Guwahati, Aug 21: The Border Security Force (BSF) personnel stationed along the India-Bangladesh border in the Garo Hills region are tasked not only with securing the nation’s frontiers but also with managing interactions with wild elephants.
Biodiversity conservation organization from Northeast Aaranyak, has extended its efforts to the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel stationed along the India-Bangladesh border in the Garo Hills region of Meghalaya. Recognizing the challenges posed by encounters with wild elephants, Aaranyak, in collaboration with the Meghalaya Forest Department, conducted an outreach program on Monday to educate BSF personnel on how to safely interact with these majestic animals.
The program, held at the Khilapara Border Outpost (BOP), was led by experts from Aaranyak’s Elephant Research and Conservation Division (ERCD) – Dr. Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar, Hiten Baishya, and Abhijit Baruah. The initiative aimed to equip the BSF personnel from the 100th and 22nd Battalions with essential knowledge about the ecology, behavior, and characteristics of Asian elephants. Understanding these aspects is crucial for avoiding potentially dangerous confrontations with elephant herds that frequently cross the international border in this region.
Around 100 BSF personnel attended the sensitization program, including Deputy Commandants JS Bhati and Sunderer from the 22nd Battalion, and S. B. Marak, Forest Range Officer (FRO) of Tura Wildlife Division.
Dr. Bibhuti Lahkar introduced Aaranyak’s mission and its multi-stakeholder approach to biodiversity conservation, emphasizing the organization’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the human-elephant conflict (HEC) in the region. Hiten Baishya provided an overview of the ecological significance of Asian elephants and current conservation initiatives, while Abhijit Baruah focused on practical guidance for BSF personnel on how to handle encounters with wild elephants.
The BSF officials expressed their gratitude to Aaranyak for this valuable training, which not only helps ensure the safety of the personnel but also supports the conservation of Asian elephants, a species listed under Appendix I of the Convention on Migratory Species.
Aaranyak’s outreach is part of its broader mission to promote coexistence between humans and wildlife across the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam and the Garo Hills in Meghalaya. The organization works closely with local communities, forest departments, and other stakeholders to address the challenges of human-elephant conflict and ensure the protection of these important animals.
