September 29th, 2009 RAMNAGAR – With the vulture population declining alarmingly in Uttarakhand’s Ramnagar area, which adjoins the Corbett Wildlife Sanctuary, a group of pro-wildlife activists and forest rangers are engaged in spreading public awareness about their conservation in the region. Under the banner of the Corbett Vulture Conservation Committee, the NGO activists recently used the annual Ramlilas, held during the Dussehra festival, to promote awareness about vultures. Jatayu Bhagwan, a Demi god in form of a vulture, who finds mention in they mythological epic Ramayana, was used...

He whom the gods love dies young. Discipline and dedication sum up Subrati the forester. Subrati joined forest department in 1988 and ever since didn’t look back. He was honest and hard working person. He had good knowledge of wildlife as well as meticulous office work. Be it anti-poaching of fire-fighting he was often the groupleader. On the fateful evening of 09 September 2006 Subrati passed away in the line of duty and the tiger lost one of it’s most dedicated guards.

Rajesh is an agriculture graduate from India’s topmost agriculture university i.e. Pantnagar University. He has a vast experience of working with communities in various parts of Uttarakhand. He has been working in social sector since last 07 years. He is an expert of community mobilization and worked as master trainer of Bio-composting Techniques, Organic Farming, Pachayati Raj Institutions and Pre and Post Harvest Management of Horticultural Produce in Uttarakhand State. He coordinated various projects in different parts of Uttarakhand viz. Awareness Generation on Biology and Control of White...

Bitten by the Mahseer bug back in 1994, a decade later he teamed up with Mickey Sidhu and started The Himalayan Outback. Misty and his team set off on several exploratory trips in pursuit of the finest rivers of Northern / North Eastern India. They soon recognized the need for sustainability of these unique fisheries for and through game-fishing. Sustainable & ethical sporting practices /anti-poaching initiatives. Early initiatives included involvement in the Upper Giri Mahseer protection program – this got off to a flying start due to great support from the villages in the vicinity,...

Laurie is a French student and was based at Ringora to study the wildlife corridor between Corbett Tiger Reserve and the adjoining forest of Ramnagar Forest Division with us during three months, focusing on tigers’ movement. She went every morning walking on the road to notice any animal been killed by vehicles and also walked in the main nulla (seasonal stream) in Ringora used by wildlife, including tigers, to go from the Corbett Tiger Reserve to the Kosi River and beyond. In this nulla, she was looking for any signs of tiger or elephant and when there was, she took pictures of the pugmarks....

Jacob worked with us for the conservation of Indian vultures in general and more specifically the critically endangered White-rumped vulture, during three months. Their big decline is due to the use of an anti-inflammatory drug, Diclofenac, which is given to the cattle when sick. The problem with this drug is that when it is ingested by the vultures, it makes them die in few days. And only one carcass is enough to eradicate a whole colony. While he was here, Jacob stayed at Ringora’s homestay. It was an ideal place to work since there is a colony of White-rumped vultures in three trees, located...

A prize-winning British poet who also writes acclaimed non-fiction including the bestseller Tiger in Red Wether. There was much to be learnt from this conservation genius greatly concerned with Tiger conservation during her visit to Corbett National park and stay at Vanghat. Ruth Padel is a fellow both of the Royal Society of Literature and the Zoological Society of London, a Member both of the Royal Geographical Society and Bombay Natural History Society. She has won the UK National Poetry Competition; individual poems from her seven collections have been widely anthologized, broadcast, and short...

Few in the Indian subcontinent have  done more for birds of prey conservation than Rishad. During the “Corbett Vulture Campaign” much of his work was taken as referrence. Raptor man of India Rishad is the project co-ordinator on Doongerwadi Advisory Committee for the Parsi Vulture Project, which calls for interaction with the Ministry & State Governments. Rishad has carried out exhausted researcher and field observation on raptors and worked on their conservation. Has worked closely with the BNHS as Research Associate; currently an active Executive Committee member BNHS and Chairman...

I ain’t got time I got a race to run. It may not be rude to call this bone honest forest officer a workaholic. Anyone would be if they knew that we are running out of time on the planet. Rajiv has a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in botany from Delhi University. In addition, he has received training in wildlife management at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. Like his father Rajiv Bhartari went on to join the Indian Forest Service of the Uttarakhand Cadre. Corbett Park is certainly his second love if not first. He has served as the Deputy Director of Corbett Tiger Reserve for six...

A legendary veteran of Corbett, he gave us valuable inputs on conservation of the Ramganga  River and on its monarc the Golden Mahseer and ethical ways of fishing. Brijender Singh, or just Brij has been the Honorary Warden of Corbett Tiger Reserve since 1982. He was recently awarded the Esso Award. The award recognizes the efforts of an individual or an organization for bravery, valor and lifetime dedicated to Tiger Conservation. Popularly known as Raja sahib he belongs to the royalty of Dada Siba in Himachal Pradesh and Kapurthala. Influenced by the well known hunter Colonel ANW Powell (Author...