The project to promote coexistence between people and wildlife was initiated in 2013 as part of a masters' thesis. Initially the project aimed to understand the causes behind high human injuries due to leopards in the region along with leopard ecology. Subsequently, the project also expanded its scope to study elephants and their interactions with people. We are currently operating across several districts in West Bengal. 

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Objectives:

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1. Minimize human casualties due to encounters with leopards and elephants

2. Minimize livestock and crop losses due to leopard and elephant

3. Ensure safe movement for elephant between fragmented forests

4. Climate resilience and ecological restoration in tea-plantations

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Activities:

1. Socio-Ecological research on leopard diet, habitat-use and human-leopard

interactions

2. Socio-Ecological research on elephant home range, movement, human-elephant

interactions

3. Assessment of current conflict mitigation measures to develop better and

sustainable models

4. Awareness and education programs across 20 critical tea-estates on safety

practices to prevent wildlife encounters

5. Quick Response Teams among villagers in tea-estates: Training and facilitation

6. Ecological restoration activities in tea-plantations

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