A move aimed at bolstering wildlife protection and monitoring, the Siang team of the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology & the Environment (ATREE-Siang) organized a training workshop on the utilization of drones.

The event, reportedly held at Doying Gumin College, aimed to equip forest staff from Mouling National Park (MNP) and D Ering Wildlife Sanctuary (DEWS) with cutting-edge technology.

Twenty dedicated forest personnel, including MNP Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Bittem Darrang and DEWS DFO Kempi Ete, actively participated in the workshop, as per reports.

Darrang expressed appreciation for ATREE-Siang’s initiative, highlighting its commitment to fortify the protection and monitoring of biodiversity and wildlife in the Siang valley.

Additionally, Ete emphasized the workshop’s significance for ground staffers, noting that their division already possesses a drone. She also underlined the pivotal role drone technology can play in enhancing the protection and management of DEWS.

Moreover, the resource person from Assam Agricultural University, Priyanuz Goswami, stressed the imperative need for incorporating modern tools and techniques in wildlife monitoring and management.

Dr. Rajkamal Goswami, Fellow-in-residence at ATREE in Bangalore and project lead at ATREE-Siang, emphasized the collaborative approach required for the conservation and sustainable management of the Siang valley’s forest and biodiversity.

Notably, the workshop delved into the latest advancements in drone technology, providing insights into RGB image-based analytical tools tailored to the unique conservation challenges of the region.

The participants also reportedly witnessed field-based demonstrations of drone surveys.