Mysuru:   As part of the 65th ‘World Wildlife Week’, Wildlife Conservation     Awareness rally was taken out from Mysore Palace to Torchlight Parade Grounds at Bannimantap  along with Dasara elephant Abhimanyu this morning.

Holding placards and shouting slogans like Namma Nadige Aranya mattu Vanyajivigala Samrakshaneya Kadege, more than 120 school and college students along with 150 probationary DRFOs and Forest Guards took part in the  nearly 5 km walk which began from Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple and passed through K.R. Circle and Highway Circle to reach the Torchlight Parade Grounds.

Speaking after flagging off the event, Member-Secretary of District Legal Services Authority B.P. Devamane said, “Due to deforestation, wild animals are losing their habitats resulting in man-animal conflicts in recent times. We need to find permanent solution to this problem.”

“Conservation is not a one-day event. We need to educate the general public about the importance of environment and wildlife,” said Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) J. Alexander.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) T. Heeralal said “Deforestation is getting worse, in particular due to some miscreants setting fire to forest. Now human population is huge compared to the number of trees which is a matter of grave concern.”

DCF Dr. K.C. Prashanth Kumar, Bhanu Prakash, Venkatesh, ACF Venkate Gowda, Zoo Executive Director Ajit M. Kulkarni, Mahadevu, RFO Surendra, Devaraj, Govindaraj and others were present.