Sixty students from two schools in Assam’s Mayong area participated in a day-long wildlife conservation awareness workshop focused on the ecological significance of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and the conservation of the greater one-horned rhinoceros.
The workshop was held on April 27 at Pobitora Village Eco Camp and involved students from Gyanpeeth Jatiya Vidyalaya and Mayong Secondary School, both located near Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district. The programme was organised jointly by the Rhino Research Conservation Division (RRCD) of Aaranyak and the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary authority, with support from Zoo Berlin.
The sessions aimed to familiarise students with the ecological importance of Assam’s state animal, the greater one-horned rhinoceros, which has a significant population in Pobitora. The programme also focused on the role that communities, including students, can play in conserving wildlife and habitats.
The workshop included multiple sessions, including a hands-on biodiversity documentation exercise, designed to encourage awareness and engagement with nature.
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The programme was coordinated by Aaranyak RRCD project officer and researcher Ujjal Bayan under the guidance of Deputy Director RRCD Deba Kumar Dutta. The technical session began with a presentation on “Basics of Wildlife and Conservation” by Jinti Das, a PhD scholar from Cotton University.
This was followed by a lecture on “Role of Forest Department in Conservation and Protection” by Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary Range Officer Ujjal Choudhary, who spoke about the role of community participation in supporting forest personnel working in challenging conditions.
Ujjal Bayan delivered a presentation titled “History, Behaviour and Conservation of Rhinos”, covering different rhino species, their ecological roles, and conservation status.
During a session on forming a ‘Students Conservation Network’, RRCD consultant (documentation) Bijay Sankar Bora discussed how such initiatives could support continued engagement with wildlife and environmental issues beyond classroom learning. Students also took part in a guided biodiversity documentation exercise during the session.
Wildlife filmmaker and conservationist Champak Deka led a session on the role of communities in wildlife conservation. Drawing from his experience in the Pobitora landscape, he spoke about ways students could contribute to conservation efforts and screened a short film on the sanctuary.
The workshop was supported by Priyanku Sarma, a PhD scholar from Cotton University, and Aaranyak K9 handler Rupak Das. It concluded with a quiz competition focused on Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and rhino conservation, followed by prize distribution.
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