World Bank to Help Set Up International Forest Training Center in Jaipur

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It has been recently heard that the World Bank and the Indian government will help the state government of Rajasthan in setting up an international-level center for training forest staff and tiger conservationists in Jaipur District. A meeting was held Tuesday, and was attended by World Bank officials, the state government, and wildlife experts. One of the attendees was forest minister Ramlal Jat, who described the center's goal in conducting research on various issues related to wildlife conservation and near-extinct species found in Rajasthan's semi-arid region. Among the animals in focus of research and training include blackbucks, Indian gharials, the caracal, the great Indian bustard, and the tiger. Going into details, Minister Jat said the center would collect all types of data for such species and help gather records on them. He further added that it will have facilities in training personnel, research, and other related facilities. In addition to the World Bank, the center will receive help from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), industrialists, and others. It's another intention is to train park rangers and lower staff not just in India, but twelve other tiger-range countries as well.

I'm very happy and proud to see that the Indian government, in alliance with the World Bank, will be helping to establish such a prestigious center dedicated to wildlife conservation. Apart from just helping India's tiger population, the center is keen in helping with the conservation of other Asian nations known to have these majestic big cats. In addition to that, I'm proud to see that this international-level establishment is focusing on the conservation of Rajasthan's local endangered wildlife such as the blackbuck, the bustard, and the caracal. But what really struck me about this article is the fact that there are many other species in Rajasthan's semi-arid region. Some of these animals may not be endangered, but they do play an important role in the desert ecosystem. These include jackals and hyenas, which keep the desert clean of rotting carcasses, and honey badgers which help maintain the ecological balance thanks to their omnivorous diet. I have a good feeling that this center will help in conservation of India and other parts of the world.

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