GUWAHATI: The 35th-anniversary celebration of Aaranyak, a leading biodiversity conservation organization, kicked off on Monday with a focus on the importance of human-wildlife coexistence.
Addressing the event, Arvind Kumar Chaurasia, Deputy Director of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), emphasized the critical role humans play in wildlife conservation efforts.
Chaurasia highlighted the COVID-19 pandemic as a stark reminder of the consequences of human “misadventure” with wildlife.
He stressed the need for international collaboration to combat wildlife crime. He also called for a global law to ensure coordinated action against wildlife criminals and advocated for the use of AI tools in prevention efforts. “Investigation officers across the world must be empowered to carry out scientific investigation so that wildlife criminals could be punished so that it acts as a deterrent,” he said.
He commended Aaranyak for its longstanding dedication to conservation.
P.L.N. Raju, Special Secretary to the Assam Government’s Department of Science, Technology & Climate Change, highlighted the potential of space technology, geospatial tools, and drones in wildlife conservation and crime prevention.
Doyen of nature conservation in the Northeast and a former civil service officer Anwaruddin Choudhury who is known as the “Birdman of Assam” was conferred the Third Lifetime Achievement Award of Aaranyak on the occasion.
At the program’s outset, the Aaranyak team paid rich tributes to four young conservationists, Meherun Nesha, Ananta Borah, Salina Sultana, and Bipul Das, who tragically passed away
Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, founder secretary and CEO of Aaranyak, presented a retrospective on the organization’s achievements during its 35-year-long journey, including providing platforms for young conservationists and securing significant legal victories for the conservation of biodiversity and wildlife in the region.
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The inaugural event featured a documentary on Aaranyak’s journey, a photography exhibition, and a book launch.
Noted wildlife forensic scientist Udayan Borthakur, an executive committee member of Aaranyak and convenor of the core committee for the celebration of the 35th Anniversary, stated that the celebration would continue throughout the year, with activities including the awarding of a grassroots conservation award in 2024.
