By Shadan Muneer

March 3 is designated as World Wildlife Day by the UN General Assembly. On this occasion, we celebrate the extraordinary diversity of life on our planet and acknowledge the urgent need for its protection.

Wildlife plays a crucial role in maintaining our ecosystems’ health and our communities’ well-being. However, many species face unprecedented threats due to habitat destruction, climate change and pollution.

To mark this World Wildlife Day, Star of Mysore caught up with Dr. P. Ramesh Kumar, a dynamic and fearless forest officer to gain insights into the significance of wildlife conservation.

Former Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve and an Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officer from the 2007 batch, under his leadership, Bandipur Tiger Reserve has been ranked the second-best managed reserve among India’s 53 tiger reserves.

Dr. Ramesh Kumar, who assumed the role of Conservator of Forests in 2024, currently leads Project Tiger in five Tiger Reserves of Karnataka. —Ed

Star of Mysore (SOM): How does Forest Department commemorate World Wildlife Day and what message do you aim to communicate?

Dr. Ramesh Kumar: We take pride in celebrating the beauty and diversity of our planet’s wildlife. As part of the observance, we organise awareness programmes, festivals and competitions for students and volunteers at the divisional-level. Since our primary responsibility is to protect forests and wildlife, we conduct year-round educational initiatives to raise awareness.

For example, Bandipur Yuva Mithra educates students from villages surrounding Bandipur, as well as local communities, on conservation and environmental issues. In India, only 5 percent of the land is designated as protected areas, specifically for wildlife conservation. Safeguarding them is crucial in ensuring a future where nature and humanity can coexist  in harmony.

SOM: How does this year’s theme “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet,” resonate with the conservation efforts?

Dr. Ramesh Kumar: Investing in wildlife is vital for a sustainable future. Forests and wildlife provide essential ecosystem services and create employment opportunities. Our efforts also focus on community investment through eco-development initiatives, such as crafting with lantana, making agarbathi and mushroom cultivation, alongside vocational skills.

Each tiger reserve has an Eco Development Committee that provides interest-free loans to empower local communities, fostering a stronger connection between people and forests. Through these initiatives, we have created employment opportunities for approximately 1,000 local individuals annually.

SOM: As the head of Project Tiger overseeing Karnataka’s five Reserves, could you explain its significance?

Dr. Ramesh Kumar: Project Tiger was launched in 1973, with the primary goal of protecting India’s declining tiger population and strengthening conservation efforts. This initiative is implemented across Karnataka’s five Tiger Reserves — Bandipur, Nagarahole, Bhadra, BRT and Kali.

The project includes critical measures such as establishing anti-poaching camps staffed by local communities, forming patrolling squads, protecting prey species, building staff housing, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, implementing fire protection strategies and creating waterholes during droughts. These efforts have significantly contributed to the increase in tiger numbers, along with improvements in breeding success and health monitoring.

SOM: India is home to 75 percent of world’s wild tiger population, with Bandipur Tiger Reserve boasting the highest density of tigers in Karnataka. How has the tiger population grown in recent years?

Dr. Ramesh Kumar: When Project Tiger was launched in 1973, Bandipur had just 12 tigers. Today, that number has risen to 191, making it the leading tiger reserve in Karnataka and the second-highest in India after Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.

Karnataka as a whole is home to 563 tigers, while India’s total tiger population was estimated at 3,682 as of July 2023 — accounting for approximately 75 percent of the global wild tiger population. This project successfully celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bandipur.

SOM: Your tenure in Bandipur was marked by an exemplary record, with no reported cases of poaching or forest fires. What were the strategies?

Dr. Ramesh Kumar: A well-structured conservation strategy was key in eliminating poaching and minimising forest fires. The reserve has 48 anti-poaching camps staffed with 200 local tribal watchers, in addition to forest guards and Deputy Range Forest Officers. These camps are crucial for surveillance against poaching and wildlife trafficking, with teams patrolling up to 10 kilometres inside the forest.

