Nature Environment and Wildlife Society (NEWS), an Odisha NGO, observed the World Wildlife Day at Rugudiapada in Angul on March 3.
The day is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness on the multitude of benefits that conservation provides to people. The day reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime, which has wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts, said Satkosia Tiger Reserve ACF Suvendu Prasad Behera, attending as chief guest on the occasion.
Wildlife has an inherent value and contributes to the ecological, genetic, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational and aesthetic aspects for sustainable development of human being, he added.
At the same time, 2016 theme reinforces the inextricable link between wildlife, people and sustainable development. It says that it is the responsibility of each generation to safeguard wildlife for the next generation. It also imparts the pressing need for national action to ensure the survival in the wild of both charismatic and lesser known species, said NEWS secretary and Angul wildlife warden Prasanna Kumar Behera.
Among others, Raigoda ranger officer Girish Chandra Panda spoke.