By Jeetendra Singh | Project Officer, Guardians of the Wild
As part of the IFAW-WTI Supplemental Accident Insurance Scheme, ex-gratia support of $2000 was provided to the family of Appu in Wayanad, Kerala. Appu was a mahout (elephant caretaker) with the Kerala Forest Department and had been killed while on duty by a captive elephant on the evening of February 13th 2014. Appu had been working in Muthunga, Wayanad with the Kerala Forest Department since May 1999 and had been shifted to the elephant squad in 2001. He is survived by his wife and three children.
The Wildlife Warden of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary remarked that with the multiple conservation challenges faced in the field, it is crucial to keep up the morale of the frontline forest staff. To this end, timely support provided to the families of forest guards in the time of their greatest distress by the IFAW-WTI supplemental accident insurance scheme under the Guardians of the Wild programme goes a long way to provide some small relief from the anguish of losing a loved one. Through this scheme, over 20,000 forest field staff across the country has been covered again death/permanent disability while on duty.
The Guardians of the Wild programme has also trained over 12,000 forest staff in more than 130 Protected Areas in over 19 states of India.
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