From Snake Rescues to Safer Honey Collection: These Heroes Protect the Sundarbans |
Recently, when a snake slithered into one of the locals’ homes in the Dulki village of Sundarbans, Madhushree Das was the first to be dialled. Within no time, she reached the spot, reassured the family that they had nothing to worry about, rescued the snake, and then handed it over to the Forest Department.
For Madhushree, this instinct has become second nature. She is one of 99 local residents known as prokriti bondhus (friends of nature) under WWF-India’s Sundarbans Delta Programme, which has been active since June 2022.
The programme equips the prokriti bondhus with the skills and know-how of mitigating human-wildlife conflict, rescuing and handling snakes, and protecting their natural environment.
Was Madhushree scared?
Absolutely not, the pride in her voice suggests, as she recounts the unfolding of events. These SOS calls give her a sense of purpose.
“Knowing that everyone knows me as a prokriti bondhumakes me feel important,” she shares, adding that it isn’t just the locals who place their faith in her but also the Forest Department. Once relegated to household tasks, Madhushree is thrilled to now be in a position where she can serve her community.
Soma Saha, Lead – Communities at WWF-India’s Sundarbans Delta Programme, has witnessed this shift in agency and confidence firsthand, having had a front-row seat to the women’s journeys.
While bolstering their morale, she says the programme is an extension of a time-tested commitment of the locals towards their land.
“Ever since we started working in the Sundarbans in 2005, we observed how tigers and other wildlife would stray into the villages near the forest, and people in these villages would voluntarily support the Forest Department, helping the wildlife safely return to the forest while ensuring no harm to humans,” she explains.
These observations inspired the Prokriti Bondhu programme in the delta. “The objective was simple: to help the volunteers who used to spontaneously support the Forest Department continue their work, while also helping the local people during these incidents of wildlife straying into human territory,” she adds.
A part of the world’s largest delta, and spanning roughly 10,000 sq km (out of which about 4,000 sq km is in West Bengal, India), the Sundarbans are known for being the