DEHRADUN, March 20: The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has conducted its 10th Wildlife Conservation course for enthusiasts, training 15 participants as part of its ongoing efforts to promote public awareness and participation in conservation.
The ten-day course, held from March 2 to 11, was organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Since its inception in 2012, the initiative has trained a total of 148 participants from diverse professional backgrounds.
Designed for individuals without formal training in wildlife biology, the programme aims to provide exposure to key aspects of wildlife conservation. Participants included professionals from fields such as armed forces, medicine, engineering, information technology, finance, media, academia, and conservation.
The course comprised four days of classroom sessions led by WII faculty and researchers, covering topics such as Indian biogeography, conservation challenges, management of large mammal populations, illegal wildlife trade, wildlife forensics, and citizen science initiatives.
This was followed by a five-day field visit to the Lansdowne Forest Division near Kotdwar in Uttarakhand, where participants gained practical insights into forest ecosystems, wildlife management practices, and the relationship between local communities and forests.
The valedictory session on March 11 was attended by Ramesh Kumar Pandey, Additional Director General (Wildlife), who interacted with participants and shared perspectives on conservation efforts in India.
Officials said the initiative aims to strengthen public understanding of biodiversity and encourage citizens to actively contribute to wildlife conservation and awareness.
