ABOUT US
WildCAT-C, a Non-Government Organization, is a trust registered under the provisions of the Indian Trusts Act, 1882. The Trust was registered in the year 2000 and is managed by a board of trustees. All the members of our group are either from Chikkamagaluru or nearby places, who are interested in conservation of wildlife and natural resources. Our operations are supported by our members on a voluntary basis.
OUR VISION
Flourishing wildlife in a healthy habitat in its natural environment in our home district Chikkamagaluru of Karnataka, India.
OUR MISSION
Protect wildlife and its habitat in Chikkamagaluru, through science based conservation actions, advocacy, legal and policy interventions, community support and nature education.
OUR CORE VALUES
We are driven by the passion for wildlife and our homeland. To achieve our vision and mission, we work with unwavering commitment. A high level of morale, ethical standards and being trustful in our work, has been our signature trait. We believe that conservation happens only when the people value their surroundings. Therefore, we have a strong community centric approach and work respectfully, legally and responsibly with all concerned. Our motto is wildlife conservation. Hitherto and forevermore, our work has been and will be, to secure our wildlife and its associated lands.
HOW WE STARTED
In the 1990s, nature and its conservation needs in our neighborhood steered us together to effectively educate ourselves, understand, appreciate and to be better informed of the intricate balances played out on our lands. We, a motley group, were mentored and ably guided by our advisor D V Girish on the finite nuances of our natural habitat and her intended habitants. We started visiting our forested landscapes regularly and meeting every Saturday evening to discuss concerns and possible solutions. This momentum of conservation activism to protect our sacred rivers, wildlife and mountains gave rise to a new chapter in the conservation efforts in Chikkamagaluru, with the birth of “WildCAT-C” in the year 2000.
HOW WE WORK
We are a boots-on-ground action-oriented group who strongly believe in voluntary participation. We monitor our landscape through regular patrolling, record activities that are detrimental to our landscape, and work with the government authorities, co-residents, political leaders, and other relevant stakeholders to address these challenges. We work on addressing challenges that are lethal to wildlife in our area, including the pressure due to detrimental activities, wildlife poaching and trade, forest encroachment etc. Additionally, having a great interest in natural history, our members record biodiversity in the area which has led to an accumulation of a formidable and reliable database.
Notably, we have limited our operations to our home district Chikkamagaluru, to focus on the effectiveness of our impact. Also, our organization is self-funded, and the operational needs are met by generous contributions from our members and well-wishers, voluntarily.
MILESTONES
