Arunachal: CSMT, EDC hold two-day awareness drive to curb wildlife crime around D. Ering Sanctuary

In a sustained effort to strengthen community participation in wildlife conservation, the Community Surveillance & Monitoring Team (CSMT) and the Eco-Development Committee (EDC) of the D. Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, with support from Aaranyak, conducted a two-day awareness programme on deterring wildlife crimes in fringe villages surrounding the sanctuary.

The programme was held on Thursday and Friday at Sika Tode village on the right bank of the Siang River and Mer village on the left bank of the sanctuary. The initiative aimed to sensitise local communities about the importance of wildlife protection, prevention of illegal hunting, and mitigating human–wildlife conflict through collective responsibility.

The first day’s programme at Sika Tode village was led by CSMT/EDC Anchalghat Wildlife Range Unit president Tatem Jamoh and secretary Satish Pao, under the guidance of adviser Nalo Tasing. The event was attended by Divisional Forest Officer of D. Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, Kempi Ete; Zila Parishad Member from 5-Oyan Zila segment under Pasighat West constituency, Annu Paboh Komut; along with the Gaon Burah, GPMs, village secretary and local residents.

Addressing the gathering, DFO Kempi Ete emphasised that the effective protection and conservation of wildlife and forests in the sanctuary is not possible without the active cooperation of communities living in its fringe areas. She highlighted that the sanctuary has shown positive improvement due to collective conservation efforts and expressed optimism that, with continued community support, it could emerge as a major wildlife tourism destination in the state and the region. She also informed villagers about the enhanced compensation rates for crop damage caused by wild animals and for loss of life or injuries resulting from human–wildlife conflict, urging them to apply for compensation through proper channels while strictly discouraging hunting in protected and reserved forest areas.

During the programme, Zila Parishad Member Annu Paboh Komut raised concerns over the movement of wild elephants through Poba Reserved Forest, particularly along the Ruksin–Pasighat stretch of National Highway-515. She urged the forest and wildlife department to ensure the creation of safe wildlife passages, noting that roadside barricades being constructed as part of the four-lane highway project could obstruct traditional elephant corridors connecting D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary, Poba and Gutin Reserved Forests.

CSMT/EDC Anchalghat Wildlife Range Unit president Tatem Jamoh called upon villagers to actively cooperate in conservation efforts and warned that any individual found deliberately engaging in hunting would face strict action.

The second day’s awareness programme was held at Mer village and saw the participation of Range Forest Officer (Jonai/Poba RF) Debabrata Gogoi; RFO Sibiyamukh Wildlife Range of D. Ering WLS, Oyem Mize; former Zila Parishad Member and Chairman of Kotga Gora Community Reserve, Gumin Tayeng; Sibiyamukh Wildlife Unit president Uneswar Perme; CSMT/EDC coordinator Okii Modi; Honorary Wildlife Warden of East Siang district and CSMT/EDC chairman, Maksam Tayeng; Aaranyak Deputy Director Dr Jimmy Borah; senior project officer Ivy Farheen Hussain; and village elders and leaders.

The programme concluded with a collective resolve to preserve and protect the sanctuary’s rich biodiversity, reiterating zero tolerance towards wildlife crime and illegal hunting. Following the programme, RFO Debabrata Gogoi visited the Sibiya Chapori/Siboguri camp of the Sibiyamukh Wildlife Range along with members of CSMT/EDC and the Honorary Wildlife Warden.

The two-day awareness initiative was sponsored by Aaranyak, a Guwahati-based environmental conservation NGO. CSMT forms a key component of Aaranyak’s community-based conservation strategy, which seeks to curb wildlife crime by empowering local communities to monitor, report and deter illegal activities, while promoting grassroots conservation and sustainable livelihood alternatives.