Responsible reporting crucial to man-wildlife conflict resolution: WTI

Niladri Bhusan Kar, an expert on wildlife ecology and conservation science, spoke about the critical role played by elephants in ecosystems.
Responsible reporting crucial to man-wildlife conflict resolution: WTI
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BARIPADA: To get the discussion going on responsible media reporting on man-wildlife conflict, with special focus on elephants, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration with the Forest department organised a two-day workshop at Baripada.

Titled ‘Nature and Media,’ the workshop saw invigorating interactions among media practitioners from Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka as well as officers of Odisha Forest department and field experts.

Speaking on the occasion, Samrat Gowda, deputy director of Similipal south wildlife division said the Forest department remains dedicated to protecting wildlife and has successfully curtailed elephant poaching over time.

“We are pursuing recent poaching incidents, taking all necessary procedural steps to ensure conviction of those involved in wildlife crimes. The support of the public, media and judiciary will be crucial in achieving this goal,” he said.

Deputy director of Similipal north wildlife division Sai Kiran said every news report should be supported by data, and the Forest department is committed to addressing any gaps in communication.

“This workshop has provided a platform for more transparent information exchange which will contribute to more effective resolution of human-wildlife conflicts,” he said.

Baripada DFO A Uma Mahesh said not only the elephants but poaching of other wildlife can be prevented if media, judiciary and government agencies have a good coordination.

Saymanti Bandyopadhyay, head of natural heritage campaigns of WTI interacted with the media participants on wildlife conservation, environmental concerns and public interest reporting with a sense of responsibility.

Niladri Bhusan Kar, an expert on wildlife ecology and conservation science, spoke about the critical role played by elephants in ecosystems. He also made a presentation on case studies that underscored successful conservation initiatives across various regions of India.

Wildlife and environmental experts like Padmanabhan Oppili, K Praveen Kumar, Virat Singh along with journalists Niranjan Kaggare and Asim Mahapatra shared insights on the occasion.

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