Women Forest Guards Breathe New Life In Palamu Tiger Reserve

Wildlife management in forest reserves is the latest profession where women have broken the proverbial glass ceiling in recent times. Jharkhand’s Palamu Tiger Reserve last year in August appointed women forest guards. Scholastica Toppo and Manju Kumari are two of the three women who PTR inducted as the forest guards in its south division.

These women work in equal capacity as their male counterparts and learn various aspects of wild life management like lesson in camera trapping etc while on the job. Toppo studied from Delhi University and Kumari graduated in MSc Physics from Ranchi University. While they are from different educational backgrounds, forest ranger Ashok Kumar Singh told The Pioneer that these women are learning the jungle sentiments fast.

Kumari has found new love for wildlife and says that she never knew she would care for the wildlife to such an extent in PTR

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Toppo said that on her first day in her new job, she was more excited rather than afraid. She recollected that once she had an encounter with an elephant at night when she was coming down from a party of an officer’s house in Daltonganj, Ranchi. The elephant just stood ahead of the vehicle she was in. She said the elephant did not harm anyone. It was almost indifferent to them, perhaps a bit confused as to how human beings have become nocturnal like them. When in jungle during the summer, she has her water with her as she is yet to find out where she would get water for human consumption, reported The Pioneer.

However, Kumari has found new love for wildlife and says that she never knew she would care to such an extent for the wildlife in PTR.

In total, 60 new forest guards have been appointed in PTR. This has brought life back to range offices in the Reserve. Ranger Singh said that two years back, their offices resembled haunted houses, but now that new guards have come, the offices brim with life.

Picture credit- MouthShut.com

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