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 Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Zoological Garden Alipore are excited to invite online registrations for participation in the celebration of LiFE and World Turtle Day at one of the oldest Zoos of India on 23rd May 2023.


Activities such as Cleanliness Drive, Painting Competition (Theme-Adopting Sustainable Lifestyle practices or coexistence of turtles and Human), LiFE Pledge, Awareness workshop and screening of movies on Turtles in India, will be carried out during the celebration.

Target group: Students from 9th -12th Standard
Venue: Zoological Garden Alipore, Kolkata       Timing: 0800 Hrs. – 1300 Hrs       Date: 23rd May 2023
Online Registration Details       Registration link: https://forms.gle/AaKXFYrYgjY65wJLA

Last date of registration: 21st May 2023 In case of any query please contact: Zoo Educator, Mob: +91- 9836862792 (calling time 1100 hrs. -17:00 hrs.)

Rules
Participants are to carry their own paints and brushes, sheets will be provided at the venue
Free entry for participants only, guardians/teachers need to buy a ticket
Judge’s decision for painting competition will be considered final

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The first ever sighting record of Endangered Indian skimmer from Gomti River of Uttar Pradesh

The Indian skimmer (or) Indian Scissors bill (Rynchopsalbicollis) bird was recorded for the first time from the Gomti River. The river is one of the tributary of the Ganga River. Gomti River originates and confluences with the main channel of Ganga within the state of Uttar Pradesh. This river also acts as lifeline of central Gangetic plain region. The Indian skimmer, which was enlisted as Endangered in IUCN’s Red List during the year 2020 due to fall in number of breeding birds to few thousands. The two recordswhich are ~ 60 km apart include a flock of 57 individuals resting in a small sandy island of the river and second sighting was a single individual foraging on the surface of the water. Both these locations fall under Barabanki district of UP state.The new record was outcome of the survey by a team of researchers lead by Vipul Maurya (Project Associate), Rahil Khan (Community Officer), Sumit Nautiyal (Project Assistant) and Deepan Chackaravarthy (Project Associate) from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). This survey is part of the long term monitoring, research and conservation initiative of the Ganga Rejuvention Project of the WII, sponsored by the NMCG. The current outcome was found tobe optimistic and this particular identification record has enhanced the significance of this River as an important habitat for this species and calls for revitalisation of this riverscape. 

An individual Indian Skimmer foraging in Water Surface of Gomti River

An individual Indian Skimmer foraging in Water Surface of Gomti River

A flock of Indian Skimmer at a Sandy Island in Gomti River

A flock of Indian Skimmer at a Sandy Island in Gomti River

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Fifth Meeting of the Monitoring Committee on 30th July 2021

The fifth meeting of the Monitoring Committee for the Project “Planning and Management for Aquatic species Conservation and Maintenance of Ecosystem Services in the Ganga Basin for a Clean Ganga" was successfully held via video-conferencing, on 30th July 2021, under the chairmanship of Director General NMCG Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra and leadership of Director Wildlife Institute of India Dr. Dhanajai Mohan. The Committee members Padam Bhushan Dr Anil Prakash Joshi, Dr B K Das, Director, CIFRI, Prof. Jamal Ahmad Khan, Aligarh Muslim University, Prof. Rajiv Sinha, IIT Kanpur, Dr. Arun Kumar, Dolphin Institute appreciated the efforts put in by NMCG-WII team to carry the project activities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and congratulated the team led by Dr. Dhananjai Mohan, Dr. Ruchi Badola, and Dr. Syed Ainul Hussain. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra and committee members provided directions for future activities to be carried out.

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Release of Book to commemorate World Wetlands Day 2021

 

Release of Book to commemorate World Wetlands Day 2021

On the occasion of, World Wetlands Day, a book “Framework for Ecological Monitoring of Ramsar Sites and other Wetlands in India”, was released virtually by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti. The dignitaries present on the occasion were Shri Ratan Lal Kataria, Hon’ble Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, Shri Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga. Dr. Dhananjai Mohan, Director, Wildlife Institute of India, Dr. Ruchi Badola, Scientist G, Wildlife Institute of India, Dr. S.A. Hussain, and NMCG-WII project  team joined virtually for release of the book.



This book is an output of the Wildlife Institute of India’s and National Mission for Clean Ganga’s biodiversity conservation and Ganga rejuvenation initiative. This document will aid in comprehensive monitoring of the wetlands through easy techniques, and can be readily used by a large number of stakeholders. It provides a robust framework that addresses ecosystem level processes and functions to evaluate and prioritize wetlands for focused conservation action. The information generated using this framework would provide scientific baseline regarding the ecological conditions of wetlands, identification of specific cause of degradation and, will aid in prioritizing and planning focused conservation actions and management decisions. The monitoring techniques provided in this document are in sync with the Ramsar guidelines and can be used to assess the status of wetland in India. The techniques proposed in this book are robust, replicable and strengthen the existing wetland monitoring framework to allow rapid identification of changes in wetlands for timely implementation of conservation and management actions. This document is also a reflection of our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, the Ramsar Convention and India’s National Water Policy, which emphasizes on restoration of the wetlands for water security. This document also aligns with the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s water conservation initiative ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’, which directs participation of stakeholder in water management with scientific inputs from local research and academic institutions.

pdfWetland Monitoring Guide (7,747 Kb)

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Inauguration of “Ganga Avlokan and “Rowing Down the Ganges” on 29th September 2020

The Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated NMCG initiatives in Uttarakhand through Video Link on 29th September 2020. The Hon’ble Prime Minister also inaugurated “Ganga Avlokan” a museum. “Ganga Avlokan” displays Ganga’s exquisite landscapes, distinctive biodiversity and cultural vibrancy. The museum at Chandi Ghat, Haridwar is a collaborative effort of NMCG and the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. Apart from showcasing Ganga river’s glory, the museum also provides information on the issues of Ganga conservation and the initiatives taken up by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to rejuvenate the River. The bilingual mode of narration of the museum will be instrumental in communicating the message across the masses, right from the local people to the international tourists. The museum will be contribute immensely in spreading awareness in view of its location in Haridwar, a pilgrimage city and the site for the Kumbh mela in 2021.

The Hon’ble Prime Minister, also released a book “Rowing Down the Ganges”. The book capturing the journey of the mighty Ganga is an endeavor of the Wildlife Institute of India (Dehradun) and NMCG. The book “Rowing down the Ganges” captures the essence of Ganga through pictures and description, from its source to sea. The book is an attempt to unify the geological splendor, unique biodiversity and cultural vibrancy of the Ganga river. It conceptualizes the story of the Ganga as what one would see when one rows down from Gaumukh, its origin, to Ganga Sagar, the last point before merging with the sea. The book aims to inform and educate people, particularly the younger generation about the river and its splendid biodiversity.