An initial study of the ecological functioning and livelihood impacts of wildlife corridors in Kaziranga National Park, Assam, north east India.

By Lydia Cole, MSc. Biodiversity, Conservation and Management, Oxford University Centre for the Environment

Between May and August, 2008, I was lucky enough as a TAAF awardee to carry out research for my Masters Dissertation on the wildlife corridors of Kaziranga National Park, in north east India. The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of these corridors, which link the Park with adjacent forest reserves. Kaziranga National Park, a World Heritage Site, is an important area for wildlife conservation, providing a habitat for many rare species. With human development in the region, the Park has become increasingly isolated, and thus relies on wildlife corridors to enable the persistence of the species it houses. However, the success and impact of these landscape features has not been assessed.

Data gathered from social surveys and Rapid Biodiversity Assessments suggests that Kaziranga’s wildlife corridors are not being used effectively by the wildlife of the Park, with animals straying into the human-dominated landscape. Here they are causing damage to property, especially crops, impacting negatively on rural livelihoods. This insight is vital if conservation and development goals are to be met in the region. The Forest Department must consider human impact more in future management plans, and should help the local communities more to protect themselves from wildlife damage. This study has highlighted for me the complexity of conservation, especially reconciling conservation and development goals, and has given me invaluable experience of on-the-ground research.

I would like to thank the Tropical Agriculture Association for giving me the opportunity to carry out this research. I have found it immensely interesting and valuable, on an academic and personal level. Apart from travel costs, the major part of the awarded money was spent on field guides and local assistants, especially from Wild Grass Resort, which is an outstanding example of responsible tourism and community development. I am so pleased we were able to conduct this research in this important area, using local guides who have limited opportunities to use their skills. We hope to continue working with Butterfly Northeast and associated workers based at Wild Grass, Kaziranga, and to build up the capacity for more research on KNP.