seinthuk’s forests and its forgotten cats.