GUWAHATI, Nov 24 - A wildlife exposure programme for 40 students from four schools from the fringe of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary was conducted today under the IRV2020 initiative that aims to achieve a rhino population of 3,000 in Assam by 2020.
The programme was collaboratively organised by the State forest department, WWF and two local NGOs of the area � SHIPA and PETA � through special support extended by Disney Conservation for conservation of rhinos in Pobitora.
�WWF India, along with the partners of IRV2020 has been constantly working with the students from the fringe of various rhino protected areas of the State trying to get them involved in conservation and for proper knowledge sharing on the relevant aspects of rhino conservation over the years,� a WWF official said.
The wildlife exposure programme for the students from the fringe of Pobitora WLS was identified as a critical need, as during previous school-based programmes it was learnt that very few of the students from the fringe had hardly gone inside Pobitora to see the natural beauty and the rhinos there.
�Following the identification of the need during 2014-2015, during the present year a plan was set in place to provide the opportunity to at least 100 students from the fringe of Pobitora to have a first-hand experience of seeing rhinos in its natural ranging. Today�s programme was almost a daylong affair, and in addition to enjoying nature, the students got an opportunity to experience the life of forest guards inside the forest and also interact with them on all matters of interest for the students,� the official said.
After the jungle safari, there was an interactive session and the students pledged to share their experience and learning from the daylong programme with their schoolmates as well as the villagers.
GUWAHATI, Nov 24 - A wildlife exposure programme for 40 students from four schools from the fringe of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary was conducted today under the IRV2020 initiative that aims to achieve a rhino population of 3,000 in Assam by 2020.
The programme was collaboratively organised by the State forest department, WWF and two local NGOs of the area � SHIPA and PETA � through special support extended by Disney Conservation for conservation of rhinos in Pobitora.
�WWF India, along with the partners of IRV2020 has been constantly working with the students from the fringe of various rhino protected areas of the State trying to get them involved in conservation and for proper knowledge sharing on the relevant aspects of rhino conservation over the years,� a WWF official said.
The wildlife exposure programme for the students from the fringe of Pobitora WLS was identified as a critical need, as during previous school-based programmes it was learnt that very few of the students from the fringe had hardly gone inside Pobitora to see the natural beauty and the rhinos there.
�Following the identification of the need during 2014-2015, during the present year a plan was set in place to provide the opportunity to at least 100 students from the fringe of Pobitora to have a first-hand experience of seeing rhinos in its natural ranging. Today�s programme was almost a daylong affair, and in addition to enjoying nature, the students got an opportunity to experience the life of forest guards inside the forest and also interact with them on all matters of interest for the students,� the official said.
After the jungle safari, there was an interactive session and the students pledged to share their experience and learning from the daylong programme with their schoolmates as well as the villagers.
