1. Excellent organizational and administrative experience.

2. Computer literate with excellent communication skills, both verbal and
written, in English and Hindi (other languages would also be useful).

3. Good inter-personal communication skills with the ability to work with
an international team and to make presentations about the work of ACAP when
required.

4. A keen interest and knowledge of the issues involved in wildlife
conservation in India.

5. Previous experience in the fields of film and research, media relations,
and/or marketing would be beneficial.

Job Title: ACAP India Programme Manager
Salary: To reflect qualifications and experience
Benefits: Local travel allowance, Accident and Medical Insurance
Location: New Delhi

Candidates must send in their application before 30 April 2004, by email or
post/courier to the address below. Please include a CV, a self-appraisal
stating why you are suitable for this position, and 2 references. Suitable
candidates will be called for an interview.

ACAP India
Wildlife Protection Society of India
M-52 Greater Kailash - Part I
New Delhi 110048
Email: acapindia@wildaid.org

For background on the ACAP campaign and WPSI please visit
http://www.acapworldwide.com and http://www.wpsi-india.org

source: Nathistory India posting

The islands are 1000 km from the coast of Ecuador and are nestled in the midst of the mighty Pacific Ocean.  Galapagos (in Spanish meaning saddle, named after the saddle back turtles), were accidentally discovered on 10 March 1535 by Tomás de Berlanga, the Bishop of Panamá who drifted of his course when sailing to Lima. Buccaneers and whalers later used the islands until Ecuador claimed sovereignty in 1832, three years before Darwin arrived.  The islands have air connections only from mainland cities of Guayaquil or Quito. The tourism policy is to discourage volumes so foreigners have to pay an additional US$ 100 for the air ticket and an equal amount as national park entry fee. Mostly local cruise lines are the preferred way of seeing the islands but cruises per se are costly and may range from a 1,000 dollars onwards for a seven day cruise. The hotel infrastructure in the islands is modest and thereby reasonable. Unlike what one would have imagined for a place with lots of sun, sand and surf, eco-unfriendly luxury resorts are fortunately absent. One can get beds from about US$ 15 onwards. Food is expensive since almost everything, except fish of course, has to be shipped from the mainland. The disadvantage of not being on a cruise ship is getting restricted to the islands with airports and not seeing some of the most exciting islands like Fernandina, which can only be reached by ship. Hordes of western tourists land each day in the two international airports at San Cristobal and Baltra and quickly embark on to the waiting cruise ships to go island hopping. 

The pirates used the islands as their staging posts and hideouts and did great damage to the flora and fauna of the islands by first depleting them and then introducing exotic species. One of the horrendous stories that I could hear was that the pirates used to take as many giant turtles on their ships as possible. Since turtles can live without water or food for a year, this ensured supply of fresh feat for that much time. The world is lucky, that the geographical isolation and relatively less human contact protected the islands and one can still see the diversity of biological life in such close quarters and appreciate Darwin’s theory in a real life laboratory.

I could virtually see the theory of origin of species unfold in front of my eyes and understand why the vegetation is the way it is and why some of the animal and bird life has evolved and developed in this particular way. Darwin’s finches are ubiquitous and you can see the different types, each with its unique beak and colour depending on the food they eat.  The most charming of all are of course the famous stately Galápagos turtles. Apparently there are about 11 species of turtles that still survive and thanks to the conservation efforts most of them are now thriving. However, some species will soon get extinct, as there are not enough numbers for mating. Lonesome George, at the Darwin Research Station in Santa Cruz island is the only one of his species. Unlike most of us he has no disposition to leave his legacy behind as all efforts to cross him with other species have failed.

The Galapagos National Park was declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1979 and in 1985 as a biosphere reserve and whale sanctuary and thankfully efforts are on to protect the biodiversity of the islands and their fragile ecosystems. The National Park protects 97% of the terrestrial area of the islands. Nevertheless, in spite of being so remote and isolated, even limited human intervention has taken its toll on the islands. The endemic and native species of the islands be it the giant turtles or the iguanas face constant threat from the introduced exotic species which are more versatile, energetic and aggressive like weeds, goats, feral dogs and pigs etc. The biodiversity is extremely valuable as 95% of all the plants and animals found in the area are either endemic or native. Sadly, however it are the exotic species that abound in numbers and quantity and pose the gravest threat to local flora and fauna. Not surprisingly the islands are witnessing one of the most interesting artificial culling of species in the wild experiments undertaken anywhere in the world .

