To prepare a comprehensive wildlife management plan for protection and management of rich wildlife resources and many endangered wildlife species inhabiting the forests and aquatic eco-systems of the State, a MoU was signed between the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wl), Odisha Chief Wildlife Warden and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) here on Friday. Odisha CWlW SS Srivastava and WTI ED Vivek Menon signed the MoU in the presence of Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha.
The State has 19 sanctuaries and two national parks notified under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. All these protected areas have wildlife management plans; however, forests outside these protected areas that harbour many species do not have wildlife management plans. Hence, the proposed Comprehensive Wildlife Management Plan by the WTI is expected to fill the gap, said an official of the Forest Department.
The proposed plan would identify and map key biological resources and their connectivity across the landscape, restore degraded or lost habitats essential for animals’ persistence and movement, reduce animal mortality due to man-animal conflicts, electrocution and train accidents, etc, promote conservation of wildlife at grassroots level, optimize manpower and infrastructure requirements of the State for prevention of wildlife crimes and better prosecution. The plan will be prepared at a cost of Rs 3.65 crore and completed within 15 months.