Imagine stepping out of your classroom and into the great outdoors … feeling the squish of wetland soil beneath your fingers, spotting birds through binoculars, and watching fish dart beneath plants in a tank that mimics the hidden world of a lake.
That’s exactly what the first batch of students of our 6-month Chilika stewardship program experienced!
Over the course of the program, students from 3 schools learned to:
Measure the salinity of water where freshwater meets the sea.
Tell an Otter from a Fishing Cat by their tracks and scats.
Observe submerged plants and fish behaviour at the Lifeline of Chilika Education Centre
… and so much more!
It wasn’t just about observing — they created their own eco-projects, shared ideas with peers, and discovered how their actions can protect Chilika and the lives it supports. 
Mo Chilika Mo Gorbo is a Pilot Program Run in Collaboration with The Fishing Cat Project
Mo Chilika Mo Gorbo is a pilot program run in collaboration with The Fishing Cat Project and with support from The Habitats Trust for the betterment of the ecosystem, the wildlife and the people it supports.
The program is taking children out of classrooms and into their environment, so they can see, touch, and care for the world they live in.
As we gear up for more batches, we celebrate these young explorers who remind us that love for nature grows when you experience it firsthand. 
This initiative was made possible in collaboration with Chilika Development Authority (CDA), Centre for Environmental Studies (CES), with support from Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance and Future For Nature.
Learn more about HEAL’s Efforts in Protecting the Fishing Cat