Jungle Babbler Series: An Advance Training Conservation Course by Zoo Outreach (India)

 Welcome to our Jungle Babbler Series 

In this series, we look at highlighting wilderness-focused travel companies, charitable organisations & individuals, who have an insight into the wilderness, the communities they associate or work with, and programs. The main objective is to know how they plan on sustaining the future with the work they are carrying out and the ways in which they can give back something to communities living there. 

Enjoy Jungle Babbler 

In this series, we are at an advanced training conservation course held by Zoo Outreach Organisation (India). 

About the Course 

India's Zoo Outreach organisation introduces a new course called the Ram Hattikudur Advanced Training in Conservation (RHATC), a three-month intensive in-house course based at Coimbatore (India) followed by a month of field experience at various venues.  This course will benefit from the institutional expertise within Zooreach as well as its partner organizations in creating conservation capacity for practitioners and future leaders in the field. 

It bridges the gap for graduates and young professionals between academic learning and on-the-ground conservation needs by providing real-time training in different aspects of conservation biology and application gleaned from over 30 years of experience in the field. This course is based on the unique conservation engineering model developed by Sanjay Molur and the late Sally Walker.

The course will build the skills to make the leap from being theorists to successful practical conservation applicants in working environments of biodiversity-rich developing countries taught by professionals in the region.

To meet the objectives of the RHATC, they combine the fundamentals with the deep learning required in building conservation leaders – of scientific principles that underline the needs for conservation and humanity principles for putting those needs into practice.  Over four months, the course will amalgamate the academic world with the real-time requirements of the practical world bringing together professionals from both spheres to train potential conservation leaders.  Theoretical coursework with hands-on training is the key to the in-house program followed by actual field experience of the realities to give an overall exposure for holistic professional development.

Taught by a team of experienced conservationists, taxonomists, naturalists, educators, scientists, artists, policymakers, social scientists, and other experts, this intensive 4-month course of theoretical and practical classes provides the right tools, methods, foundation, and opportunities to build up leaders in conservation. 

Team & mentors include Dr. Sanjay Molur and expert mentors such as Dr. Mewa Singh, Dr. P.O. Nameer, Dr. Priya Davidar, Dr. Neelesh Dahanukar,  Dr. Rajeev Raghavan, Dr. L.A.K Singh, Dr. Chelmala Srinivasulu, among others.

About Ram Hattikudur​

These fellowships are in the memory of Ram Hattikudur, an aspiring young conservationist who passed away last year. After completing his B.Sc in Microbiology at St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore in 2019, he was in his second year doing his M.Sc at Bharatiya Vidya Peeth, Pune, in Wildlife Conservation and Action and preparing for his Ph.D. entrance exams that he passed away in October 2020. It was his dream to do a Ph.D. at NCBS after interning at the Zoo Outreach Organization. Ram is missed deeply by his family and friends, and we hope that his dreams live on through the bright young Fellows who join the Ram Hattikudur Advanced Training in Conservation run by the Zoo Outreach Organization.

Important dates

 

Application process:

Start date: 09 August 2021.

Submission last date: 07 September 2021.

 

Selection process:

The first round of interviews by internal jury: 11–13 September 2021

The second round of interviews by external jury: 15–17 September 2021

 

The final list of Fellows announced: 20 September 2021

 

Course start date: 12 October 2021.

Arrival in Coimbatore and settling in: 09–10 October 2021.

Icebreaker, administrative formalities, and orientation: 11 October 2021.

 

Course last date: 15 February 2022.

How to apply?

Read the eligibility criteria and the Application-related FAQs on RHATC Website. If you qualify and have understood the application requirements - Kindly fill in the (Form)

 

Additional Information

• The RHATC course of 4 months is a funded program.  All selected candidates will be provided with Fellowships which include board, lodging, course materials, tuition, and course-related travel for the duration of the course.
• Successful candidates for the course will be called Ram Hattikudur Fellows.
• Full Fellowships (100%) are available (for 3 candidates) based on the competition and the economic status of the candidates.
• Partial Fellowships are available to all other successful candidates.
• The course fee for Partial Fellows will be intimated closer to the time of selection.
• A Financial Undertaking will be required by all Fellows.
• The finally selected candidates (Ram Hattikudur Fellows) will have to bear their own travel expenses to and from Coimbatore for the four-month course.
• The Fellows will not be paid per diem or stipend.
• Additional costs, personal expenses, and separate food and beverage choices have to be met by the Fellows individually.
• Fellows wishing to travel in between on personal visits or any emergency have to bear their own costs.
• Fellows are not encouraged to take personal leave during the four-month period unless there is a valid reason which will be determined by the course coordinators.
• Candidates supported by organizations to attend this course should mention in the form and provide an undertaking from the organization head.
• Fellows will be bound by strict rules and regulations of conduct and social behaviour during the entire course.
• Selected candidates with a single dose of Covid-19 vaccination require the second dose before arrival to the course.
• The course will be for four days of the week followed by two days of practical work, sometimes extending to three days.
• Certain public holidays and major religious holidays, e.g., Diwali, Christmas, Pongal, Republic Day will be off.  However, there is no opportunity for Fellows to travel back and forth to visit families for these occasions.

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All information provided by the team at Zoo Outreach Organisation (India) and Dr. Sanjay Molur