Uttarakhand: Wildlife Week 2025 celebrated in Dehradun, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav launches 5 national projects

Wildlife Week 2025 was celebrated at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun. The event was presided over by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav. The event was organized by the Ministry in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India, the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, IGNFA, and the Forest Research Institute. Significantly, the Union Minister also launched five national projects during the event.

Project Dolphin Phase II Launch: In Dehradun, the Union Minister launched five national-level projects for species conservation and conflict management. Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided his vision and guidance on various topics during the National Wildlife Board meeting. Various projects related to this initiative have been launched, including Project Dolphin (Phase II).

Project Sloth Bear: The second phase of Project Dolphin has been launched to strengthen conservation measures for riverine and marine dolphins across the country. Additionally, Project Sloth Bear was launched, launching a national implementation framework and a newsletter for sloth bear conservation.

Action Plan for Gharial Conservation: Progress was also made on Project Gharial during the event. The action plan and project brochure for Gharial Conservation were released. The program also marked the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Human-Wildlife Conflict Management in the state. A decision was made to establish a national centre in Sakon to promote policy, research, and field-based solutions.

Tiger-Human Conflict: Initiatives based on technology, training, and community engagement were implemented to resolve conflicts between tigers and humans outside protected areas. The Union Minister also unveiled four national action plans and field guides, including the second phase of the census of river dolphins and other cetacean species, the All India Tiger Estimation Cycle-6, the Snow Leopard Population Estimation Plan, and progress reports on the Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican.

The event also hosted the finals of the National Hackathon on Human-Wildlife Coexistence, which saw participation from 120 teams of 420 young people from 75 institutions across 20 states and union territories. At the finals, held in Dehradun, the top six finalists presented their innovations before the Minister and an expert jury. The top three winners were awarded cash prizes and certificates, while the other finalists received commendation awards.