 |
Media |
Public awareness of the plight of gharials
will be necessary in order to galvanize public
support for gharials and instigate government
action to enforce protection of gharials and
their habitat. GCA members have written a
number of magazine and newspaper articles which
may be found in the Resources section.
If you are a journalist interested in writing a
story about gharials please contact us.
|
|
|
Zoos |
Zoos are one of the best forms of public
education. To see a gharial face to face is to
appreciate the uniqueness of this animal. So far
GCA partners in the zoo sector have played a
vital role in public education and fundraising
for gharial research and conservation efforts.
We encourage all zoos with gharials to set up
educational displays and activities to raise
support for and awareness of gharials.
|
|
|
Community Education |
Involvement and support of the local community
is imperative for the future success of gharial
conservation in its last remaining habitats. The
GCA is developing a community education
program, aimed at the people who live alongside
gharials, as part of a larger strategy to work
with local people towards mutually beneficial
strategies for conservation of gharials and
their riverine habitat. GCA is teaming up with
other NGOs to produce educational materials on
gharials which will be distributed in local
languages throughout gharial range areas as well
as a short film on the gharial conservation
crisis to be shown locally and internationally.
A plan is being developed for innovative and
interactive educational activities, such as a
travelling performance troupe, to carry the
message about gharial and river conservation.
|
|
|
Community Cooperation and
Eco-Development |
|
The GCA is working on programs to find
solutions to the gharial conservation crisis
that will also benefit the local people living
alongside gharials. These programs will be
developed in cooperation with local people, and
will involve strategies such as finding
alternative livelihoods for people currently
employed in environmentally destructive and
illegal activities such as fishing and
sand-mining within Protected Areas. |
