Nature Conservation Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Nature Conservation Foundation is a non-governmental wildlife conservation
and research organization based in Mysore, India
. They promote the use of science for wildlife conservation in India.
s and conservation of endangered species such as the snow leopard
and the Tibetan gazelle. A livestock insurance program has been launched to prevent retaliatory killings of snow leopards by communities whose livestock were being preyed on.. The organisation has partnered with the International Snow Leopard Trust
and the Government of India to launch a Project Snow Leopard, similar to Project Tiger
for the protection of the wildlife in the Himalayan landscapes. The Project Snow Leopard seeks to address the problem of species declines in the high-altitude Himalayan landscape through evidence-based conservation plans as well as local support. Species such as Snow Leopard, Asiatic Ibex, Argali
, Urial
, Chiru, Takin
, Serow
and Musk Deer
will particularly benefit from this project.
In 2003, three wildlife biologists from the Foundation reported the Chinese Goral
(Nemorhaedus caudatus) from Arunachal Pradesh
, the first record for India
In 2005, scientists from the Foundation described the Arunachal Macaque
from western Arunachal Pradesh
, India
, a species new to science. The organisation runs a rainforest restoration program in the Anamalai hills in the Western Ghats
where fragments of degraded patches of rainforests outside national parks or wildlife sanctuaries are restored in partnership with the private tea and coffee plantations.
, two of the founders received the Whitley award, also called "Green Oscar" for 2005 and 2009 respectively. Charudutt Mishra was awarded for the conservation efforts in the high altitude landscapes, while Madhusudan was conferred the honour in recognition of his work to reduce human-wildlife conflict in the Western Ghats.
. In 2006, the organisation won the Distinguished service award from the Society for Conservation Biology
. for outstanding contributions to nature conservation. Sushil Dorje, a field coordinator with the organisation was awarded the Van Tienhoven Foundation award for his work on human-wildlife conflict in Spiti
and Ladakh
. Aparajita Dutta, a Senior Scientist at NCF was announced as the recipient of 2009 Woman of Discovery Humanity Award by the New York based Wings World Quest for a lifetime dedicated to wildlife biology and her work in Namdapha Tiger Reserve. She was also awarded by the National Geographic Society
as an Emerging explorer for 2010, which recognised "..14 trailblazers from around the world".
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...
and research organization based in Mysore, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. They promote the use of science for wildlife conservation in India.
History
The organization was founded in 1996. Their mission is to carry out "science-based and socially responsible conservation".Activities
The organisation works in a variety of habitats. The high altitude program focuses on human wildlife conflictHuman wildlife conflict
Human-wildlife conflict refers to the interaction between wild animals and people and the resultant negative impact on people or their resources, or wild animals or their habitat...
s and conservation of endangered species such as the snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
and the Tibetan gazelle. A livestock insurance program has been launched to prevent retaliatory killings of snow leopards by communities whose livestock were being preyed on.. The organisation has partnered with the International Snow Leopard Trust
Snow Leopard Trust
The Snow Leopard Trust is the largest and oldest organization working solely to protect the endangered snow leopard and its habitat in 12 countries of Central Asia. The Trust is a non-profit organization with its headquarters in Seattle, Washington...
and the Government of India to launch a Project Snow Leopard, similar to Project Tiger
Project Tiger
Project Tiger was launched in 1972 in India. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of tigers in their natural habitats and preserving areas of biological importance as a natural heritage for the people. The selection of areas for the reserves represented as close as possible the...
for the protection of the wildlife in the Himalayan landscapes. The Project Snow Leopard seeks to address the problem of species declines in the high-altitude Himalayan landscape through evidence-based conservation plans as well as local support. Species such as Snow Leopard, Asiatic Ibex, Argali
Argali
The argali, or the mountain sheep is a wild sheep, which roams the highlands of Central Asia . It is the biggest wild sheep, standing at the shoulder, measuring long and weighing , with a maximum known weight of...
