A comprehensive series of ‘Rhino Goes to School’ awareness programmes took place over four days across four schools situated in the fringe areas of the Manas National Park & Tiger Reserve (MNP&TR) in Assam, specifically targeting the Bhuyanpara, Kokilabari, and Panbari forest ranges. The initiative reached approximately 1,000 students, emphasizing the significance of wildlife conservation, particularly for the Great one-horned rhinoceros. Led by Dr. C. Ramesh, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of MNP&TR, alongside Dr. Deba Kumar Dutta, Deputy Director of the Rhino Research and Conservation Division (RRCD) at Aaranyak, the programme was implemented in collaboration with the Manas National Park & Tiger Reserve Authority and supported by KACF.
The awareness initiative commenced with introductory sessions on wildlife and conservation fundamentals, outlining biodiversity’s importance, the role of protected areas, and sustainable coexistence between human communities and wildlife. Following this, a session detailing the significance of Manas Tiger Reserve, its biodiversity, and community involvement was facilitated by Josimuddin Ahmed, AFS (Retd.), with contributions from Pranjit Rajbongshi and his team. Core sessions were dedicated to rhinoceros ecology, habitat needs, conservation threats, cultural and environmental importance, as well as basic wildlife behaviour, providing students with insights into human-wildlife conflict mitigation and encouraging local community participation in conservation efforts.
To promote engagement, interactive quizzes and drawing competitions were held at each school. Ten exemplary students from each school were awarded an exposure visit to Manas National Park, arranged by park authorities, to gain firsthand experience in wildlife and habitat conservation. The programme was coordinated by Ujjal Bayan and Swapan Das, researchers from Aaranyak, with additional support from Jinti Das, a PhD scholar from Cotton University; Dhritiman Sonowal, a volunteer and MSW student; and Raj Daimary, ensuring effective implementation across all locations. The ‘Rhino Goes to School’ initiative signifies a pivotal development in fostering conservation awareness among youth and empowering local communities to actively engage in preserving the rich wildlife heritage of the Manas National Park.