Improving Capacity and Strengthening Wildlife Conservation for Sustainable Livelihoods in Kashmir Himalaya’
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Annual Progress Report (April 2019 to March 2020) for the project entitled ‘Improving capacity and strengthening wildlife conservation for sustainable livelihoods in Kashmir Himalaya’ submitted by Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad Table of Contents S. No. Content Page No. Performa for the Annual Progress Report 1 - 18 Highlights of the Activities Carried Out Under the Project to Date 19 - 20 Chapter 1 Minutes of meeting with Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K 21 - 22 Chapter 2 Minutes of the Consultative Meeting with stakeholders at J&K 23 - 30 Chapter 3 Research work plan submitted to Department of Wildlife Protection, 31 - 33 J&K Chapter 4 Field data collection and laboratory analyses of hangul fecal samples 34 - 52 Chapter 5 Report on visit to hangul conservation breeding Centre at Shikargah, 53 - 57 J&K Chapter 6 Report on visiting scientist work plan at LaCONES under NMHS 58 project Chapter 7 Assessment of the population of carnivores using non-invasive DNA 59 based techniques Chapter 8 Questionnaire for screening health condition of livestock owned by 60 - 61 herders in Kashmir Himalaya Chapter 9 Report on Workshops –‘Wildlife Forensics and Wildlife Disease 62 - 66 Monitoring and diagnosis’ Chapter 10 Report on training provided under the workshop - ‘Skill Development 67 - 68 Program in Wildlife Forensics’ Chapter 11 Scientific discussion with Prof. Riyaz Shah, SKUAST–Kashmir and his 69 - 70 Plenary session at the International conference on ‘Advancements in Veterinary Sciences for Wildlife Conservation’ held at CCMB, Hyd Chapter 12 Brief write up on workshop-‘Communicating Conservation Research’ 71 - 72 Chapter 13 Report on workshop – ‘Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Bio- 73 - 77 Banking for Conservation of Endangered Wildlife’ at SKUAST, Srinagar, J&K Chapter 14 Report on workshops –‘Basics of R for Ecology and basic open source 78 - 85 GIS’ at CORD, KU, Srinagar, J&K Chapter 15 Maps and images generated during the study period 86 - 89 Annexure 1 Image of Garmin GPS 64sc SiteSurvey 90 Annexure 2 Image of HP Laser Jet MFP M226dw Printer 91 Annexure 3 Image of Eppendorf single channel 0.1 - 2.5µl pipette 92 Annexure 4 Image of Eppendorf single channel 2 - 2.0µl pipette 93 Annexure 5 Lowest price quotation for Spotting scope 94 Annexure 6 Lowest price quotation for Thermo-hygro i-buttons and its 95 - 96 accessories Annexure 7 Statement of Expenditure (February 7 - March 31, 2019) 97 Annexure 8 Statement of Expenditure (April 1, 2019 - March 31, 2020) 98 Annexure 9 Utilization Certificate 2019-2020 99 - 100 National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) NMHS Annual Progress Report – Proforma Kindly fill the NMHS Annual Progress Report segregated into following 11 segments, as applicable to the objectives & quantifiable outcomes of your NMHS Project. 1. Project Information 2. Project Site Details 3. Project Activities Chart w.r.t. Timeframe [Gantt or PERT] 4. Financial and Resource Information 5. Equipment and Asset Information 6. Expenditure Statement and Utilization Certificate (UC) 7. Project Beneficiary Groups 8. Project Progress Summary (as applicable to the project) 9. Project Linkages (with concerned Institutions/ State Agencies) 10. Knowledge Products– Publication, recommendations, etc. 11. Project Concluding Remarks Kindly attach a descriptive Annexure/ Files separately for the segments marked for the detailed description required. Please let us know in case of any query at: [email protected] NMHS Progress Report (Period from April 2019 to March 2020) 1. Project Information Project ID: NMHS/2018-19/MG54/05 Sanction Date: 21.12.2018 Project Title: Improving capacity and strengthening wildlife conservation for sustainable livelihoods in Kashmir Himalaya BTG: Biodiversity Conservation and Management & Skill Development and Capacity Building Thematic Work Areas: (i) Promoting recovery of Threatened Species by Involving State and Institutional Partners (ii) Strengthening of Delivery Systems of appropriate Rural Technologies through Skill Enhancement PI and Affiliation Dr. Karthikeyan Vasudevan, (Institution): Institution of the Indian PI, with Place: CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), Attapur Hyderguda, Hyderabad-500048 Name & Address Dr. G. Umapathy, of the Co-PI, if Institution of the Indian PI, with Place: CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular any: Biology, Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), Attapur, Hyderguda, Hyderabad 500 048.India Dr. Ajay Gaur, Institution of the Indian PI, with Place: CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), Attapur, Hyderguda, Hyderabad 500 048. India Dr. Sadanand Sontakke Institution of the Indian PI, with Place: CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), Attapur,Hyderguda, Hyderabad 500 048. India Structured Biodiversity conservation needs progressive measures that involve both Abstract - organizations and local communities. This project is an attempt towards capacity detailing the building of local communities and organizations for sustainable livelihood in NMHS 2020 NMHS-Annual Progress Report (APR) Pro Forma Page 1 of 100 current year Kashmir Himalaya through technological innovations. We specifically aim to progress [Word create a road map for the recovery of hangul Cervus hanglu using various Limit 250 words]: assisted reproduction technologies alongwith training personnels in the region engaged in wildlife population management. We also aim to create enhanced access to technologies that improve livelihood of people. To identify the potential breeding population, we collected fresh fecal pellets frompermanently marked trails in Dachigam National Park (10) and Shikargah, Tral Wildlife Sanctuary (6) by monitoring them once every month between September 2019 and March 2020. We analyzed the samples in the laboratory at LaCONES for reproductive and stress physiology profiling using Enzyme-linked Immunoassay ELISA (521 samples) and found that fecal estradiol and progesterone concentrations indicate estrous and cycling females between October and December. We also analyzed samples for individual identification using 14 polymorphic microsatellites (104) and sex identification. We trained more than 100 participants (30 women) including 27 forest officials, 60 PhD students, 2 project JRFs and 4 young faculties at various collaborating institutions through seven workshops. We also carried out awareness programmes for children and teachers in schools surrounding Protected areas. We visited Hangul conservation breeding centre at Shikargah, Tral and suggested the necessary amendments in the enclosure to improve its efficacy and expect that it will be ready soon to house the captured individuals. Project Partner Name Affiliations Role & Responsibilities Department of Wildlife Government of Jammu Department of Wildlife Protection is a Protection, Jammu and and Kashmir partner. The Department has been helping Kashmir us with permits to work in different parts of the valley, organizing and providing infrastructure for various workshops for capacity building to the officials including Range officers, Forest guards and Wildlife Veterinarian. Also, we have been continuously exchanging ideas and suggestions regarding the progress of the finalization of the Hangul Conservation Breeding Centre at Shikargah, Tral. Centre of Research for University of Kashmir, A beneficiary and partner in the project. Its Development (CORD) Hazratbal, Srinagar main role is to provide infrastructure, University of Kashmir, manpower and research inputs at local Srinagar level. It will also assist in organizing NMHS 2020 NMHS-Annual Progress Report (APR) Pro Forma Page 2 of 100 workshops and awareness programmes within the University. Wildlife Trust of India, Non-Government CCMB-LaCONES has an existing New Delhi Organization institutional MoU with WTI. WTI has been helping the Department of Wildlife Protection with rescue, rehabilitation and conservation of hangul. It will help us in developing protocols and questionnaires to sample the livestock population and its diseases. Wildlife Research Wildlife Research Conservation Foundation Conservation Foundation (WRCF) has been assisting us in organizing (WRCF), Rajbagh, Local NGO wildlife awareness programs in the schools Srinagar surrounding the protected areas in different parts of the Kashmir Valley. Division of Animal Sher-e-Kashmir University The Division of Animal Biotechnology, FVSc Biotechnology, FVSc & of Agriculture sciences & AH, SKUAST has the potential for Bio- AH, SKUAST, Sher-e- Kashmir (SKUAST-K), banking and the use of Assisted Kashmir University of Srinagar, J&K Reproductive Technologies for important Agriculture sciences wildlife species in Kashmir. The Kashmir (SKUAST-K) Department has been providing research inputs and infrastructure facilities to carry out training programmes and the Head of the Department was also invited to deliver a talk at the International Conference at CCMB, Hyderabad. 2. Project Site Details Project Site: Dachigam National Park, Srinagar and Shikargah, Tral Wildlife Sanctuary, Tral, Jammu and Kashmir IHR States Covered: Kashmir division, Jammu and Kashmir Long. & Lat.: 74°54ˈ & 32°44ˈ Site Maps* (No.): Figures 1 & 3 (Chapter 4) Site Photographs* (No.): Figure 2& Plate 1 (Chapter 4) *Attach a separate Descriptive