Tenkasi District Forest Division (Tamil Nadu) Launches ‘Golden Jackal Ambassadors’ Scheme for Conservation

Key facts

• The population of golden jackal is rapidly dwindling due to indiscriminate construction activities being taken up in the areas closer to residential areas after removing the forests and shrubs.
• The ‘Golden Jackal Ambassadors’ scheme targets schools and colleges to train students as ambassadors for conserving golden jackal.
• Students badged as ‘Golden Jackal Ambassadors’ will disseminate messages on conserving golden jackal, rescuing and treating injured golden jackals and releasing them back in the forests.
• Lack of awareness among the public on conserving small animals like golden jackal, mongoose, ant-eater, tortoise, snakes, monitor lizard etc. has led to the sharp fall in their population.
• The ‘Friends of Elephants’ scheme has started yielding good results as villagers cooperate in alerting forest personnel about elephants entering ranches or hamlets.
• Forest department cultivates native plants inside the forest preferred by elephants to create sufficient food.