Transcript Slide 1

Call of the Helpless King
Help Save the Lions of Gir, India
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Wildlife Conservation Trust Profile
Wildlife Conservation Trust is a registered NGO. We
Coordinate, Participate, Motivate and Assist in Asiatic
Lion and Gir Conservation Programmes.
T H E
T E A M
Kishore Kotecha
Dr. M G Maradia
Rama Sachidanand
Ramnik Chondigra
Balendra Vaghela
Kamlesh Shah
Tushar Gokani
Real Estate Developer at Rajkot
Suptd, Rajkot ZOO
Environ Head, The Galaxy Edu. System
Builder and Contractor
Naturalist and Computer Professional
Advocate at Rajkot
Advocate at Rajkot
Kamlesh Adhiya
Computer Professional
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~ Importance of Gir and Asiatic Lion ~
The Gir Protected
Area, spread over
1412 km2, is
located in Gujarat
(India). It is the
only place in the
world where the
Asiatic Lion
survives. It is one
of the rarest wild
cats in the world.
It is classified as "Critically Endangered" by World Conservation Union.
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Do we want our children to see these
beautiful cats only in a Museum or Zoo?
In the beginning of 19th century when there were about 20 lions in wild,
efforts of the Nawab (King) of Gir saved it from extinction. Today due to
conservation efforts of the Gujarat Forest Department and tolerant local
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people, the lion population has gone up to 359.
~ Threats Today ~
Asiatic Lion faces many threats like congestion, roads &
religious places inside the GPA, human pressure, man-animal
conflict, genetic limitations and poaching. But man-made
Open Wells surrounding the Gir forest is the most severe
threat that the lion and other wild animals face today.
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What can you see in this picture?
Electric
Wires
Tree
Electric
Pole
Greenery
&
Landscape
Greenery & Landscape… Tree… Electric pole….
And yes there are electric wires too….
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But can you see UNPROTECTED or
OPEN WELL in the picture?
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What are Open Wells?
Open wells are deep
pits; 60 to 100 feet
deep, without
parapets or
boundary walls.
They are dug by
farmers as a source
of water for irrigation
and livestock.
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Why are the Farmers not protecting
their Open Wells?
Most of the farmers
in Gir are poor with
very small land
Age of 70 earning $8 per week
Roof to keep rain away
holding. Hence most
of them cannot
afford to barricade
their wells.
Fully fitted kitchen!
Poor man’s white house!
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Why do the Animals fall into Open Wells ?
Lions and other wild
animals regularly stray
outside due to overcrowding inside the
sanctuary and in
search of food.
There are more than
9000 open-wells in 6km
periphery surrounding
the Gir Forest
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Most of these
wells are hidden in
the surrounding
vegetation and by
the time animal
realizes it’s
presence it is too
late.
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All types of Wild
animals like Lions,
Leopards,
Crocodiles,
Pythons, Deer etc.
accidentally fall
into Open Wells
and die due to
drowning.
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Many of these wells
have become
slippery in time
because of soil
erosion on the edge.
Such dry and
abandoned wells are
more dangerous.
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There are about 400
leopards in Gir. They
stray outside the
sanctuary more than
lions. Hence,
leopard incidences
are likely to be
higher than that of
the lion.
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Risky Rescue Operations
The Gir Protected
Area is a big area with
poor internal roads.
Thus, it is not always
possible to reach the
incidence spot and
successfully rescue the
animal.
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Rescued animals are
seriously injured and
sometimes permanently
disabled. They are not fit
to be released back into
the wild.
For e.g. one such
rescued lion lost its
vision and spent rest of
its life at Sakkarbaug
Zoo in blindness.
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Unbelievable But True !
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Incidences
(till 31-5-08) 53
Deaths
28
Rescued
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From 2001 until May 2008, 53 Open Well incidences
were recorded in which 28 lions died!
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What is more dangerous?
Open Well or Poaching!
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In last few years
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Lion deaths due to
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Electrocution = 7
10
5
Poaching = 8
0
Open Wells = 28
Electrocution
7
Poaching
8
Open Wells
28
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Damage to Humans
Apart from wild animals even domestic cattle and sometimes small children of poor labours fall into Open Wells. 19
What needs to be done?
Sadly Open Well is the most
serious problem with the most
simple solution.
Time has come to act fast and
barricade all the Open Wells
as soon as possible.
