Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare

Pawan Sharma

a)Why do they think they deserve the award

RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare) is one of the youngest APO and a member organization of FIAPO which is working at ground level for urban wildlife conservation and human wildlife conflict management in Mumbai city and surrounding districts.

The youth based organization has saved thousands of reptiles, birds and mammals from the city and successfully rehabilitated them following all the necessary protocols laid down by the concerned departments of the government.

Other than rescue rehab activities RAWW has actively been a part in community outreach initiatives to bring a social change by motivating people to share space with animals and promote coexistence to lead a better and stable life.

RAWW has conducted various awareness programs with commercial, residential and educational institutions sensitizing masses about wildlife protection and habitat conservation.

The organization has always supported government agencies like Forest Department, WCCB, Police and Municipal Corporation in dealing with wildlife emergencies and has been a part of several joint initiatives and rescue operations.

b)A 100 words note each on the below:

  • Number of years that the APO has been active
  • RAWW was floated in 2012 and is been active since then till date.
  • Objective(s) of APO
  • Human Wildlife Conflict Management
  • Awareness programs / Community Outreach
  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Helping victims of wildlife conflicts
  • Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation
  • Urban Wildlife Management
  • Habitat Restoration
  • Tree Plantation Drive
  • Scientific study and research (not involving experiments on live animals)
  • Media awareness and interaction for better communication
  • Motivating coexistence
  • Eradicate blind faith and rituals with scientifically proven facts
  • Details regarding infrastructure, if any, available for animals
  • RAWW provides free wildlife rescue services in the city with 24 hour emergency assistance across the city and surrounding districts.
  • RAWW has a 20 member wildlife rescue team with maximum students which has successfully been a part of various complex wildlife rescues and distress emergencies and has created a platform for the youth and other citizens to be a direct and indirect contributor and participant in conservation and welfare activities.
  • RAWW also has a dedicated animal ambulance for rescue support and assistance in cases of wildlife emergencies.
  • A pair of helpline numbers dedicated only for wildlife rescue and other such related activities.
  • Nature of ongoing work on behalf of animals, including where appropriate, numbers impacted etc.
  • More than 5000 animals, birds and reptiles rescued, rehabilitated, reunited, treated in and around Mumbai, Maharashtra.
  • Since Sanjay Gandhi National Park is within the Mumbai city and many suburbs share boundaries with the national park , with growing human population and development to meet its needs there are serious encroachments and habitat destruction due to which often instances of human animal / wildlife conflicts take place which are one of the most contemporary issues of urban wildlife management. RAWW provides help to the people as well as animals to deal with such situations in humane ways by 24 hour rescue and assistance services. There are thousands of animals, birds, reptiles which also reside within the city which also serves as a habitat to these wildkinds, RAWW tries to educate and make people aware about city as a habitat and further understands that animals do not understand boundaries and enter human settlements , RAWW rescues such lost / injured animals and rehabilitates them in the nearest suitable habitat and attempts to act as a bridge to erase the gap between people and animals.
  • Mumbai being one of the richest city also faces a serious issue of poaching and other types of wildlife trade, the organization closely works with the anti poaching unit of the forest department and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau in seizure of illegal animal articles, rescuing live animals and rehabilitating them in best possible, ethical and legal ways.
  • RAWW has also fostered 100s of animals which have been raided and seized by government authorities for transit period since there is a lack of rescue center or any such transit facility in Mumbai.
  • Impact and influence of APO work at local level
  • Authorized organization by the forest department to conduct wildlife rescue rehab activities in their respective jurisdiction.
  • Providing 24 hour rescue support and volunteer assistance to local Forest Department, Police, WCCB and Municipal Corporation in dealing with distress and emergencies related to wildlife and environment.
  • Providing free rescue and awareness services to people to deal with human wildlife conflicts.
  • Helping civil hospitals in snake bite cases , rescuing and rehabilitating reptiles from houses, factories etc back to their natural habitat.
  • Conducting educational programs like awareness sessions and nature trails for educational institutions.
  • Impact and influence of APO work at national level
  • RAWW has been a part of FIAPOs nationwide campaign of ending circus cruelty and has also actively participated in one of the largest rescue operation of Moonlight circus seizure from its Nanded, Maharashtra camp and has further helped in investigations and get leads to track down illegal and cruel circuses in Mumbai and Maharashtra.
  • The NGO has also supported and participated in the nationwide Vermin Issue , where many wild animals were directly declared vermin without opting scientific and humane ways of dealing with human wildlife conflicts.
  • RAWW has also raised one of the most serious issues of Marine Wildlife Conservation and its habitat destruction due to illegal and unethical human activities.
  • Innovativeness or ingenuity displayed in the course of work
  • The aim, motto and vision of the organization is rescue, conserve and coexist.
  • The trend setting approach RAWW follows and believes is conservation can only happen if it is done by the society as whole being united and not divided by individual levels, non governmental organizations and government organizations working in different directions.
  • The idea is to work hand in hand and erase the gap between government and non government sectors and agencies so that conservation becomes a united effort with better impact.
  • Spreading awareness and motivating about the need and importance of coexistence and accepting animals around us by sharing space and treating them with humanity and gratitude.

Best,

Pawan Sharma,

RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare), Mumbai, India

#Rescue #Conserve #Coexist