Shillong, Oct 6: A one-day awareness programme on human-animal conflict was organised by the North Eastern Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Shillong to observe Wildlife Week.
The event brought together experts, students and conservation enthusiasts to deliberate on one of the most pressing challenges in wildlife conservation — the growing conflict between humans and elephants.
The programme featured speakers — Prof. P. C. Bhattacharjee, retired professor of Zoology, Gauhati University; Dr. Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar, Programme Secretary and Deputy Executive Director at Aaranyak and Peter Thorose, Principal of St. Peter’s College, Shillong.
Prof. Bhattacharjee shared insights drawn from decades of research and experience, emphasizing the importance of coexistence strategies rooted in ecological understanding and policy support.
Dr. Lahkar spoke on community-based human-elephant conflict management in Assam and highlighted practical examples of conflict mitigation and community participation, illustrating successful models of collaboration between local communities and conservation organizations.
Thorose drew attention to the importance of community-led conservation and the need to integrate local knowledge systems into wildlife protection initiatives.
