WTI Conservation Highlights from 2023
2023 was a remarkable journey for wildlife conservation efforts led by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and we are grateful to our partners and supporters for contributing to this success. From heartwarming rescues to pioneering initiatives, here’s a glimpse into some of our highlights from the past year. As we step into the new year, our unwavering dedication to the service of nature remains steadfast.
January:
A whale shark, accidentally entangled in a fishing net, was rescued by local fishermen and the WTI team and was released back into the ocean at Beemapally Beach, Trivandrum in January. Since the launch of the “Save the Whale Shark” campaign in October 2022, the team has facilitated the voluntary release of 10 whale sharks along the coast of Kerala.
The rescued shark being pushed back into the ocean by rescuers | Photo by WTI
February:
Working with the community, the Gujarat forest department, Tata Chemicals and local schools, WTI’s team conducted the Coral Heath Assessment Survey in Mithapur, Gujarat. WTI has been working to restore the degraded coral reefs, the underwater rainforests, through a unique public-private conservation model. Since its inception, the team has been able to increase the live coral coverage of the Mithapur reef from 12% in 2008 to 18% today.
Moon Coral at Mithapur Reef | Photo by Madhumay Mallik
March:
WTI conducted Frog Assembly 2023 as part of the Amphibian Recovery Project for the conservation of Munnar’s endemic frogs. Through the project, WTI has been working to protect the depleting population of five endemic frog species, including the critically endangered False Malabar gliding frog with support from Synchronicity Earth and Kanan Devan Hills Plantations (KDHP).
A False Malabar Gliding Frog sighted in Munnar |Photo by Renjith Hadlee
April:
Three kittens of the Rusty-spotted cat were reunited with their mother by the Forest Department and WTI’s PRT team in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh. Over the year, the Terai Tiger Project team, which works closely with the community in raising awareness of human-wildlife coexistence has helped reunite 4 leopards cubs and 4 jungle cat kittens with the support of locals.
Rusty-spotted kittens found in a sugarcane field in Pilibhit | Photo by WTI
May:
In collaboration with the Kerala Forest Department, WTI introduced the Checkpost Surveillance MobileApp in Marayoor Sandal Division- a pioneering initiative. This app transforms staff duties, providing a user-friendly and efficient work solution. Additionally, it functions as an intelligence , aiding staff in identifying vehicles in forest crime.
Checkpost Mobile Surveillance App is a pioneering initiative by WTI & the Kerala Forest Department| Photo by WTI
June:
WTI, along with volunteers from the local community assisted the Bihat forest department in releasing 125 Gharial hatchlings back in the Gandak River on World Crocodile Day. The team recovered the eggs that were vulnerable to river bank erosion and shifted them to a hatchery managed by the local community.
July:
IUCN SSC partnered with the Wildlife Trust of India to set up the first-ever Centre for Species Survival (CSS) in South Asia. An MoU was signed between Prof. Jon Paul Rodríguez, Chair—IUCN SSC and Mr. Vivek Menon, Executive Director, Wildlife Trust of India to set up the first-ever regional CSS in India.
(L-R): Mr. Vivek Menon (Executive Director WTI) and Prof. Jon Paul Rodriguez (Chair IUCN-SSC) sign the MoU for the first ever regional Center for Species Survival in India
August:
WTI launched GajUtsav, a celebration of the National Heritage Animal, in Odisha and Tamil Nadu (called Yaanai Thiruvizha here) with the respective forest departments on World Elephant Day 2023. The campaign aims to raise awareness about safeguarding the future of India’s elephants, especially advocating for their essential Right of Passage and is supported by Whitley Fund for Nature and Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies Foundation.
September:
Wildlife Trust of India conducted wildlife crime prevention training workshops for the frontline forest staff of the three ranges (Nawegaon Park Range, Bonde Range and Dongargaon Range) of the Nawegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) in Maharashtra supported by IFAW and JTEF. WTI’s Wildlife Crime Control Division has been working with forest departments across the country to strengthen enforcement actions.
The wildlife crime prevention training workshop conducted in the Nawegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve |Photo by WTI
October:
In a bid to effectively combat wildlife crime through innovation and cutting-edge technology, the Karnataka Forest Department launched a cloud-based information management system—Hostile Activity Watch Kernel (HAWK) developed by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) with the support of Fondation Segré and NTT DATA.
30 forest officers participated in the HAWK training workshop in Nagarhole | Photo by WTI
November:
On the 16th of November 2023, we marked 25 years of dedicated service to wildlife conservation in India. This significant milestone was celebrated with great fervour across all our field stations, bringing together the vibrant tapestry of local communities and dedicated forest department officials.
December:
A male Bengal tiger that was reported near human habitation, was guided back to the safety of the protected area in the Sundarbans National Park by the West Bengal Forest Department, assisted by our Rapid Response Team (RRT).
The Bengal tiger crossing the channel to the forested patch | Photograph by Samrat Paul/WTI
The bear cub was radio-collared for post-release monitoring | Photo by Subhamoy Bhattacharjee
