Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Activity Update February 2015: Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve

Team:

Mukund Dhurve         - Conservation Officer
Jivraj Salam                -  Field assistant
Salimkumar Dhurve   - Field assistant

Highlights

·     3 water conservation activities – programmes to clean water holes in compartments  no. 108, 109, 110
·     Joined Forest Department staff on 4 patrols
·     2 community assistance voluntary work projects – to clean area next to hand pumps at Mangezari & Jindatola
·     1 anti-plastic programme at Pongezara
·     Nature Camp for the students of Pindkepar, Mangezari, Kuradi, Bolunda schools
·     Organized 3 Education Programs in which 750 students participated
·    Organized 1 film show on wildlife and nature conservation which was attended by 45 students and teacher  
·    Organized 6 medical camps at which 97 patients got free treatment

Conservation 
























Our team organized 2 community assistance programmes on February 18 and 19 to clear the area around hand pumps at Mangezari and Jindatola respectively. Unemployed youths from Mangezari participated in the programmes which were led by Mukund and Salimkumar.

Water had spilled over while people drew from the hand pumps and had stagnated, leading to proliferation of mosquitoes and insects. Our teams cleared the area, removing scum and organic growth and dug a canal to drain away the water.

Our team joined the Forest Department in day and night patrols on the road from Mangezari to Kodebarra, Mangezari to Jindatola, Mangezari to Bagadhban on February 10, 13, 18, 26 Patrolling was intensified in the area after a tiger was spotted on Feb 07 as officials wanted to monitor the movement of the tiger and ensure that it was safe from poachers.

The area is known to attract poachers as power cables are strung on poles erected by the side of the road. In the past, there have been instances of poaching on this road when poachers used hooks and wires to draw power from the cables and killed animals by electrocution. Sometimes, wires are drawn several hundred meters into the jungle from the cables. At least one gaur and one leopard have been killed over the past year, using this method. Besides our staff, volunteers from a youth club at Mangezari also joined in the patrols. The youth club was set up with our assistance and is mentored by Mukund Dhurve.

Volunteers on day patrol 

Volunteers on patrol between Mangezari and Bagadhban



































On Feb. 13, we organized a patrol during which our team cleaned one waterhole in Compartment no. 112 and repaired a water hole in the Compartment no. 112. The water body was clogged with organic litter and dust. Our team removed the litter and de-silted the water body.


Cleaning the area around the hand pump

















Compartment 109: waterhole cleaning



















The clean-up in Pongezara





On Feb. 20, Mukund and Salimkumar led a team of 45 youths and school students of Bolunda school in a programme to clean the area of Pongezara temple. The team picked up plastic litter and stored it away to be sent for recycling later. The team also cleared the area around a hand pump next to the temple where spillover water had stagnated.

Mangezari - cleaning the area around the hand pump


















The Government of Maharashtra has issued the buffer zone notification for the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve. Following this, doubts have sprung up in the minds of villagers as to how they will be affected by the notification. Due to the doubts, some villagers have started opposing the notification. To clear these doubts and misgivings, we organized a total of 3 awareness programmes during February in 3 villages – Chorkamara, Lendezari and Sodlagondi.

On Feb, 24, 25, we organized a nature camp in which 31 Students and 5 Teachers from 5 schools participated. The aim of the camp was to promote awareness among the participants about nature, wildlife and the need for conservation. Activities at the camp included nature games, nature trails, Quiz Contests and safaris. The camp was held at Pongezara in the buffer area of Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve.

Education

There were 3 environment education programmes in schools during February.

Learning about nature through games

Nature trail, Pongezara



































Students and teachers after the nature camp, Pongezara

























Cultural show during the nature camp, Pongezara



















Education van

There was 1 film show on nature and wildlife conservation in February. It was held during the nature camp.





























MHU

There were 6 health camps in Feb.


Dr Burade examines a patient at the free health camp at Bagadband

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