The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is a self-governing organization for natural resources formed in 1982 under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change in India. WII focuses on wildlife research, covering areas like Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Wildlife Policy, Wildlife Management, and more. They have a research facility with sections for Forensics, Remote Sensing, GIS, Laboratory, Herbarium, and an Electronic Library. Notable figures include founder director V. B. Saharia and first Director Hemendra Singh Panwar. WII, in collaboration with NTCA and state forest departments, conducts the national tiger census, known as the All India Tiger Estimation.
The institute is in Dehradun, India, specifically in Chandrabani near the southern forests of Dehradun. The campus spans 180 acres, with 100 acres dedicated to wilderness and 80 acres for operational facilities. It’s near Rajaji National Park. The training for direct recruits of India Forest Service Officers and State Forest Officers happens here.
Agenda of WII
The research plans are decided by a group called the Training, Research Advisory Committee (TRAC). This team includes experts in conservation, academics, and representatives from scientific and state wildlife organizations. They make sure the research aligns with national conservation priorities. The TRAC meets twice a year to check on ongoing research and plan for future projects.
Ongoing Projects
Wildlife Science is a growing field in India, focusing on practical, field-based work. It deals with the challenges of human settlements in forests, local needs, and the impact of the market on wildlife. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) aims to support nationwide conservation by gathering scientific information and training experts like biologists, wildlife ecologists, socio-economists, and managers.
WII conducts extensive research on various aspects of wildlife conservation, including ecology, biology, management, and socio-economics. This helps the Institute stay updated on current situations, management requirements, and research trends, ensuring that their teaching methods and contributions are always relevant.
Directors of WII
Dhananjai Mohan is the current director of the Wildlife Institute of India since December 2019. Before this role, he served as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Planning and Financial Management, and Chairman of the State Biodiversity Board in Uttarakhand.
Previous directors include:
– Vinod Bihari Mathur, from February 2014 to around June 2019.
– Radha Krishna Goel, in the year 2013 to February 2014.
– Priya Ranjan Sinha, from September 2004 to June 2013.
– The first director of the Wildlife Institute of India was Hemendra Singh Panwar, serving from 1985 to 1994.