New Anti-Poaching Vans to Help Tigers in India
This summer the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) received some very welcome new additions. Four new anti-poaching awareness vans were added to the non-profit’s squad of vehicles, bringing their total to seven. These vans are set to travel to remote areas in central India, spreading their message of conservation through public discussions and film screenings.
Purpose of the anti-poaching vans
Since being founded in 1994, WPSI has become one of the most respected and effective wildlife conservation organisations in India. Their anti-poaching vans operate around the fringe forest villages of six national parks including Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench National Park, all of which are tiger habitat.
First launched in 2011, the project’s audio-visual vans are painted with bands of black and orange tiger stripes. They’re systematically taken from village to village, where their arrival is eagerly awaited by the local people. In each location, they offer a local language screening of a film called ‘The Truth about Tigers’ in order to raise awareness about the plight of the country’s tiger population.
As well as the film, the WPSI team is often joined by Forest officers to help build the relationship between local people and the Forest Department. Meaningful discussions are held to find solutions to local disputes. In addition, villagers are informed of any government projects that they could benefit from, including employment and compensation schemes.