Threats like poaching and
genetic limitations are relatively
tough to check. But ‘most fatal’
open wells. is something that
can be controlled.
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What have we done so far?
We are the first NGO to sign MoU with the Forest
Department to barricade Open Wells. In association
with other NGOs and Corporates, we have completed
barricading 781 Wells till Mar 31, 2008.
Currently we are working with TATA Chemicals Ltd,
‘Lions of Gir Foundation – USA’ by US citizen Mr.
Steve Mandel and Vanishing Herds Foundation for
barricading more wells.
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Innovative RCC Slab Design
The usual method of
barricading a well is using
lime stone which is very
costly and time consuming.
After hard work and
numerous field trials, we
designed a unique pre-cast
RCC Slab Design. This
design is economical,
strong, fast to install, better
earthquake resistant and environ friendly. It is approved by State Forest
Department.
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Field Work?
Forest Dept has divided the 6km peripheral area around Gir forest
into five zones depending on lion movement and risk of accidents.
A village is chosen as per the priority list. A villagers’ meet is
arranged to get their support and then real field work begins.
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AN APPEAL FOR DONATION
We request your help
by participating in our
endeavour to save
last surviving lions.
With a small donation
YOU can prevent the
needless death and
injury of these
beautiful and highly
endangered animals.
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COST FOR BARRICADING ONE WELL
Indian
Rs
US $
UK £
Avg. Cost per Well
10000
250
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Less Aid by Forest Dept
4000
100
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Donation needed per Well
6000
$150
£75
Can we afford to lose 5–6 LIONS every year just for
Rs 6000 i.e. $150 US or £75 UK per Well?
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INDIVIDUAL DONORS
The whole process from receiving funds to installing the
barricades is transparent. Each donor will precisely know
where his contribution is used.
On completion of the work, we will send to each donor:
- An e-mail with detail & photograph of the Open Wells done
- GPS points so to view the work done by using Google Earth.
- Each donor will also be given a Certificate of Participation.
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CORPORATE DONORS
Corporates have two options to choose from
DONATE TO US or WORK DIRECTLY
If you choose to work directly, we will provide you with Total
Solution of the project, FREE OF CHARGE. Our only
objective is to get the work done.
For ten or more wells, name of the donor can be permanently
embossed on the RCC slabs.
Please call us for Personal Meeting or Field Visit.
Donations to WCT are exempted U/S 80G(5) of IT Act.
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We Heartily Thank the Participants / Donors
1. TATA Chemicals Ltd
2. WWF-India N. Delhi
3. Vanishing Herds
Foundation – Mumbai
4. Mr. Steve Mandel – USA
5. Rameshbhai Bakrania -UK
6. Rajubhai Thakrar – UK
7. Vinodbhai Vadher – UK
8. Nistha Public Charitable
Trust – Baroda
9. Parekh Marine– Jamnagar
11. Rajkot Builders Association
12. R R Constructions Rajkot
13. Rajubhai Daftary Rajkot
14. Parthiv Patel – A’bad
15. Mrs. Monaben Sheth
Governor,Lions Club Intl. 323j
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For information, personal meeting and field visit please contact
Kishore Kotecha, Exec. Dir. (98240 62062)
Rama Sachidanand, Hon. Exec. (99988 08581)
Wildlife Conservation Trust
128 Star Plaza, Phulchhab Chowk, Rajkot – Gujarat – India Ph: +91 281 2444074 +91 98240 62062
Em: [email protected], Web: www.asiaticlion.org News Blog: http://asiatic-lion.blogspot.com
Our Trust is. Non-Profit Organisation (Reg. No. E /8147 /Rajkot)
Donation to our Trust is exempted U/S 80G(5) of IT Act 1961.
Chqs to be drawn in the name of Wildlife Conservation Trust.
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Donors are welcome to get project reference
Mr. Pradeep Khanna, PCCF-WL and Chief Wildlife Warden, Gandhinagar – Gujarat, [email protected]
Mr. Divyabhanusinh Chavda, President of WWF India and Member of Cat Specialist Group, IUCN
Author of ‘The Story of Asia’s Lion (2005) and The Cheetah in India (1995), [email protected]
Mr. Bharat Pathak, Conservator of Forest (WL), Junagadh – 362002 – Gujarat, [email protected]
Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO, WWF – India, [email protected]
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Thank You
Open Well Presentation Version 3.1 Date:1-6-2008
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