Wildlife Research and Conservation Society (WRCS - www.wrcs.org) is currently working with local communities to implement community-based conflict mitigation measure in elephant conflict prone areas of North Kanara District in Karnataka.
Project: Human-elephant conflict is a serious issue for people as well as elephant conservation in the area where elephants share resources with local people. WRCS has initiated a project to motivate local communities to participate in the conflict mitigation and adopt low-cost measures to keep the elephants out of the crop fields. The project is in progress since 2009 and will be continued further.
Project Area: Reserved forests of Yellapur Division and nearby area.
There are 2 posts in the current project:
1. Conflict Mitigation with community participation: Motivating the local community adopting low-cost mitigation measures. This will involve traveling extensively in the area, holding meetings with farmers and setting up demonstration plots of various measures. Another important aspect is to motivate and train the farmers in implementing these measures. The work will involve repetitive meetings and dialogues with farmers and various stakeholders in the area.
2. Monitoring elephant movement and habitat in the study area: Monitoring of areas used by elephants by seasonal sign surveys along the trails. Vegetation analysis on the trails will be carried out to assess the forest composition and biotic influences in the area.
Essential:
We are interested in working with individuals who are committed to the work, and who have genuine interest in this field of work and conservation issues.
Ability to write scientific reports and carrying out analysis is required.
Early morning time is ideal for starting the field work therefore the researchers should be prepared to work accordingly. Physical fitness is very essential as the work will involve walking in the forests for long distance and riding the bike for the work purpose.
Ability to plan the work schedule and monitor the ongoing work is a very important aspect of the project.
Innovative and creativity approach towards working is important.
Ability to communicate with local villagers in Kannada or Marathi will be useful.
Work will be carried out on the bike and involves frequent night visits to chase the elephants from the farms therefore male applicants will be preferred for both the posts.
For more info, contact:
Dr. Prachi Mehta
+919011052193.
mail@wrcsindia.org or mail.wrcs@gmail.com