India-US collaboration to see projects through
The proposed India-US joint venture to conserve wildlife in this country is a promising and ambitious initiative that should go a long way in boosting local efforts in this field. Known as the Wildlife Conservation Cooperation Programme, it is to be formalised soon with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two sides. The agreement will facilitate cooperation between India's Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and the Wildlife Institute of India on the one hand, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US National Park Service, the National Wildlife Health Centre at the US Geological Service and the Smithsonian Institution on the other hand. It will reportedly have three major thematic areas of focus: Wildlife forensics and conservation genetics, natural interpretation and conservation areas, and wildlife health and disease surveillance. In each of these areas, India stands to benefit tremendously from US expertise.
For example, in the first case, the US will assist India in developing new centres of forensic sciences and strengthen existing ones that will deal specifically with wildlife and environment. This will not only improve India's capabilities but boost regional conservation efforts. In the second case of natural interpretation and conservation areas, the focus will be on developing the WII as a centre of excellence and establishing field learning centres in select Protected Areas for nature conservation. Also, the US will work with India to build a programme to better engage all stakeholders, from the media and the judiciary to corporate houses and local communities. The third focus area is health and it will deal with a range of issues from animal health management in zoos to improving the capabilities of veterinary institutions to scientific exchanges between American and Indian scientists.
The Wildlife Conservation Cooperation Programme is only the latest in a series of joint initiatives between the two countries which have been working together in this field for over 25 years. In fact, the US-India joint statement issued during President Barack Obama's 2014 visit reiterated the importance of conserving India's biodiversity and also focused on opportunities for collaboration in national parks. Subsequently, the Wildlife Conservation Cooperation Programme now envisages US assistance for about nine or 10 protected areas. It will be worthwhile to see if the programme can eventually be extended to include a linkage between wildlife conservation in India and the global illegal wildlife trade. As of now, India is taking steps on the ground to prevent poaching but it will be difficult to eradicate the menace as long as there is a lucrative market abroad (think of the huge Chinese demand for certain animal body parts). In this context, the US can help India by sharing best practices on global wildlife intelligence and enforcement and also lobbying with other nations to curb illegal wildlife trade globally.