To prevent forest fires, we adopt a proactive approach, beginning fire preparedness planning as early as November. We create fire threat maps based on historical data and conduct specialised fire prevention workshops. During peak fire season, we increase manpower by deploying 500 additional fire watchers, supplementing our 200 anti-poaching personnel.

Additionally, Bandipur has 27 fire watchtowers manned by local experts, ensuring early detection and rapid response. We also use advanced fire-fighting equipment, such as leaf blowers, to quickly contain and extinguish fires.

SOM: Does radio collaring help track and conserve tigers? What alternative methods are used to monitor the tiger population?

Dr. Ramesh Kumar: Yes, radio collaring plays a crucial role in tracking tiger movements, mitigating human-animal conflicts and supporting wildlife research. We previously used this method and may consider reintroducing it to map tiger territories and migration patterns, particularly in areas prone to human-wildlife conflict.

However, the primary monitoring method remains camera traps, which are strategically placed to capture images of tigers. Bandipur alone has 612 camera pairs used for individual identification and population estimation, making this the most reliable technique for tiger censuses in India.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), conducts a comprehensive tiger census every four years, helping track population trends. Additionally, annual censuses are carried out within tiger reserves to provide more localised data on tiger populations.

SOM: What strategies are in place to minimise human-animal conflicts?

Dr. Ramesh Kumar: We have specialised task forces, including a Leopard Task Force, an Elephant Task Force and Rapid Response Teams. These teams, comprising over 100 trained personnel, actively manage wildlife encounters and monitor animal movements.

In Bandipur Tiger Reserve, a 110-kilometre railway barricade has been built to prevent elephants from damaging crops. Additionally, solar-powered electric fencing and elephant-proof trenches have been implemented to safeguard farmlands. The Department also provides compensation for wildlife-related damages and conducts public awareness.

SOM: How do you involve local communities in wildlife conservation?

Dr. Ramesh Kumar: Community engagement is a cornerstone of effective wildlife conservation. Local communities hold valuable traditional knowledge about forests and wildlife, making their involvement crucial.

We actively recruit locals as forest guards and fire watchers, leveraging their familiarity with the terrain to strengthen conservation efforts. Every year, we employ around 1,000 individuals from nearby villages, empowering them to act as vigilant monitors who report illegal activities.

Beyond employment, we involve them in tiger censuses, awareness programmes and eco-development projects, ensuring their participation in conservation while providing alternative livelihoods.

SOM: Has technology helped conserve wildlife and curb illegal activities?

Dr. Ramesh Kumar: Technology has significantly enhanced wildlife conservation and helped curb illegal activities. Advanced tools like camera traps, drones and satellite imagery allow real-time monitoring of animal movements and aid in detecting poaching threats.

In Karnataka, there have been no reported cases of organised poaching in recent years, thanks to GSM-enabled camera traps that immediately alert officials to suspicious activity. These technologies also help in managing human-wildlife conflicts by tracking the movement of animals near human settlements.

Education and Conservation

Dr. Ramesh Kumar holds a Ph.D in Environmental Science from the prestigious Indian Agricultural Research Institute in Delhi, following his Master’s degree. After completing two years of training with the Indian Forest Service, he enrolled at the Wildlife Institute of India, where he underwent a highly specialised wildlife course before joining the State services in 2010. He initially served as the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) across multiple places, including Ballari, Bannerghatta, Kollegal, Kudremukh and Nagarahole.

With 15 years of experience in wildlife management, Dr. Ramesh Kumar has an impeccable track record. Among the numerous accolades he has received, the most prestigious was the                                   Eco Warrior Award in 2024.

He has authored 10 tiger conservation and management plans, including those for Bandipur and Nagarahole and has published 17 research articles in international journals. Under his leadership, Bandipur Tiger Reserve has been ranked the second-best managed reserve among India’s 53 tiger reserves. Additionally, he has spearheaded several tribal development projects and led impactful outreach initiatives, including Bandipur Yuva Mithra.