One of the delights of the islands are the omnipresent friendly sea lions who
are wallowing all around. In the island of San Cristobal one night I had to scale
the wall of the hotel to enter as one of His Royal Highness’s chose to spend the night on
the doormat of the hotel gate. Their gait, their wails and their effortless swimming
always makes one smile and wonderat the marvel that they are. Their only
predators are the sharks (Galapagos abounds in the hammerheaded variety). The interactions
with local boatmen, of which I had lots given my principal task of supplying the ship
with provisions, revealed that the sharks have never attacked humans and the waters around the islands are most rewarding for divers. The locals also dive for lobsters (which are one of the most beautiful creatures I have seen. As can be seen in the photograph I was offered a couple but despite being a fish loving Bong I just could get around to the thought of eating them and had to decline the gift) and say that they have never been attacked by sharks. Commercial fishing is banned and authorities are working with fishermen for sustainable catches. Of course, conflicts exist but I was able to see appreciation of the need for conservation as the benefits of eco-tourism are being seen.

The famed iguanas are royal sun worshippers, soaking in the heat for enduring the dives in the cold water for food. I had imagined iguanas to be bigger; perhaps confusing them with the Komodo dragons of Indonesia. The marine iguanas are small and feed primarily on sea algae. I was told that terrestrial iguanas were bigger- I hopped through the island to see them, but did’nt find them much bigger either, although more colourful.

The vegetation of the islands although abounding in endemic species is not lush green as one would have thought of tropical islands. The reason was soon clear- the soils being of volcanic origin are poor and also there is little rain. Moreover the best soils have been put to agriculture, which in many places has been abandoned, but the introduced species are thriving there. In San Cristobal Island I could see whole forests of guavas and rose apple trees. Fortunately commercialisation of fruit from these forests has not taken off giving hope to regeneration of the natural species of the islands. Visiting Galápagos, I fervently wished that all conservation efforts succeed and the ecosystem of the islands is preserved to enable many a child to fulfil her/his dream.

*************
For information also see: http://www.galapagospark.org and http://www.darwinfoundation.org. Map courtesy http://www.discovergalapagos.com. Photographs by writer.

It was the summer of 1990. Thomas Mathew, the then Secretary General of
WWF-INDIA had given me the break I needed, of going over various programmes,
and think over, in what way I could contribute to conservation of wildlife..

One day Tom came up with a question: what would it take to secure Ranthambore
for wildlife in the long term, money being no object. A fact finding study of
Ranthambore was decided upon. One June morning, Tinnie, a plucky young lady,
Ajay Rastogi who had a deep understanding of social and biological issues, and
I drove off in a Gypsy with me at the wheel.

At midday, in blistering heat of June in North India, we drove into Bharatpur
Bird Sanctuary where Ajay had fixed up for us to meet someone who knew
Ranthambore at the ground level. After a long briefing session, we drove to
Sawai Madhopur, the town where Ranthambore is. Next morning we drove out but
not in the direction, which the tourists take, quite the opposite, towards
Khandhar, a hilltop fort in ruins. Our first destination was a resettled village,
Shyampur which had voluntarily given up its land inside the park. We heard a horrific tale of broken promises. Much had been offered: bulldozers, which will level
the new land, funds for various other things, but the most shocking of all was
that the villagers were being treated as unauthorized settlers by the district authorities.

I have some knowledge of agriculture in India, and wondered what this
rock-strewn dry land would yield to a farmer. Tinnie sat with the women, while
Ajay and I sipped tea with these hospitable people who nevertheless did not
have rancour.

I thought to myself, knowing these people would be the key to understand what
we would need to do. We saw other villages. One was Kailashpuri named by Kailash
Sankhla, the first Director of Project Tiger, after his own name.

We drove on beyond Khandahar through villages, most of us never get to. Past
that, a bleak countryside shimmered in summer heat, the soil baked hard and
pebbly from which it seemed impossible to eke out a living. At a distance an
expanse of green gave some hope, soon to be belied. The road had become
distinctly difficult to drive over.