PASIGHAT, 13 Oct: The Wildlife Week 2025 was celebrated at Seram village in East Siang district on Sunday, focusing on bird watching and plastic-free initiative.
This year’s theme, ‘Human-Wildlife Coexistence’, emphasized a shift from the colonial-era protectionist approach to a more inclusive and community-led conservation effort that can support both biodiversity and local livelihoods.
To celebrate the event, the Arunachal Pradesh team of the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) partnered with the Daying Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary and the local Eco Development Committee to organize a bird-watching programme at the Government Upper Primary School in Seram village.
As part of the event, students were introduced to the basics of bird-watching and the use of binoculars to observe birds’ behaviours, such as feeding and nesting. The ATREE team guided them in spotting local birds and understanding their habitats.
“This year’s programme focused on orienting young students towards love for nature and wildlife,” Daying Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary DFO Kempi Ete said.
“This celebration was the need of the hour since it changes the narrative from human-wildlife conflict to human-wildlife coexistence. It was especially relevant for Seram, where people and wild animals live in close proximity and often interact,” Range Forest Officer of Borguli Wildlife Range, Chow Konseng Chowpoo said.
Later, a short film titled Friend of the Floricans was screened, which showcased the conservation works of Ipra Mekola, an Idu-Mishmi community leader known for his efforts to protect the Bengal florican, a critically endangered bird species native to the selective lowland grasslands of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
A quiz competition based on the activities was also conducted among the students. A team comprising four students of Classes 4 and 5 won the quiz and got an opportunity to visit Ipra Mekola’s farm and observe Bengal floricans as prize.
