MARINE WILDLIFE STRANDING RESPONSE & MONITORING NETWORK
In June 2017, we began a collaborative project with the Goa Forest Department , IUCN India and Drishti Marine Services in Goa to establish standard protocols for addressing marine wildlife stranding incidents reported across Goa's 100 kms coastline. The aim of this project is to sensitise and create a 1st response network of lifeguards, already engaged by Drishti Marine Services and deployed across Goa's coast, to report incidents of live/deceased marine species, such as cetaceans and sea turtles stranding on the beaches.
We help in coordinating this network and have also trained Forest Department personnel thereby ensuring that the State Forest Department is able to address all these incidents with the support of the trained lifeguards and their own personnel.
Furthermore, we have facilitated the training of veterinarians from the State Animal Husbandry Department in conducting necropsies for deceased cetaceans and sea turtles as well as providing treatment for injured sea turtles.
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The capacity building workshops conducted to establish this programme were enabled through the support of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN India) .
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At present, this network comprises of 550 lifeguards , beach cleaning staff and forest department personnel.
