Aaranyak Trains Gauhati University Students to Report Wildlife Crime

Guwahati: Roughly 60 journalism students at Gauhati University spent Wednesday learning to track wildlife crime. They attended a day-long workshop held by the Legal and Advocacy Department of Aaranyak. Experts taught the group how to report on illegal activities while keeping professional standards intact.

The program, Beyond Headlines: The Seizure Is Not the Story, focused on the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2022. Ivy Farheen Hussain, a senior wildlife crime analyst, led the session. She walked the students through legal provisions and investigative techniques. Everyone participated in a hands-on segment called Finding the Story.

Bijay Sankar Bora warned of rising threats to biodiversity. He noted that the northeast remains a target for international trafficking rings. Bora argued that the public acts as a primary shield against these criminals. He said mass communication professionals have a role in raising public awareness about biodiversity conservation. Professors and staff at the university, including Ankuran Dutta and Arunav Baruah, hosted the team. Gunajit Mazumdar managed the documentation for the event.