Department of Zoology, University of Ladakh Celebrated National Wildlife Week- 2024 by conducting a Lecture Series and Speech Competition.

Leh, Ladakh, 8th October 2024: commemoration of 68th National Wildlife Week culminated with a speech compitation on its finale day. The week long event was jointly organised by Department of Zoology University of Ladakh and Wildlife Department, UT Administration Leh. Honorable Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor S. K. Mehta, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, while Mr. Punchok Wantak, Range Officer, Wildlife Department Leh, attended the event as Guest of Honour. The event brought together students from various departments, including Zoology, Mathematics, Geology, and Forensic Science. Audience witnessed a highly insightful and engaging speech competition, where students passionately discussed the theme "Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation." Mr. P. Wantak, in his address emphasized the need for awareness about biodiversity and wildlife conservation. He discussed the role of Wildlife Department in protecting and conservation of regional wildlife. He also expressed his gratitude to Prof. Mehta for his support in organizing such an important event and applauded the students for their active participation and enthusiasm. Prof. S.K. Mehta, in his address, highlighted the threats posed by feral dogs, climate change, and increasing tourism to wildlife. Prof. Mehta encouraged students to collaborate with local communities to protect Ladakh's unique wildlife species. He Also congratulated department of Zoology, for successfully conducting this week long event. This was followed by announcement of the result of the speech competition. Mr. Pratham Soni from Department of Geology, Mr. Stanzin Yanjor and Ms. Padma Lhamo from Department of Zoology bagged first, second and third positions respectively. Prizes were distributed by Prof S.K. Mehta, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, University of Ladakh, Mr Wantak, Range Officer, Wildlife department, UT Leh and Dr Mohd Hussain, Dean Sciences, UoL. The event concluded with the vote of thanks by Dr. Mohd Hussain, Dean Sciences, University of Ladakh who expressed gratitude to Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, for his unwavering support and to Mr. Wantak and his team for jointly organizing such a significant event. He also thanked the students, faculty members, and all participants for making the Wildlife Week celebration a success. The Programme was hosted by Ms. Taibah Bashir, a Student of M.Sc Zoology 3rd Sem. Earlier, the week long event had a lecture series featuring insightful talks by eminent subject experts. The event was initiated by Mr Mohsin Ali, a faculty at the department of zoology. On day-2, Dr. Amjad Hussain, Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Ladakh, delivered a lecture on reptilian diversity in Ladakh, focusing particularly on snakes. He emphasized the use of cutting-edge digital tools in reptile conservation, including GPS tracking, thermal drones, and AI-based technologies, which are pivotal in monitoring and preserving reptile species in the region. Day-3 witnessed an engaging lecture on "Conservation of Insects: Digital Innovation and Technologies" by Dr. Mohd Hussain, Dean Sciences at the University of Ladakh. Throgh this talk, he shed light on the vital role insects play in maintaining ecological balance. He also discussed the applicability of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and mobile applications in the conservation of insect fauna in Ladakh. Each session included interactive Q&A segments, allowing participants to engage deeply with the topics discussed.