, Urial
Urial
The Urial , also known as the Arkars or Shapo, is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis orientalis. Noticeable features are the reddish-brown long fur that fades during winter; males are characterized by a black ruff stretching from the neck to the chest and large horns. It is found in western...
, Chiru, Takin
Takin
The Takin , also called cattle chamois or gnu goat, is a goat-antelope found in the Eastern Himalayas. There are four subspecies: B. taxicolor taxicolor, the Mishmi Takin; B. taxicolor bedfordi, the Shanxi or Golden Takin; B. taxicolor tibetana, the Tibetan or Sichuan Takin; and B. taxicolor...
, Serow
Serow
Serow may refer to:*Three species of Asian ungulate in the genus Capricornis**Japanese Serow**Mainland Serow**Taiwan Serow* Serow, Iran, a city in Urmia County, West Azarbaijan Province, Iran*Alternative spelling of Serov...
and Musk Deer
Musk deer
Musk deer are artiodactyls of the genus Moschus, the only genus of family Moschidae. They are more primitive than the cervids, or true deer, in not having antlers or facial glands, in having only a single pair of teats, and in possessing a gall bladder, a caudal gland, a pair of tusk-like teeth...
will particularly benefit from this project.
In 2003, three wildlife biologists from the Foundation reported the Chinese Goral
Long-tailed Goral
The long-tailed goral is a species of wild goat found in the mountains of eastern and northern Asia, including Russia, China, and Korea. A population of this species exists in the Korean Demilitarized Zone, near the tracks of the Donghae Bukbu Line. The species is classified as endangered in South...
(Nemorhaedus caudatus) from Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
, the first record for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
In 2005, scientists from the Foundation described the Arunachal Macaque
Arunachal Macaque
The Arunachal macaque , a relatively large brown primate with a comparatively short tail, is a macaque native to Arunachal Pradesh in north-eastern India. Its species name comes from Munzala as it was called by the Dirang Monpa tribe...
from western Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, a species new to science. The organisation runs a rainforest restoration program in the Anamalai hills in the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
where fragments of degraded patches of rainforests outside national parks or wildlife sanctuaries are restored in partnership with the private tea and coffee plantations.
Awards
Charudutt Mishra and M. D. MadhusudhanM. D. Madhusudhan
Mysore Doreswamy Madhusudan , Ph. D., is an Indian wildlife biologist and ecologist. He is the Co-founder and Director of Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore and a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Leeds. He has worked on understanding and mitigating the effects of human-wildlife...
, two of the founders received the Whitley award, also called "Green Oscar" for 2005 and 2009 respectively. Charudutt Mishra was awarded for the conservation efforts in the high altitude landscapes, while Madhusudan was conferred the honour in recognition of his work to reduce human-wildlife conflict in the Western Ghats.
. In 2006, the organisation won the Distinguished service award from the Society for Conservation Biology
Society for Conservation Biology
The Society for Conservation Biology is an 5013 non-profit international professional organization devoted to scientific study of the "maintenance, loss, and restoration of biological diversity." There are 10,000 members worldwide, including students and those in related non-academic sectors. ...
. for outstanding contributions to nature conservation. Sushil Dorje, a field coordinator with the organisation was awarded the Van Tienhoven Foundation award for his work on human-wildlife conflict in Spiti
Spiti
-Geographical locations:*Lahaul and Spiti, a district in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India.*Spiti Valley, former heartland of the former Spiti district now combined.*Spiti River, in the Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh.*Spitia River-Language:...
and Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
. Aparajita Dutta, a Senior Scientist at NCF was announced as the recipient of 2009 Woman of Discovery Humanity Award by the New York based Wings World Quest for a lifetime dedicated to wildlife biology and her work in Namdapha Tiger Reserve. She was also awarded by the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
as an Emerging explorer for 2010, which recognised "..14 trailblazers from around the world".