Aaranyak, a prominent research-oriented biodiversity conservation organisation based in Guwahati, has undertaken the task of training frontline forest officials from various divisions of the Assam Forest Department in GPS technology for the ongoing Elephant Estimation 2024 exercise.
Global Positioning System or GPS plays a pivotal role in accurately determining the ground position of objects, a crucial aspect of wildlife monitoring and conservation efforts.
At the request of Assam’s Goalpara Divisional Forest Officer or DFO Tezas Mariswamy, a team of experts from Aaranyak conducted GPS training sessions for forest officials at the DFO office premises. Aaranyak’s senior official Arup Kumar Das led the training, providing practical demonstrations and presenting GIS-based block maps essential for the Elephant Estimation exercise.
“We showcased GIS-based block maps of different ranges of Goalpara Forest Division. Approximately, 70 forest officials attended the program, with around 15 receiving hands-on GPS training,” stated Arup Das.
Responding to a similar request from Kamrup West DFO Dimpi Bora, Arup Das and another Aaranyak expert Madhumita Borthakur conducted GPS training sessions for forest officials. They also prepared block maps crucial for elephant population estimation.
Further extending their support, Arup Das assisted the Tinsukia Wildlife Division in preparing block maps and providing GPS training for the ongoing Elephant Estimation 2024 in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. This effort aims to enhance the accuracy of elephant sighting recordings, facilitating conservation and habitat management endeavours.
“In addition to GPS training, we also provided training on the GPS Essential mobile app and conducted practical sessions on uploading block boundaries in GPS using Base Camp software,” remarked GIS-GPS expert Arup Das.
Aaranyak conservation biologist Dr Dipankar Lahkar contributed to the training efforts by providing Elephant Population Estimation training to the staff of Chirang Forest Division at the DFO office.
The Elephant Estimation exercise serves as a crucial tool for guiding conservation efforts, assessing population health, understanding habitat requirements, and formulating strategies to mitigate human-elephant conflicts. Through these training initiatives, Aaranyak aims to equip forest officials with the necessary skills and tools to ensure the success of these conservation efforts.
