Manipur: WTI Joins Cosmos Flower Festival, Champions Pangolin Conservation
Over the years, WTI has saved more than 55,000 animal lives, trained 27,000+ forest staff, helped create 7 Protected Areas, sensitised 32 lakh children, and supported enforcement agencies in tackling wildlife crime.
KOIDE- The breathtaking Cosmos Flower Festival at Naamai Zho, Koide, opened on October 2 with a unique blend of cultural celebration and environmental advocacy. Organised by the Naami Eco Tourism Society (NETS), the four-day festival (October 2–5) is themed “Cosmos for Culture, Conservation for Future”.
A major highlight this year is the partnership with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), which is spearheading pangolin conservation through its ongoing initiative “Countering Pangolin Trafficking in the Indo-Myanmar Border”, supported by the Pangolin Crisis Fund (PCF) of the Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN), in collaboration with the Manipur Forest Department.
Also Read- Zubeen Garg Death Case: Assam Police Arrest Siddharth Sharma and Shyamkanu Mahanta
Manipur is home to the critically endangered Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), and WTI’s presence at the festival focuses on combating illegal wildlife trade, reducing hunting, training enforcement staff, and spreading grassroots awareness.
On the inaugural day, WTI Assistant Manager & Officer-in-Charge Monesh Singh Tomar, who also serves as the Functional President of the festival, joined village leaders in issuing a historic resolution to ban the hunting, consumption, and trade of pangolins in the region.
Also Read- Zubeen Garg’s Family Files Complaint, Demands Full Probe into Singer’s Drowning in Singapore
The festival blends culture with conservation through traditional performances, community sports tournaments, a Gandhi Jayanti cleaning drive, wildlife documentary screenings, and a WTI awareness stall encouraging visitors to pledge their support for pangolin protection.
Speaking at the launch, Mr. Tomar said, “The Cosmos Flower Festival is not just a celebration of natural beauty, but a call to action. By weaving conservation into the fabric of cultural events, we are creating a powerful, community-led movement to protect the pangolin and all of Manipur’s biodiversity.”
Also Read- Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Issues Stern Warning Over Zubeen Garg Case
Over the years, WTI has saved more than 55,000 animal lives, trained 27,000+ forest staff, helped create 7 Protected Areas, sensitised 32 lakh children, and supported enforcement agencies in tackling wildlife crime.
The Cosmos Festival now stands as a beacon of how culture and conservation can go hand-in-hand, sending out a strong message of community responsibility and environmental stewardship.
