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THE CORBETT FOUNDATIONTHE CORBETT FOUNDATION/WWF-INDIAto assess the biodiversity in the Ramnagar Forest Division and
monitor the population of mahseer fi sh in the Kosi river that
fl ows through the Corbett Tiger Reserve. TCF creates awareness
among villages to control human-elephant confl ict in the Corbett
Landscape, and promotes the use of wildlife-friendly crops,
restoration of degraded community land by planting fodder
and fuelwood and facilitating nature-friendly income generating
options for the local communities. All this with the hope that
peoples’ dependence on forests is minimised.
The ecological research initiatives taken by TCF include
documentation of the Asiatic wildcat or Indian desert cat for the
fi rst time in Bandhavgarh and vulture monitoring studies in the
same region. It has also been involved in several conservation
activities in the Bandhavgarh-Sanjay Dubri corridor -- fencing
over 800 open wells to reduce wildlife deaths, creating 32 solar-
powered waterholes to provide drinking water to wildlife, providing
over 1,200 energy-effi cient cookstoves to reduce dependence
on fi rewood, and planting over 40,000 tree saplings on degraded
forestland. It has also been involved in tiger monitoring eff orts
between 2015 and 2018 and works on watershed projects that
ensure harvesting of rainwater and improves the productivity of
village farmlands.
In Kanha, TCF installed chain-link fence in two villages on the
fringe of the tiger reserve as an alternative to forest sourced bio-
fence. This initiative helped in saving more than 100,000 young
trees from being cut.
In Kaziranga, TCF placed 15 km. of solar-powered fencing split
in three units to prevent elephants from entering fi elds during
the harvest season. These fences are removed by the community
subsequently to be reinstalled again in the next crop season.
The team also installed over 100 watchtowers to aid farmers in
guarding their crops against raiding by wildlife. Since 2013, TCF
teams have also rescued and rehabilitated around 1,500 animals
in Kaziranga. Each year, the Brahmaputra river naturally fl oods
Kaziranga and TCF fi nds itself providing shelter to fl ood-impacted
villagers and livestock on the three highlands it has created in
fringe villages.
In Kutchh, TCF has been working for the conservation of the
Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican. It works closely with the
Gujarat Forest Department to aid the development of the Species
Recovery Plan. The Great Indian Bustard, primarily an insectivorous
species, faces a serious threat from pesticide use. TCF is working
with local farmers to shift to organic farming and choosing
LEFT Village women being trained by The Corbett Foundation (TCF) in sewing as an alternative source of income in the Bandhavgarh-Sanjay Dubri Corridor.
RIGHT A tiger with a livestock kill in Kanha. The cattle owner was paid interim compensation to prevent animosity towards wildlife.
FACING PAGE TCF team helping villagers during the annual fl oods in Kaziranga.
traditional crops. Regular training and awareness programmes for
stakeholders are conducted in Kutchh. Since 2013-14, Animal Birth
Control (ABC) programmes have been implemented to control the
stray dog population in and around the core bustard habitat.
As low fl ying birds, one of the biggest and immediate threats
to the bustard is the network of powerlines and windmills that
crisscross their habitat. TCF’s policy-level follow-up ensured that
Kutchh’s District Collector passed an order to shift overhead
power lines in bustard habitats underground. Of course, the task
of implementing the order remains the next major challenge.
Recently, in collaboration with the Sanctuary Nature Foundation
and Conservation India, TCF worked on a petition campaign
addressed to the Prime Minister, Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Ministry of Power and Chief
Minister of Gujarat to save the Great Indian Bustard (see page 79)
from the brink of extinction. The Foundation is an offi cial partner
in the MoEFCC’s Endangered Species Recovery Programme for
the Great Indian Bustard. TCF, WII and BNHS jointly conducted
Status Assessment Surveys of the Lesser Florican in Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra between 2016 and
2018 that recorded less than 700 birds and highlighted the bleak
future of the species.
Despite its tremendous contribution to India’s critical wildlife
habitats, The Corbett Foundation faces the same obstacles
as most non-profi ts. Though it has over thousands of loyal
supporters around the globe, it often fi nds itself limited in the
impact it can potentially make on account of a dearth of funding.
When asked about the future plans of the foundation, Director
Kedar Gore says, “Though in the name of tiger conservation,
much has been achieved even for many other species, there are
still more that occupy habitats diff erent from the tiger’s forests
-- the Gangetic dolphin, dugong, brow-antlered deer and countless
that still suff er severely from rampant poaching and illegal wildlife
trade activities: coral reefs, sea turtles, salamanders, pangolins,
mongooses and lorises, to name a few. Given that our country
has one of the most magnifi cent coastlines, a staggering seven
per cent of the world’s fl ora and 6.5 per cent of fauna, TCF
has defi nite plans to take up work in some of these challenging
landscapes in the near future.” k
Sanctuary readers who would like to support TCF
can write to: Kedar Gore, Director, The Corbett Foundation
Email: [email protected]
website: http://www.corbettfoundation.org