The City-dweller and the Tiger: Global Tiger Day, 30 July 2014

Satpuda Foundation celebrated Global Tiger Day

in the buffer villages of five Tiger Reserves

Nature Trail, Drawing Competition and Rally at Pench Tiger Reserve, MP

29th July was celebrated as "Global Tiger Day" across the world. Satpuda Foundation, a leading wildlife NGO working in central India observed many programmes in the buffer of six Tiger Reserves in central India. SF arranged rallys, community meetings, events for kids and plantation programmes in buffer villages of Pench,Tadoba, Navegaon-Nagzira, Satpura (Pachamarhi) and Kanha Tiger Reserve (Mandla district, MP).

The tiger being an apex predator in the Indian subcontinent signifies a healthy ecosystem. Due to habitat loss, decreasing prey base and human interference, the population of wild tigers is at risk of extinction. During the 2010 Tiger Summit at St. Petersburg, it was decided to celebrate 29th July as "Global Tiger Day" to spread the awareness about tiger conservation issues and address these major threats by arranging several functions.

Satpuda Foundation observed this day by arranging the following functions -

Pench Seoni:

Satpuda Foundation arranged a drawing competition for students from Teliya village situated in the buffer zone of Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. The topic of the drawing competition was “Wildlife around you.” Around 40 students participated in this event. In spite of the holiday due to the festival of Eid, children happily gathered at the school to celebrate the day and showed a great interest in conserving wildlife and tigers.

Children marched on a rally to spread awareness among villagers. They chanted slogans like, “Apana Farz Nibhayenge, Tiger Ko Bachayenge” (Let's do our duty and save tigers). Saket Agasti, Conservation Officer of Satpuda Foundation made this event possible in these remote villages.

Rally at Teliya

Rally at Pipariya, Maharashtra

Rally in Ghoti, Maharashtra

Satpuda Foundation’s Field Officer Mr. Niranjan Hinge took the children on a nature trail in the nearby forest. He explained the need for tiger conservation and described the importance of tigers in the eco-system.

Satpuda Foundation has been working in Pench buffer villages since the last eight years on a community-based conservation module. SF’s President Mr. Kishor Rithe feels, “Students in the buffer of these reserves are our future decision-makers; nurturing them at this stage will help us conserve wildlife in the long run.”

Rally and Plantation at Tadoba – Andhari Tiger Reserve:

Chandrapur: On the occasion of Global Tiger Day, Satpuda Foundation organized a plantation program at Dewada village. Plant saplings like sitafal, karanj, neem and vad were planted by grazers and students in the areas near the village.

At Adegaon children marched on a rally to spread awareness among villagers. Satpuda Foundation’s Field Officer Mr. Bandu Kumre assisted the children with plantation and also joined the rally.

Rally at Adegaon

Plantation at Dewada

Cheque distribution, Plantation and Rally in Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve:

In Government Primary School, Mangezari, a plantation programme was jointly organized by Satpuda Foundation and Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve. Various saplings were distributed to school children for planting near their houses. Cheques were also distributed to Village Eco Development Committees (VEDCs) of Mangezari, Kodebarra and Thatezari for conducting work to reduce anthropogenic pressure on tiger habitat. Each VEDC got Rs 50,000 for conducting such work.

Plantation

Mr Mukund Dhurve, Conservation Officer of Satpuda Foundation NNTR, took the lead in organizing these events. Zilla Parishad Vice President Mr Madan Patel, ZP Former Member Mr Vijay Rane, Sarpanch Mrs Anusaya Kumbhre, ACAP Mr Khandate, RAPO Mr Wade, and VEDC presidents, Secretary and villagers attended the programme.

Rally in Kanha Tiger Reserve,Mandla district:

Amit Awasthi, Conservation officer of Satpuda Foundation arranged a rally in the buffer villages of Kanha Tiger Reserve in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh.