• Vulture Conservation Initiative
• Vulture Conservation Initiative
Aaranyak is involved in community-led conservation of threatened species of vultures in Assam. The programme addresses threats from NSAID poisoning, habitat loss and carcass poisoning. Initiatives include citizen science-based monitoring, safe vulture feeding zones, nest guardianship campaigns, and vaccination drives to reduce diclofenac risks.
Aaranyak is involved in community-led conservation of threatened species of vultures in Assam. The programme addresses threats from NSAID poisoning, habitat loss and carcass poisoning. Initiatives include citizen science-based monitoring, safe vulture feeding zones, nest guardianship campaigns, and vaccination drives to reduce diclofenac risks.
==Awards and recognition==
Aaranyak has received several national and international honours for its conservation initiatives. Major awards include the Mark Shand Award (2024) from Elephant Family, the SGP Best Innovation Award by UNDP–TERI, the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar (2012), the RBS Earth Guardian Award (2011), and the Lighthouse Activity Award (2014) for its flood early warning system. Its documentary মানাহ আৰু মানুহ (Manas and People) won the Best Environment Film at the 68th National Film Awards (2022).
The organisation has also been recognised as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO) by the Government of India (2006), affiliated as a research institute with Dibrugarh University (2018), and admitted as a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2010. Aaranyak has represented civil society in the National Board for Wildlife (2014–2017), and its Secretary General, Dr. Bibhab Talukdar, serves as a member of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).
Indian non-governmental organisation
 |
|
| Formation | 1989 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Bibhab Kumar Talukdar |
| Type | Charitable Trust |
| Focus | Environmentalism, Conservation, Ecology |
| Headquarters | Guwahati |
| Location | |
|
Area served |
Eastern Himalayas |
| Method | Education, lobbying, research, consultancy |
|
Executive Director |
Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar |
|
Key people |
Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Dr. Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar, Dr. Purnima Devi Barman, Dr. Partha Jyoti Das, Dr. M. Firoz Ahmed, Dr. Dilip Chetry, Mr. Jimut Prasad Sarma, Dr. Abdul Wakid, Mr. Udayan Borthakur, Dr. Parag Jyoti Deka |
| Website | www.aaranyak.org |
Aaranyak is a leading environmental conservation NGO[1] based in Guwahati.[2] It was founded by Bibhab Kumar Talukdar. It is a Scientific, Industrial Research and frontline environmental organization of India.[3][4] It works all over the eastern Himalayan region on nature conservation, natural resources management, climate change, disaster management and livelihood enhancement of marginalized communities through research, education and advocacy.[5]
The group says its mission is to foster conservation of biodiversity in Northeast India through research, environmental education, capacity building and advocacy for legal and policy reform to usher a new era of ecological security.[6]
History
Aaranyak was founded on 9 September 1989 in Guwahati.[citation needed] Aaranyak has broadened its scope to include applied research, conservation action, environmental education, and capacity building for forest-dependent communities to promote sustainable livelihoods.[citation needed]
Divisions and Programmes
Aaranyak operates through several specialised divisions and initiatives, each addressing different aspects of conservation:
• Conservation and Livelihood Division (CLD) – Established in 2004 to reduce forest dependency of fringe communities and provide sustainable livelihood alternatives.
• Environment Education and Capacity Building Division – Focuses on environmental awareness, training and advocacy since the organisation’s inception.
• Elephant Research and Conservation Division (ERCD) – Works on human–elephant conflict mitigation, elephant ecology and habitat restoration.
• Gangetic Dolphin Research and Conservation Division (GDRCD) – Founded in 2005 to conserve the endangered Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) in the Brahmaputra system.
• Geo-spatial Technology and Application Division (GTAD) – Established in 2004, specialising in GIS and remote sensing for conservation planning.
• Greater Adjutant Conservation Programme (GACP) – Initiated in 2009, focusing on community-based conservation of the endangered Greater Adjutant stork (Leptoptilos dubius).
• Herpetofauna Research and Conservation Division (HRCD) – Conducts research on amphibians and reptiles of Northeast India since 1997.
• Legal and Advocacy Division (LAD) – Works on wildlife crime prevention and policy advocacy, including the D.E.T.E.R.S. initiative.
• Primate Research and Conservation Division (PRCD) – Established in 2002, focusing on non-human primate conservation.
• Rhino Research and Conservation Division (RRCD) – Established in 1994 to conserve the Greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis).
• Tiger Research and Conservation Division (TRCD) – Initiated in 2005, conducting ecological research on tigers, prey species and habitats in Northeast India.
• Threatened Species Recovery Programme (TRSP) – Established in 2018 in collaboration with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, focusing on pygmy hog population recovery.
• Water, Climate and Hazards Division (WATCH) – Established in 2001 to address water, disaster management and climate change issues.
• Wildlife Genetics Division (WGD) – Founded in 2008, pioneering conservation genetics research in the region.
Notable Initiatives
• K9 Sniffer Dog Squad
Launched in 2011 under the leadership of Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, the K9 Squad assists law enforcement agencies in combating wildlife crime, particularly rhino poaching. Belgian Malinois dogs are trained in scent detection, tracking and anti-poaching operations. The squad has been instrumental in solving over 150 cases across Assam’s protected areas, including Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, Manas National Patk & Tiger Reserve, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Orang National Park.
• Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM)
Aaranyak implements Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programmes to promote sustainable use of forests and biodiversity in Northeast India, where over 16 million rural people depend on forest resources for livelihoods. Since 2017, the organisation has collaborated with indigenous communities to document traditional conservation practices and support alternative livelihoods. Current efforts are focused on the Kaziranga–Karbi Anglong and Manas landscapes, integrating community participation with forest and wildlife conservation.
• Vulture Conservation Initiative
Aaranyak is involved in community-led conservation of threatened species of vultures in Assam. The programme addresses threats from NSAID poisoning, habitat loss and carcass poisoning. Initiatives include citizen science-based monitoring, safe vulture feeding zones, nest guardianship campaigns, and vaccination drives to reduce diclofenac risks.
Awards and recognition
Aaranyak has received several national and international honours for its conservation initiatives. Major awards include the Mark Shand Award (2024) from Elephant Family, the SGP Best Innovation Award by UNDP–TERI, the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar (2012), the RBS Earth Guardian Award (2011), and the Lighthouse Activity Award (2014) for its flood early warning system. Its documentary মানাহ আৰু মানুহ (Manas and People) won the Best Environment Film at the 68th National Film Awards (2022).
The organisation has also been recognised as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO) by the Government of India (2006), affiliated as a research institute with Dibrugarh University (2018), and admitted as a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2010. Aaranyak has represented civil society in the National Board for Wildlife (2014–2017), and its Secretary General, Dr. Bibhab Talukdar, serves as a member of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).
Books from Aaranyak
| Name of book | Language |
|---|---|
| Amphibians and Reptiles of Northeast India- A Photographic Guide[7] | Assamese, English |
| Indian Rhinos in Protected Areas of Assam | English |
| Role of Policy and Institutions in Local Adaptation to Climate Change | English |
