Western Ghats Conservation programme

Communities in largely agrarian areas adjacent to forests are dependent on agriculture, livestock (which graze in the forests), and collection of non-timber forest produce (e.g. firewood, fodder, etc.) for their daily needs and livelihood. This dependence on forest areas can have serious negative impacts on the forests and wildlife. The level of this dependence is particularly high among poorer families and families that have settled recently in these villages.

A farmer at Shettihalli Resettlement

The Livelihood Support Programme aims to support such marginalised families by providing training programmes on income generation initiatives, improving farming practices, and assisting with the marketing of their farm produce, among other approaches, to successfully integrate them into the mainstream. This will also greatly reduce their dependence on forests, leading to the recovery of wildlife populations. Our team are particularly well placed to provide the required support as they have had a long and sustained engagement with these communities, as well as the frontline forest department staff and various government departments across these landscapes spanning the Western Ghats and southern Mysore plateau of Karnataka, as well as the Wayanad plateau of Kerala. 

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Team
 

Dr. Devcharan Jathanna

Dr. Devcharan Jathanna, known as Dev to his colleagues, has been integral to WCS-India, focusing on the ecology of large carnivores and their prey. He oversees field research and data processing, playing a key role in study design, data analysis, and publication-related activities. Dev provides technical support to various research programs, facilitates collaborations with national and international institutions, and assists in fundraising efforts. With an MSc in Wildlife Science from the Wildlife Institute of India and a Ph.D. from Manipal University, his expertise lies in small carnivore conservation in the Western Ghats, employing diverse methodologies including distance sampling and capture-recapture modelling. Dev is also actively involved in teaching and training initiatives, guiding students at the WCS-NCBS MSc Programme and conducting workshops across Asia.

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Dharnappa 

Dharnappa is actively involved in wildlife conservation in northern Karnataka.

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Guruprasad GP

Guruprasad is the University Rank holder in his Master's Degree in Environmental Science from the University of Mysuru. He is pursuing his PhD from Kuvempu University Shimogga. He worked as an Education officer at Mysuru Zoo before joining WCS-India, where he coordinates field activities.

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Dr. Jayanand Derekar

Jayanand is actively involved in wildlife conservation in northern Karnataka.

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Ramachandra Bhat

Ramachandra is actively involved in wildlife conservation in northern Karnataka.

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