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Mr. Alemba Yimchunger, a game watcher from Nagaland’s Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary, was interviewed by YNN members Aditya Ramakrishnan and Ekadh Ranganathan as part of our World Ranger Day initiative, ‘In Nature’s Defence’.
Mr. Alemba was originally a hunter but gave up hunting in favour of wildlife conservation and has been working as a game watcher for over 30 years now. He regularly works with local communities to convince them to give up hunting as well. In recognition of his work, he has received the “Earth Day Network Star” award and has been declared a “Forest Rangers and Guards of the Eastern Himalayas Awardee”. |
I was a hunter right from my childhood and apart from my daily chores, I used to go hunting in the jungle everyday. After a few years, the Forest Department came into being and told us to stop hunting, saying it was illegal. I eventually gave up hunting and got a job in the Wildlife Sanctuary that had come up. Many researchers visit Fakim, from India and abroad, who need people to guide them through the forest. While taking them into the jungle I would often learn a lot about wildlife and the importance of conservation from them. Ever since then, I haven’t looked back and have dedicated myself to conservation. Now, with guidance from the department, I am motivated by what I’ve learnt by guiding people around the jungle to persuade others to give up hunting too.
As part of my job, I am required to work at the grassroots level and convince local communities not to hunt animals or cut trees and to abide by the rules and regulations. The cooperation I receive from everybody because of this gives me immense joy. Many people still believe in the importance of hunting and I try my best to convince them otherwise. Community participation is extremely important for conservation because without adequate cooperation, it is very hard to control what goes on at the village level. Through conservation, a particular village or area can make a good name for itself and then earn government recognition, eventually leading to development in the area.
Mr. Alemba conducting an awareness program organised by the Kiphire Wildlife Division
Another thing that gives me great pride and happiness is to work with researchers. In addition to learning a lot from them, I have received many awards and recognition because of my work with them. I feel immensely proud of the awards I have earned and they give me a lot of motivation. So whenever I’m given a duty by the department or when researchers come to the sanctuary or community reserve, I feel ready to take up the task.
My job has also left me with many memories I will always cherish. Some time back, our Range Officer was Sir Lansothung who had joined the Kiphire Wildlife Division. As Range Officer, he introduced many measures such as the tragopan census. I learnt a lot while implementing some of these measures and they helped me become more interested in wildlife. Sir Lanso eventually left, but we still implement some of the ideas he introduced. Another fond memory goes back to when I was regularised by the department in 2019. Up until then, I had been on fixed wages but in 2019-20, I was recognised by the department and became a regularised serviceman.
An owl that was rescued and released into the sanctuary-
Picture Credit: Tinokumzuk Chang
Not everything about what I do is fun and easy though and one of the biggest challenges I have faced is related to financial issues. In my area, we have a system where we guide researchers who visit who need to be shown around the jungle. I have trouble arranging for food and other supplies while we are deep inside the forest so if those researchers who take me as a guide could arrange for some financial remuneration for my services, it would benefit me greatly.
Nagaland is extremely biodiverse and we are home to a vast array of creatures- tragopans, hornbills and porcupines, to name a few. In the area I work in, I try my best to spread the message of respecting wildlife and avoiding hunting. I believe that at the end of the day, wildlife and humans are very similar- we all have equal blood.
Screen grab from video of Blyth's Tragopan- Credit: Tinokumzuk Chang
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Large-eyed bamboo snake- Picture Credit: Tinokumzuk Chang
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We are extremely grateful to Mr. Tinokumzuk Chang for staying on call with us during the interview to translate what Mr. Alemba said from Nagamese to English and for helping us coordinate the call. Mr. Chang is a Biotechnology graduate from Bangalore University. He joined the Forest Department in 2010 and is now working as a Forester-I under the Kiphire Wildlife Division. Some of his duties include the tragopan and tiger censuses, rescuing wildlife, and implementing Community Reserve Projects.
We would also like to thank Sanctuary Asia’s Mud on Boots Project for their assistance in contacting Mr. Alemba for this initiative.
