74th Wildlife Week begins on the theme of human-animal co-existence
Shimla
In Himachal Pradesh, the 74th Wildlife Week has begun today. The initiative was formally launched on Thursday by PCCF Wildlife Amitabh Gautam. He held a video conference to introduce Wildlife Week, a seven-day event that runs from October 2 to October 8, with officials from all the state’s wildlife boards. The program’s focus is human-animal coexistence. This time, a commitment was made to protect the state’s wildlife.
According to Amitabh Gautam, the Wildlife Wing and Forest Department are taking significant action to save the numerous wildlife species that are currently facing extinction. In order to preserve wildlife, he continued, the agency and the public must take action. According to Gautam, a study on the condition of snow leopards in Himachal Pradesh was carried out by the Wildlife Division of the state in cooperation with the Nature Conservation Foundation of Bangalore. A report on the snow leopard population in the 26,112 square kilometer region of Himachal was produced by this study.
He said that the number of snow leopards in Himachal has increased from the 2021 report to about 83. Additionally, this study identified the woolly flying squirrel and the Pallas’ cat as two new wildlife species in Himachal for the first time. In order to safeguard wildlife, Amitabh Gautam urged the department and the local population to collaborate. He called on all local residents and officials who were connected by video conference to use Wildlife Week to educate the public about the importance of protecting wildlife. In-depth details regarding the conservation and condition of snow leopards in Himachal Pradesh were given by Deepshikha, Program Manager, Nature Conservation Foundation, Bangalore.
Chief Wildlife Priti Bhandari, DFO Wildlife Shimla Dr. Shah Nawaz Bhatt, DFO Headquarters Anita Bhardwaj, Project Director of JICA Forestry Project Shrestha Nand Sharma, ACF Wildlife Vinod Ranta, along with JICA Forestry Project officials and staff were also present on the occasion. Wildlife Week is inaugurated every year on October 2nd, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti, and concludes on October 8th.
Status of Snow Leopard in Himachal Pradesh-2025 Released
The Status of Snow Leopards in Himachal Pradesh-2025 booklet was published by PCCF Wildlife Amitabh Gautam. According to him, the Wildlife Wing is essential to the conservation and preservation of snow leopards, which are in danger of going extinct in Himachal Pradesh. He continued by saying that he is very happy for Himachal Pradesh that Spiti, a chilly desert area, has recently joined UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Reserve (MAB Network).
Several important events will be organized during Wildlife Week from October 2nd to 8th. Painting competitions, essay writing competitions, debates, photography competitions, speech competitions, short walks, and bird watching programs will be organized. PCCF Wildlife Amitabh Gautam directed department officials to celebrate Wildlife Week in collaboration with educational institutions, women’s organizations, Panchayati Raj institutions, and all government departments in the state.
