Bird business: The man who taught his tribe to profit from conservation

Indi Glow, a revered member of the Bugun indigenous group in Arunachal Pradesh, India, has been instrumental in making conservation community-friendly. When astronomer-turned-ecologist Ramana Athreya approached the Buguns in 2003 with an idea for a community bird ecotourism venture, Indi agreed to give it a go, taking on the management of the business over the next few years. Today, the bird tourism venture is profitable and has sparked other conservation initiatives on the Bugun community lands. Read the other stories in this four-part series on the indigenous groups living around Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, India: From a new bird to a new community reserve: India’s tribe sets example SINGCHUNG, India — Indi Glow walks past a series of tents. Adjusting the strap of the binoculars around his neck, he enters a room and points to two framed photographs on the wooden wall. Both show a somewhat younger Indi accepting awards. “I got the first one in 2009 and the second one in 2013,” he says with a gentle smile. The awards commend an ecotourism venture that Indi’s been running at a place called Lama Camp for more than a decade. The camp is located a few kilometers […]

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