A sporting event under the banner of “Sports for Conservation” is being organized by Society for Mahseer Conservancy from the 22^nd to 26^th January, 2010 in the lovely Baluli village, on the banks of the lifeline of Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR)–the river Ramganga. Sport is a very effective tool in the cause of wildlife conservation, particularly for the youth since it promises thrilling action while sermons and speeches take a backseat!

The first day of the event is dedicated to the girls, with games like kho-kho, kabbadi and rope pulling testing their mettle. A cricket tournament is planned for boys in the next three days. The last day has been earmarked for the prize distribution ceremony where the winning teams for each game will be awarded.

The sporting event will also boast a photography exhibition on the Indian vultures; the Ramganga river and its biodiversity; and the ill-effects of unsustainable tourism in the CTR area.

You are warmly urged support this event in person; either as a gung-ho participant or as a vociferous audience to encourage the various teams.

Please find above the fact sheet enumerating details for participation, logistic arrangements and available mechanisms for supporting this innovative initiative.

We look forward to seeing you at Baluli!

Feel free to call or write for clarifications.

Cricket players of 2006 tournament

He started the career with The Corbett Foundation, NGO that works for Wildlife Conservation. Main job responsibilities were to spread conservation awareness amongst locals. During the job with The Corbett Foundation worked with several schools and did many awareness programmes on regular basis with them. Worked with villagers and local communities for wildlife conservation and helped the tiger conservation programme of WWF-India, Mahaseer Conservation Programme of EPAC International and Medical Programme. (all above programme are the programmes of The Corbett Foundation). Helped in publication of quarterly Hindi and English newsletter on Corbett (published by The Corbett Foundation). Worked with Kids for Tigers Programme (Sanctuary Asia) as city coordinator. Worked with various other NGOs and Government departments during various occasions like wildlife week, animal census programme etc. Gave many conservation awareness talks to the Forest trainees of Kalagarh Training Centre, Corbett Tiger Reserve. Helped various students in their studies during their visit to Corbett.

Sanjay presently works with the Leisure Hotels and heads the Leisure Green team which does many cleaning drives in the area, wildlife awareness programmes in schools, and through the slide presentations try to raise awareness amongst tourists. Sanjay writes conservation related articles in daily newspaper and magazines and has never said no when we at SFMC gave a shout for some work.

Kindly visit Sanjay’s website for more info on www.jungleecorbett.com

Hanuman and Ram

Ram Leelas are one of the most celebrated festivals in the Hindu religion. The format is for every town and village to hold their own Ram Leelas re-enacting the Ramayana – the story of Rama – over 10 consecutive days, telling each “chapter” of the story on the different days.

The general overview of the Ramayana is that after Rama, Lakshman and Sita are exiled into the forest Sita is kidnapped by the king of Lanka, Ravana. With the help of the monkey army led by Hanuman and also some vultures who have seen Ravana taking Sita, Rama and Lakshman begin their epic voyage to rescue Sita and for Rama to gain his rightful place as the king of Kosala.

The Ramayana is a very animalistic story – there are various animals that are important to not only the Indian culture and Hindu religion but also crucial to the survival of the Indian wildlife and nature. For example there is the vulture that, after being mortally wounded trying to rescue Sita from Ravana, the king of Lanka, which informs Rama and Lakshman that Sita has been kidnapped. Also Rama is cursed after Rama’s father kills a Sarus Crane (the tallest flying bird) at the beginning of the story – and it is due to this curse that eventually Rama’s step-mother gets Rama exiled for fourteen years and gives the story reason to happen. There is also the golden deer that Sita wants Rama to kill which then leads to Lakshman leaving Sita by their hut and eventually being enticed out of the magic circle and getting kidnapped by the demon-king of Lanka.

Vanishing Vultures being Screened

Even in the small villages the Ram Leelas are made to be as impressive as possible. There are hundreds of people attending in the small villages and even more in the bigger towns; each Ram Leela is full of singing, dancing, music and general festivities.  Throughout the evening there are pauses in proceedings in between acts. These are primarily for changing the costumes, the background and also giving the people a little rest to get some food etc. Normally these intervals last between 20-30mins. It is these intervals that give Mahseer Conservancy the perfect opportunity to raise awareness to the local people and farmers about the critical decline of the vulture population throughout the whole of India.

The Ram Leelas are also used to raise awareness by Mahseer Conservancy as there are hundreds of people all in one place looking at the stage – where, of course, there was, during the intervals, a projector screen placed in full view. The plan was for the “V-team” to go to the Ram Leelas and during the intervals to put on a short film promoting awareness as to why the vultures are dying out at such an alarming rate and also showing how they, the people, could prevent the extinction of a creature that is vital to the eco-system.

Sanjay appeals for vultures

After the film was shown there was a short speech made to emphasize the most important parts of the feature and also awareness leaflets were handed out en-masse to as many people as possible in the audience.

Distributing Pamphelets

Although it’s impossible to measure the success of the campaign using numbers and figures it is possible to show how much people cared about it; the Ramayana and therefore Ram Leelas are big Hindu festivals and no-one objected to the film depicting dead cows and even the skinning of the cow carcasses which is quite amazing as it showed that even the more religious Hindus were prepared to look at pictures of to them, sacred, cows dead and dying in the name of vulture conservation. Not to mention the amount of press coverage that the campaign got – making it on to both local and nation television, and also getting into the newspapers.

Simple Message for an Important Issue

Audience watching Vulture awareness programme

Hopefully, and with the help of this type of awareness rising, in the near future we will be able to see vultures circling in the sky once again.