Guwahati: More than 1,500 school students living around Manas National Park have been introduced to wildlife and ecological conservation through a series of outreach programmes organised by forest authorities, an official said on Tuesday.

The initiatives were held under the Manas Mitra Programme (Friends of Manas), launched by the Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve to strengthen ties between local communities and conservation efforts.

Field Director C Ramesh told PTI that the programme was launched on November 14, 2024, at the Bansbari range on the occasion of Children's Day with a focus on involving students and youth in environmental awareness activities.

"Since its launch, the programme has aimed at promoting understanding of the ecological importance of the Manas landscape and encouraging community participation in wildlife conservation," he said.

As part of the initiative, nature orientation sessions were organised from February this year across fringe villages surrounding the reserve. The programme covered 22 schools and reached 1,537 students.

The sessions focused on the biodiversity and ecological significance of the tiger reserve, including awareness about wildlife protection and conservation. Students were also given animal masks and customised pencils as souvenirs.

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.