Consultant – Elephant Corridor Survey

Wildlife Trust of India is seeking a Consultant for a 6-month Elephant Corridor Survey in Barrackpur Cantonment, West Bengal. Candidates should have a Master's degree in relevant fields and at least 3 years of wildlife research experience. Key responsibilities include conducting ground surveys, evaluating ecological parameters, and drafting conservation strategies. The role also involves contributing to a publication on elephant corridors, emphasizing the importance of habitat connectivity.
Qualifications And Skills
• Educational Background: Master’s degree or higher in Wildlife Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Forestry, or related fields.
• Experience: At least 3 years of experience in wildlife research, habitat surveys, or conservation planning.
• Proven expertise in ground-surveys GIS mapping, and corridor analysis.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in GIS tools and satellite imagery analysis. Strong analytical and statistical skills for ecological and socio-economic data.
• Soft Skills: Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• Strong report-writing and documentation skills.

The consultancy role is for 6 months.

Position Overview

Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) seeks a highly motivated and skilled consultant to lead and execute a comprehensive ground survey of elephant corridors in West Bengal. The consultant will employ uniform ground-truthing methodologies to assess the current status of identified corridors, identify potential new corridors, and evaluate the ecological and anthropogenic factors affecting habitat connectivity. Notably, the selected candidate will have the opportunity to contribute as an author for the West Bengal chapter of the upcoming Right of Passage: Elephant Corridors of India, 3rd Edition. This prestigious contribution underscores the significance of this role in shaping national-level conservation strategies and publications.

Key Responsibilities -

Groundtruthing of Elephant Corridors
• Collect secondary data from published literature, reports, and local forest department sources and primary data through field visits, direct observations, and interactions with stakeholders (forest field staff, community members).
• Evaluate ecological parameters: habitat connectivity, movement patterns, animal usage, and seasonal variations.
• Identify anthropogenic threats: linear infrastructure, settlements, land-use changes, Analyze corridor dimensions, legal land statuses, and ecological importance, including areas of overlap with reserves, IBAs, or protected areas.
• Assist in drafting comprehensive status reports for each corridor, detailing threats, recommendations, and conservation plans
• Submit actionable conservation strategies for securing corridors to Govt. for review and implementation.
• Coordinate logistics for field surveys and ensure adherence to timelines and deliverables.
• Provide progress updates and communicate findings effectively to WTI’s project manager.

Deliverables
• Detailed Corridor Profiles: Updated connectivity status, wildlife usage data, and threat analysis for each identified corridor.
• Conservation Recommendations: Draft and finalized conservation strategies for securing and restoring elephant corridors, including site-specific interventions and policy recommendations.
• Comprehensive Report: A consolidated report, including primary and secondary findings, to form the basis for the Right of Passage publication update.

Application Process

Interested candidates are requested to submit the following to
• A detailed CV highlighting relevant experience.
• A cover letter explaining your suitability for this role.
• Samples of previous work, such as reports, maps, or publications.

Deadline for Applications: 20th June 2025

Submit Applications to: Upasana Ganguly (upasana@wti.org.in)

This role provides a unique opportunity to contribute significantly to elephant conservation by addressing key challenges in habitat connectivity. WTI looks forward to collaborating with a dedicated professional to drive impactful change in protecting India’s elephant corridors