From classrooms to forests: Debrigarh inspires students to ‘Conserve today for a wilder tomorrow’

In a unique step toward inclusive conservation, the authorities of Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary are preparing for the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) 2025-26 with the active participation of college and school students for the very first time. Under the inspiring motto ‘Conserve today for a wilder tomorrow’, this initiative aims to strengthen youth involvement in wildlife conservation and foster greater awareness about biodiversity protection.

As part of this new approach, 46 students from Dunguri College, Kamgaon College, and Lakhanpur High School will join the upcoming tiger census in November. Their involvement, officials believe, will help nurture a new generation of conservation leaders and ‘Ambassadors of Debrigarh’ who will carry forward the sanctuary’s mission of protecting wildlife.

“By engaging youth, we create a generation of future leaders, ambassadors of Debrigarh, and decision makers who shall be motivated to continue conservation efforts in the Sanctuary. This will also bring creative energy, enthusiasm, and passion, and can inspire community efforts for conservation in this landscape. More than 50 such Educational Institutions adjoining Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary have been taken into consideration as a long-term approach,” informed Anshu Pragyan Das, DFO Debrigarh.

DFO Anshu Pragyan Das' Bigger Aim:

“Training of these 46 students with respect to sampling protocols, data collection, different types of herbivores & carnivores to be surveyed during census etc has started from 28.10.2025 and shall continue until 1st week of November. Their knowledge building shall include understanding of signs, pugmarks, footprints, scraps, vocalization, other marks like scent/ rake marks, etc,” she further added.

The inclusion of students is expected to bring fresh ideas, energy, and enthusiasm that can inspire broader community participation in conservation efforts. Authorities have also identified over 50 educational institutions around the sanctuary for long-term collaboration, ensuring that youth engagement in conservation becomes a sustained effort rather than a one-time activity.

Training sessions for the 46 selected students began on October 28, 2025, and will continue until the first week of November. The sessions cover various aspects of wildlife monitoring — including sampling protocols, data collection techniques, and identification of herbivore and carnivore species. The training also includes field-based learning to recognise animal signs such as pugmarks, footprints, scrapes, scent marks, rake marks, and vocalisations.

26 census units formed

For the upcoming estimation, 26 census units have been formed within the sanctuary. Around 80 frontline forest officials will participate in the large-scale exercise, which is scheduled to commence in the second week of November. A total of 107 camera traps have already been deployed across 120 grids (each measuring 2 km x 2 km) on a rotational basis. The survey will employ sign surveys and Camera Trapping methods, and the collected data will undergo scientific analysis to assess the status of carnivores, herbivores, prey density, habitat conditions, and human impact.

The last AITE was conducted in 2022, followed by a detailed pre-monsoon sign survey in 2023. That survey estimated prey densities at 30 Sambar, 45 Gaur, and 65 Wild Boar per square kilometre, with an overall prey density of 46 animals per square kilometre—a rise from 38 per square kilometre recorded during the 2017 AITE. The same survey also estimated around 82 leopards in the sanctuary using the pugmark method.

Additionally, a Summer Census of Gaur, conducted between May 11 and May 13, 2025, recorded a total population of 788 Gaur, including 315 juveniles.
Debrigarh officials stated that the upcoming All India Tiger Estimation will not only generate vital data for national wildlife monitoring but also mark a new chapter in citizen participation, particularly the involvement of young minds in shaping the future of wildlife conservation.