Aaranyak-Rufford Small Grants_rajesh

Aaranyak Small Grants for Nature Conservation in Northeast India

Aaranyak-Rufford Small Grants >>

Title of the Project: Community-based Slow Loris Conservation.

Project Investigator: Rajesh Salam

Landscape of the study site

Slow Loris

Water Harvesting: Earthen dam construction

Project objectives:

1. To achieve community participation in wildlife conservation, with focus on the Slow Loris as the flagship species

2. Motivate the communities to act for conservation by declaration of a wildlife reserve for Loris and other wildlife.

3. Encourage communities to find alternative livelihood option and support water harvesting programme.

4. Set a replicable example for the neighbouring village communities.

Project Update (June 2007):

Conducted field assessments of home range of slow loris in collaboration with the local Tokpa Nature Club members. Trekked along the hill ridge (Thangjing-Laimaton range), which is natural watershed of the Loktak lake on the eastern face and the Leimatak river on the western face, to understand the extent of forest cover in the area and the present condition of the Loris habitat. Two Slow Loris were observed during the trekking.

Work on creating a water body on the higher reaches of the hillside is in progress. An earthen dam of around 60 feet in length, 12 feet in width and 6 feet in height was constructed by the Tokpa Nature Club members. The water harvesting component shall serve various purposes, such as fish culture, natural regeneration of forest and return of wildlife in that area.

Discussions were also held on preparing terrace for wet rice cultivation, winter crops and fish culture. As a community participation initiative the project PI agreed to contribute cost of meals and other refreshment while villagers agreed to contribute labour for the purpose. Initially there will be only a one ha terrace will be created.

A plan is prepared how villagers can visit a model village in northern Manipur and learn about fish as well as winter crops cultivation on terrace fields. In addition they will also get a first hand knowledge on the age-old practice of pollarding trees by the Mao-Maram-Poumai tribes which sustains their village forests while serving multiple purposes beneficially.

Several meetings were held with Tokpa village authority, elders and youth groups, and Tokpa Nature Club (TNC) members at different periods for conservation of slow loris and its habitat.

The project is expected to help the villagers to plant around 200 bamboo seedlings this rainy season.