Ranchi: Wildlife conservation, public awareness and steps to mitigate human-wildlife conflict will be the key focus areas of the forest department during the 72nd Wildlife Week, which begins on Oct 2, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) Sanjeev Kumar said on Wednesday.Addressing the media in Ranchi, Kumar said a series of programmes would be held across the state to involve children, youths and local communities in conservation activities. The week will open with an inaugural function at the forest headquarters in Ranchi on Oct 2, followed by a bird-watching event on Oct 3. A 10-km walkathon from the forest headquarters will be held on Oct 4, while district-level painting, drawing and essay competitions are scheduled for Oct 5.Cleanliness drives, educational visits to protected areas, photography activities, cycling events and workshops will also be organised during the week. On Oct 6, the department will hold discussions on wildlife corridors and measures to reduce conflict between people and animals. The programmes will conclude on Oct 7.Kumar said human-wildlife conflict would be a major theme of the campaign. The department will organise a bike rally and awareness programmes to promote coexistence and has sought suggestions from the public. Scientists and experts from across the country who have contributed to wildlife conservation have also been invited to speak during the week.Referring to the recent tree-cutting issue in Ranchi and reports of displacement of birds, Kumar said the department had identified the affected bird species. He said talks were on with railway officials to develop suitable wildlife passages. “Railways, highways and electricity infrastructure are three major areas where wildlife movement is disrupted,” he said.Village-level awareness programmes will include demonstrations on AI-based techniques to tackle wildlife-related issues. On human-elephant conflict, Kumar said over 500 elephant deaths had been recorded so far, and efforts were on to reduce such incidents.
