Celebration of Wildlife Week
02-08 October 2021
Since the endangered fishing cat is the State Animal of West Bengal and has a widespread distribution outside protected areas, we felt that an apt way of celebrating the National Wildlife Week would be to conduct awareness drives highlighting its significance and importance to the human communities alongside which it occurs.
From 2nd to 8th October, we conducted a series of street plays at various locations in the Howrah district. This was done in collaboration with The Fishing Cat Project, Howrah Division, West Bengal Forest Department and our local conservation partners Howrah Jela Joutho Poribesh Moncho and Shyampur Siddheswari Eco-club.
The objective of the street play was to reduce fear psychosis and ill-awareness of the fishing cat. Dramatising issues pertaining to wildlife is an effective conservation tool and especially helps to reach out to women and children. It was immensely satisfying to see the audience watch the play with rapt attention as their myths towards the fishing cat were being dispelled. The engaging play was written and performed by the local theatre group – Jhalapala. Their compelling enactment ensured that our message was conveyed to audience with utmost sincerity so that it would bring about a change in the way they view the fishing cat.