A whale shark accidentally trapped in a fishing net is implanted with a satellite tag during its rescue and release. © WTI
An orphan rhino calf is bottle-fed at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) near Kaziranga National Park in the northeast Indian state of Assam. © WTI.
In 2010/11, The Rufford Foundation provided a grant of £50,000 to Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).
Since its establishment in 1998, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) has emerged as one of the key wildlife conservation NGOs in India.
2010/11 was another successful year for WTI with its 130 plus dedicated staff members working towards a common vision of securing the natural heritage of India. Helping it achieve its goals, The Rufford Foundation has continued support of WTI since the collaboration began in 2000.
A few of WTI’s notable contributions this year included: facilitation for creating two new protected areas in crucial tiger habitats; rescue and rehabilitation of hundreds of animals in distress; initiation of photo-identification and tagging of whale sharks in India; and securing land in a critical elephant corridor in south India.
WTI also assisted authorities in wildlife litigation, ensuring conviction and sentencing of the notorious wildlife trader Sansar Chand, and of 12 accomplices of another named Shabbir Hasan Qureshi. As well as assisting in numerous seizure of wildlife articles and arrest of illegal traders, WTI continued to help build capacity of the Forest Department; over 8,600 frontline staff in more than 110 protected areas have been trained since 2000.
At the policy level, WTI members were a part of the government-established task force preparing a long-term plan, involving global cooperation, for the conservation and welfare of Asian elephants. WTI is also helping revive the Global Tiger Forum (GTF) for more effective and globally-united tiger conservation efforts.
Several new projects were launched, including one for the recovery of the endangered eastern swamp deer, whose distribution range is believed to be restricted to Kaziranga National Park in Assam. The Train Hits Mitigation Project that has successfully ensured zero elephant deaths due to train hits in Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand since 2002, was extended to other areas in northeast and south India and has begun bearing results.
