Genesis of wildlife week celebration in India

Kh Hitler Singh *

Wildlife Week celebrated at Ukhrul on October 04 2014 :: Pix - Hueiyen Lanpao

Apparently under the instruction of Government of India in 1955, the State Governments, Union territories and many Indian Universities were communicated to celebrate a day as Wildlife-Day to spread the awareness about the importance of wildlife and necessity for preserving them for the betterment of mankind for the present and future generations.

Many State Governments, Union Territories and Indian Universities celebrated Wildlife Day on different date and month of the year with different modes of celebration to inculcate love and compassion of Wildlife to the general public.

The different modes of activities carried out in 1955 by the different States Government, Union Territories and Indian Universities were as follows.

a) Public meeting
b) Radio Talk
c) Article writing in the Daily Newspapers
d) Distribution of Posters of endangered and important wildlife spp
e) Wildlife Film shows
f) Allowing school children to visit the nearby Zoo without entry fee
g) Wildlife Essay Writing Competitions with prizes
h) Wildlife Painting Competitions with prizes
i) Appeal by the State Forest Ministers/other Ministers through pamphlets printed in the regional languages.
j) Colorful and impressive procession comprising elephants etc
k) Delivery of lectures at Schools & Colleges
l) Issue of Press notes and leaflets
m) Exhibition of stuffed Birds and animals etc.

The most prominent activity during the initial movement of Wildlife Day Celebration i.e., in 1955; was Radio Talk by different eminent personalities. The list of speakers was indeed impressive, including State Governors, Chief Ministers, Zoo Directors, State Forest & other Ministers, Chief Conservator of Forest, Zoological Society Officers and members, Maharajas, I.G. Forests, Wildlife Preservation Officers, Assistant Conservators, Wildlife Advisory Board Chairman and others. Some of the more famous names were Shri Jayachamarajandra Wadiyar the Governor of Mysore, Shri Nijalingappa, CM of Mysore State, Maharaja Fatehsingh Rao Gaekwad, Baroda, Reuben David, Superintendent of Ahmedabad Zoo, Shri Dharmakumarsinji, etc.

The Govt of India sought reports of celebration, suggestions about the modes of celebration in future and the time of celebration in the first year itself i.e. 1955 from the different State Governments, Union Territories and Indian Universities. Different States carried out different activities and suggested different modes of celebration in future and also suggested different timing in the year.

Just two years later i.e. 1957; the Wildlife Day has become Wildlife Week and held during the first week of October by many State Government and Universities. It was evident from the summarized reports in the Third Session of the Indian Board for Wildlife held at New Delhi in February 1958; that Wildlife Day really had been evolved into Wildlife week as the activities continued for more than one week.

The celebration modes were varied and different from State to State. In the fourth meeting of the Executive Committee of Indian Board for Wildlife held at Sasan Gir from 18th to 20th January 1959; it was decided by the Board to celebrate Wildlife Week instead of Wildlife Day and the timing chosen in its discretion was First Week of October every year.

Thus the movement of celebrating Wildlife Day had become celebrating Wildlife Week. The main objective of celebrating Wildlife Week was to spread the message of the love and compassion of Wildlife as far and wide; and also the need for safeguarding their natural habitat.

Manipur was not lagging behind in celebrating Wildlife Day/Wildlife Week since its inception in the year 1955. Manipur Government celebrated Wildlife Day by arranging Lectures in Schools and Colleges and suggested excursion of the students to the various Sanctuaries and Zoos for future mode of celebration and the time suggested was on Govardhan Day which falls in November.

With Shri P.N. Prasad as the Chief Wildlife Warden, Manipur there are wider and diversified activities in the modes of Celebration of Wildlife Week in 2014 in Manipur. Earlier the Celebration was mostly confined at Imphal City; now it has been decentralized to the District level from this year onward. During the current Wildlife Week Celebration; there are :

a) Essay Writing/Article Writing competition at District level
b) Quiz competition at District level
c) Painting competition at District level
d) Wildlife Rally at National Park level
e) Wildlife Photography Contest at State level
f) Distribution of Posters at State level
g) Shumang Leela (Traditional Play) at District level
h) Radio Talk at State level
i) Television Talk at State level
j) State level and District level Public Function with VIPs etc.

Manipur is really endowed with bountiful Gifts of God. Our state is in the Indo-Malayan Biological Hot Spot and thus it is very rich in rare and endemic flora and fauna. But because of our traditional practices of hunting wild animals, other form of wildlife and coupled with shifting cultivation; many species become extinct, some are on the verge of extinction and many species are endangered.

Javan rhino which was found in Khuga River some 60 years had become extinct in Manipur. Sangai (Brow antlered deer) our state animal is critically endangered. There are several important yet endangered spp in Manipur such as Serow, Leopard, Tiger, Hoolock gibbon, Malayan Sun bear, Hog badger, Pangolin, Burmese green peafowl, Mrs Hume Pheasant, Blyth Tragopan, Great Indian Horn Bill, Indian Python, Manipur Bush Quail, Amur Falcon and many migratory ducks, cranes and geese etc.

We hope that there shall be great positive impact with the Celebration of Wildlife Week; general public shall have love for Wildlife and have compassion for living creatures and they shall extend their helping hand to conserve our rich natural heritage for the future generation.