Biodiversity Walk marks the beginning of the Wildlife Week Celebration in Deer Park, Moradabad

Member Wildlife Board, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Chief Conservator of Forest and Additional District Magistrate (City) come together to encourage students to conserve wildlife and their habitats

District Administration & Forest Department of Moradabad along with WWF-India brought in the Wildlife Week in the city with a Biodiversity Walk. Its aim was to encourage students to appreciate the existing biodiversity and to discover a variety of flora and fauna in the deer park, while exploring their local environment and reconnecting them to the nature. Mr J.P. Saxena, Member, Wildlife Board, Ministry of Environment & Forests, was the Chief Guest for the event, and Mr Praveen Mishr, Additional District Magistrate (City) was the Guest of Honour for the occasion. Senior forest officials, including Mr Kamlesh Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests, Moradabad and Sub-Divisional Officer, Forest Department, Mr Madhup Singh were also present to inaugurate the Wildlife Week celebrations in the park. Md. Shahnawaz Khan, Senior Project Officer, along with Dr Md. Alam and Ms Neha Bhatnagar from WWF-India led the students on biodiversity trails, while highlighting the presence of local flora and fauna in the park and their relevance. As part of the celebrations, a series of informative and educative activities, including painting competition on ‘Forest Wildlife’ and debating competition on ‘Role of Humans in Wildlife Depletion’ were organized for over 100 school students.

“Wildlife has always played a vital role in India’s heritage. As we all know in the Indian mythology, some of today’s critically endangered species are being worshiped from time immemorial. Apart from their religious and social relevance, wildlife holds utmost important in maintaining the balance of the environment’’, said Mr J.P. Saxena, Member Wildlife Board, Ministry of Environment & Forests.

The Wildlife Week is annually celebrated from 1-7 October. The aim of the Week is to spread awareness among people on conservation of wildlife and encourage them to protect the habitats. School students and teachers from over seven schools, including Universal School, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidhyalaya, Unity Public School, Primary school Tehsil, R.K. Academy and Primary School Daang visited the deer park to participate in the fun activities, took part in the Biodiversity Walk and wildlife documentary film-screening. The Biodiversity Walk made the students learn about the techniques of identifying butterflies/ birds and trees. Ankur of grade 8th, Kanya Junior High School PAC, Moradabad received an award of appreciation from Mr J.P. Saxena for her active participation in the day’s proceedings.

World Wildlife Fund for Nature-India, one of the country’s leading wildlife conservation organizations initiated the Ramganga’s revival strategy in Moradabad, in partnership with its district administration. The revival strategy for the river envisions for communities, industries and Government to work together to bring the river back to life (improved ecological health). As part of the restoration plan, a mass awareness communication campaign – ‘Ramganga for Life, Life for Ramganga’ campaign has been devised with the focus on engaging diverse stakeholders, including young adults to aspire for taking complete ownership, thereby becoming Ramganga Mitr.

“Wildlife Week is of great significance as it tries to reiterate the importance of nature and wildlife in our daily living and the required reasons for its conservation. For the last eight months, with the support of WWF-India, District Administration of Moradabad has initiated ‘Ramganga for Life, Life for Ramganga’ Campaign. This campaign aims to engage with young adults, Government officials, schools and community members in developing strategies to restore the ecological wellbeing of the river, while making them Ramganga Mitras. I would like to congratulate the team of WWF for initiating such a noble cause in Moradabad and would request all to joing the campaign in restoring the river!” said Mr Praveen Mishr, Additional District Magistrate (City). Mr Madhup Singh, BDO Forest added that continued consented efforts are being made by the Government of India to protect the wildlife habitats with recent declaration of the Pilibhit as a Wildlife Sanctuary along with Aman Garh in Bijnor as the Tiger Reserve.

The winners of today’s competitions will be felicitated on 7 October, the day the Wildlife Week culminates.