Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

TOWARDS COMMUNITY CONSERVATION AND IT’S CHALLENGES: A STUDY FROM BREEDING COLONY OF PAINTED STORKS IN VEERAPURAM VILLAGE, ANANTHAPURAMU DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

V. V. Bala Subramanyam, Y. D. Imran Khan, M. Meera Bai and Shrikant V. Mukate

Abstract

Conservation of biodiversity is a key challenge in front of us to sustain our self in the upcoming ages. Biodiversity conservation is faced with many challenges in the process of development. There are many approaches to conserve biodiversity out of that community conservation plays a major role in the conservation. In this context, the present study was carried out in Veerapuram village located in Anantapuramu district of Andhra Pradesh State to understand the practices and the role of local people in the conservation of biodiversity. Veerapuram village got more attention due to the migration of Painted storks and many bird watchers and conservationists and policy makers (Mycteria leucocephala). Every year Painted storks visits this village in the month of December and January and stay up to the month of August and September. During their visit to this village, Local community (village community) people are involved in conservation and protection activities of these birds. Due to this reason this village has become one of the famous ecotourism spot in Anantapuram District of Andhra Pradesh.