“We have given up headhunting; now we must stop hunting wildlife”: C. L. John
MOKOKCHUNG, Oct 6: The Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change observed Wildlife Week 2026 at Town Hall, Mokokchung, on Tuesday, with Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change and Village Guards, C. L. John, as the special guest.
Speaking at the programme, John said conserving and protecting wildlife was a shared responsibility. He observed that while Nagas had given up headhunting with the advent of Christianity, they had continued the practice of hunting wildlife, which, he said, must now be replaced with conservation efforts.
Appreciating the conservation initiatives of two villages in Peren and 141 villages in Mon district, the Minister said these communities had voluntarily resolved not to hunt or kill wildlife or cut down trees. Instead, they had taken up the responsibility of protecting wildlife and promoting afforestation, becoming “protectors and guardians of wildlife.”
John appealed to village and church leaders, teachers and the public to take an active role in creating awareness about wildlife protection laws and their provisions.
Development Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Kikheto Sema, spoke on the theme “Connecting Habitats, Thriving Wildlife”, stressing the need to maintain a balanced ecosystem. He said that as humans coexist with nature, it is their responsibility to protect and conserve the resources provided by it.
Sema said the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is a Central legislation, while Nagaland adopted its own Wildlife Act in 1981, which has subsequently undergone several amendments.
He informed that the State Wildlife Crime Branch, established on September 30, 2015, has registered 74 wildlife offence cases. Of these, 69 cases have been penalised, while five were taken to court. Two of the court cases have been resolved and three remain pending.
On mitigating human-elephant conflict, Sema said the department was conducting research and would translate the findings into local dialects to create awareness at the village level.
Describing the Church as one of the strongest social institutions in Nagaland, Sema appealed to church leaders to spread awareness about wildlife protection laws. He also called for greater community participation, urging village councils, elders, students and the public to work together to protect wildlife.
Wildlife Week is observed annually from October 2 to 8 to create awareness about wildlife conservation and protection.
The programme was chaired by CoF (NTC), Aochuba, IFS, while PCCF & HoFF Vedpal Singh, IFS, delivered the welcome address. (Tansumong, IA Mokokchung)
