The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) intends to conduct the VII Course on Wildlife Conservation for Wildlife Enthusiasts from 27 March to 05 April 2023. Professionals without any formal training and experience in wildlife biology/conservation will be given preference in the course. The course will involve five days of classroom sessions at WII followed by a five-day field visit to a Protected Area near Dehradun. The total number of participants in the course will be 20. The training fee for this course is Rs. 35,000/person (Rupees Thirty-Five Thousand only), which includes cost towards food and accommodation at WII and field site, and travel to the field site and back. At WII accommodation will be provided on twin sharing basis and at the field site it will be in tented/Forest rest house accommodation.
Applications are invited from interested candidates, which should include a copy of their C.V. and a brief write-up explaining their motivation to participate in this course as per the prescribed format. Selection of candidates will be based on their write-up and C.V. Applications should reach the Course Director Dr. R. Suresh Kumar, Scientist – E, Department of Endangered Species Management by email (suresh@wii.gov.in) no later than 28th February 2023. The shortlisted candidates will be informed about their selection for the course by 5th March 2023. Selected candidates will be required to sign an indemnity bond at the time of joining and are required to be medically fit. The participants will also be given a certificate of participation at the end of the course.
The course will include lectures by WII faculty and experienced researchers covering Indian biogeography, wildlife conservation issues and strategies across the country, science and management of large mammal populations, illegal trade of wildlife parts and role of forensic science, managing wild animals in distress, the importance of citizen science initiatives. There will also be a few evening lectures on select conservation projects being carried out by WII.
The field visit will include a five-day trip to a Protected Area (PA) near Dehradun. The participants will be taken on long treks to various places and will camp within the PA. During the treks, the participants will be introduced to natural history observations, jungle crafts etc. “Wildlife Watch” will be an integral part of this course. The resource persons will also talk to the participants in the field about wildlife management and habitat restoration, estimation of the tiger population, socio-economic issues, and challenges facing PA managers. During the first week of the course, the participants will also be taken on a day-long trip to nearby Conservation Reserves and National Institutes for interaction with site managers/scientists.