Untrained Wildlife Wardens, Here is a Piece of Advice For You

Many of our wildlife reserves are managed by officers, who have no formal training in wildlife management. This creates lot of impediments in properly managing wildlife reserves.

I agree that it may not be a feasible proposition to train all officers in wildlife management techniques. Let me ask you a small question. What prevents you from reading wildlife literature? Read everything that you can lay your hands on, concerning the species that you manage. If you are thorough with ecology and behaviour of the species, you will not go wrong in your assessment of ecosystem needs. You will not go about building check dams where it is not needed. You will not go about scraping grass in a pristine grass land ecosystem. I am giving two examples. The list is lengthy.

Reading literature also empowers you. You will be able to talk on equal terms with scientists. You will create a great image about the department in the minds of people interacting with you. The name of the state also gets a boost in the process.

So guys go ahead and read pertinent literature. This is not sermon; it is a sane piece of advice from a man who has spent 30 years in wildlife and has gone around the world after retirement on the strength of experience gained in the field. I can assure you, it is big bonus that you gain in the field. People sit up and take notice of what you are talking and they do it with rapt attention.