Siliguri, 07th October: A special programme was organised at the Nature Interpretation Centre of Bengal Safari in Siliguri on Wednesday on the occasion of Wildlife Week 2026, where 24 people who contributed to the successful rescue of an elephant calf from the Teesta River were honoured.
The programme was organised by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), in collaboration with Baikunthapur Forest Department and Nature and Wildlife Association (NWA). As part of WTI’s ‘Gaj Utsav’ campaign, the 24 people who played a role in safely rescuing the elephant calf from the Teesta River on September 21, 2026, were presented with ‘Gaja Mitra Awards’.
The awardees included Forest Department personnel, local fishermen and Teesta Barrage gatekeepers. They were recognised for their timely intervention, courage and significant contribution to the rescue operation during the emergency.
DFO Mudit Kumar, Bengal Safari Director E. Vijayakumar and NWA Secretary Anujit Basu were among those present at the programme.
During the event, the Bengal Safari Director highlighted the importance of better coordination between the Forest Department, local communities, frontline personnel and conservation organisations for wildlife conservation.
An awareness session on Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) was also held during the programme. Discussions focused on understanding elephant behaviour, reducing human-elephant conflict, increasing local community participation and strengthening human-elephant coexistence.
