Namdapha National Park Under Surveillance to Prevent any Illegal Activities

Members of Namdapha National Park's protection force.

It has been recently announced that the Namdapha National Park in India's northeast is now under constant surveillance of a protection force that is actively seeking to prevent any illegal activities from happening. According to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests N.N Zhasa, the force is comprised of a 35-member protection squad, thirteen former service members, and representatives of various local communities of Arunachal Pradesh. Zhasa, who visited the national park during a two-day period from February 27-28, stated that he was satisfied with the change in the national park's situation since it came into spotlight for an attack on former Chief Wildlife Warden J.L. Singh last year. The change was accredited to the park's field director S.J Jongsam, who along with his staff took the local Lisu people into confidence such that few have even become members of the protection force.

I'm extremely proud of the efforts the staff of Namdapha National Park have undertaken, in order to keep it safe from threats like poaching and other illegal activities. In my opinion, Namdapha should be considered as a role model and inspiration to other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India and around the world when it comes to protecting the wildlife. The efforts in protecting wildlife should not only include forest guards or wildlife officials, but also former members of the armed forces and local indigenous people living in surrounding areas of a national park or a protected area. The combination of ex-military officials' knowledge of combat and the indigenous people's knowledge of the land can prove to be worthy and effective in the ongoing battle against poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. Therefore, it is absolutely important and crucial that other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India and around the world should employ similar tactics in order to put a stop to the ongoing threats affecting the world's wildlife.

View article here