Hornbills in Arunachal Pradesh face significant threats from hunting and habitat loss. The last two decades has seen rapid loss of lowland forests around Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary in western Arunachal Pradesh in north-east India, which is a haven for hornbills. This has resulted in increased competition for nests amongst different hornbill species and decline in abundances at roost sites, which are now vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances. However, a considerably large forest area (> 1000 sq.km) still persists adjacent to Pakke WS harboring suitable hornbill habitat.

This project aims to involve the Ghora-Aabhe council comprised of village headmen of the local Nyishi community and Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department in finding nests in the Reserve Forests adjacent to Pakke WS. Local villagers will also be involved in regular monitoring and protection of nests.

Nests of all the four species of hornbills found in Pakke WLS, (the Great Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Rufous-necked Hornbill and Oriental Pied Hornbill) are available for adoption. Till 2010, we had found 33 nests of hornbills which were mostly inside Pakke WS. In the 2011 breeding season, with the participation and interest shown by the Nyishi villagers, 9 new nests of three hornbill species (Great, Wreathed and Oriental Pied Hornbill) have been located and monitored in the Reserved Forests around Pakke WS.

How can one extend the reach of conservation into landscapes outside protected areas? Conservationists around the world are now working to extend conservation to such landscapes, especially lands under productive agriculture and plantations, by linking production with the market for products certified as coming from farms that follow sustainable and ecologically-friendly practices.

Scattered fragments of tropical rainforest amidst vast monoculture plantations, a high density of people, and a host of endangered, endemic wildlife—this is the Valparai plateau of the Anamalai hills in Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. Keeping in mind the fragile ecosystem, conflict between people and wildlife, and the need for broad-based conservation awareness, we spearheaded a conservation education programme, beginning in 2007.

The Nicobar Islands are biologically unique as they encompass a variety of ecosystems. Indigenous islanders extract natural resources using traditional systems of ownership and management. The overall aim of this project is to understand the influence of post-tsunami change on cooperative behaviour and sharing of natural resources amongst these indigenous communities, from the perspective of conservation and management of natural resources.

The Irrawaddy dolphin restricts itself to narrow ecological niches, often competing with humans for space and resources. This is reflected by the fact that throughout its range of occurrence, the most significant direct threats to the dolphin are due to fishing. The aim of this study is therefore to analyse human-Irrawaddy dolphin interactions, with a special focus on how foraging behaviour is affected by fishing at Chilika lagoon.

Community welfare is an important component of the conservation program because of the way in which it can affect conservation outcomes. The two priority needs of the Lisu community were better access to formal primary education and health care. We helped set up Kindergarten schools in several villages and have also been providing medical aid since 2003 and put in place a health care program run by a local village youth.

Wildlife population monitoring is an important component of a conservation program. In the Namdapha National Park, a major threat is hunting: therefore we have focused on establishing its impacts on wildlife populations. The species most affected by hunting –terrestrial mammals– were the target groups for monitoring. We aim to use this research to evaluate the progress of our community-based conservation initiatives: we expect that reduction in hunting will result in recovery of animal populations.

The five hornbill species that occur in Arunachal are greatly dependent on threatened primary forests. Hornbills are also important in local tribal heritage, however the market/ritual value of their feathers, beaks, and flesh renders them vulnerable to hunting. 

In this program, we are attempting to address conservation needs in the biodiversity hotspot of Arunachal Pradesh by focusing on ways of integrating indigenous people into a range of activities to monitor, value, and conserve wildlife and their habitats. We are presently working in the forests of Namdapha, and have also been monitoring hornbill populations in the Pakke Tiger Reserve.

When a snow leopard kills a domestic yak, the affected family loses money, time, and the numerous goods and services for which it depends on livestock. It is difficult for wildlife to survive when its most important custodians, the local people, bear such high costs of conservation. We are working with several Trans-Himalayan communities to assist in off-setting these costs and promoting the conservation of snow leopards and wolves.

Local communities have lived and traditionally used resources in many wild landscapes. Conservation efforts that exclude and marginalize people are morally unacceptable and practically unsuccessful. Conservation must involve and benefit local communites for it to succeed. We have worked with two village councils in Trans-Himalayan Spiti Valley to establish informal, community managed wildlife reserves.

Trans-Himalaya is home to unique wildlife and fascinating peoples, who eke out a living from a harsh landscape. Livestock play a vital role for people's survival, but are often detrimental to wildlife. All available pastures are grazed. In a unique experiment in participatory conservation, we worked with the village council of Kibber to set up a village wildlife reserve on common land that is protected from grazing and other landuse.  

Research results are sometimes perturbing, as was the case when we discovered that the Tibetan gazelle is nearly extinct in Ladakh. Did we find out too late? Perhaps, but perhaps not. We have since conducted rapid research to assess the causes of its decline, and to understand its habitat requirements. We are now working with local communities and the government to avert the imminent extinction of this fascinatng species in eastern Ladakh.