Nature Conservation Foundation

The Nature Conservation Foundation is a non-governmental wildlife conservation and research organisation based in Mysore, India. They promote the use of science for wildlife conservation in India.[1]

Nature Conservation Foundation
Motto"To carry out science-based and socially responsible conservation"
Formation1996
HeadquartersMysore, India
Executive Board
Suhel Quader, Vena Kapoor, M Ananda Kumar, Smita Prabhakar, Ajay Bijoor, Janhavi Rajan, Rucha Karkarey, Rohit Naniwadekar
Websitehttp://www.ncf-india.org/

History

The organisation 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 conflicts 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.[2] 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.[3][4] 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.[4] In 2003, three wildlife biologists from the foundation reported the Chinese goral (Nemorhaedus caudatus) from Arunachal Pradesh, the first record for India[5] In 2005, scientists from the foundation described the Arunachal macaque from western Arunachal Pradesh, India, a species new to science.[6] 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.[7]

Awards

Charudutt Mishra and M. D. Madhusudhan, two of the founders received the Whitley award, also called "Green Oscar"[8] 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.[9][10]

In 2013, Aparajita Datta was awarded the Whitley award to continue her decade long work on conservation of hornbills.[11] 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.[12][13] She was also awarded by the National Geographic Society as an Emerging explorer for 2010, which recognised "..14 trailblazers from around the world".[14]

In 2015, Dr. Ananda Kumar was awarded the Whitley award for his work on elephant-human conflict management on the Valparai plateau. In 2017, he was awarded a continuation of funding.[15]

In 2006, the organisation won the Distinguished service award from the Society for Conservation Biology.[16] 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.[17]

References
  1. Nature Conservation Foundation on the Open Directory Project
  2. MISHRA, CHARUDUTT; ALLEN,P.; McCARTHY, T.; MADHUSUDAN, M.D.; BAYARJARGAL, A.; PRINS, H.H.T. (2003). "The Role of Incentive Programs in Conserving the Snow Leopard". Conservation Biology. 17 (6): 1512–1520. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2003.00092.x.
  3. "Launch of Project Snow leopard: A report from Snowleopard Network". Archived from the original on 6 October 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  4. Press Release by the GoI on the launch of Project Snow Leopard
  5. Charudutt Mishra, Aparajita Datta and M.D. Madhusudan (2005) Record of the Chinese Goral Naemorhedus caudatus in Arunachal Pradesh. JBNHS Vol. 102(2)
  6. Sinha, A.,Datta, A., Madhusudan, M. D. and Mishra, C. (2005). "Macaca munzala: a new species from western Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India". International Journal of Primatology. 26 (977): 977–989. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.576.1210. doi:10.1007/s10764-005-5333-3.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. Lenin, Janaki. "Rainforest revival". The Hindu (newspaper). Retrieved 1 August 2008.
  8. "Profile from Whitley website". Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  9. Whitley Award for Mysore-based wildlife biologist. The Hindu. 14 May 2009. LINK
  10. Indian Wildlife Biologist wins 'Green Oscar' on Doordarshan News. LINK
  11. "Hornbills as flagships for the Himalayan forests of Arunachal Pradesh". Whitley Fund for Nature. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  12. List and profile of winners from Wings World Quest Website
  13. Award for Indian wildlife scientist, Deccan Herald Nov. 19, 2008
  14. "Aparajita Datta, Wildlife Biologist". National Geographic Emerging Explorer. National Geographic Society. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
  15. "Human-elephant coexistence in Southern India". Whitley Fund for Nature. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  16. "Society for Conservation Biology | Past Recipients". conbio.org. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  17. Details of the Award from the website of the Van Tienhoven Foundation for International Nature Protection
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