As part of the World Wildlife Week, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will host a day-long workshop on biodiversity conservation at the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo in Byculla on Wednesday, October 8.
Organised in collaboration with the World Resources Institute, the workshop will be held from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm at the zoo’s 3D auditorium. The initiative aims to boost awareness and develop strategies to preserve native plant and animal species across Mumbai’s parks, gardens, and traffic islands.
The event is being held under the guidance of BMC Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr Amit Saini, and is being supervised by Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Gardens) Ajitkumar Ambi.
Officials from multiple civic and state agencies, including the garden department, environment department, Mumbai Coastal Road Project, MMRDA, MHADA, MSRDC, and Mumbai Port Authority, will participate. The workshop will also feature sessions by experts in biodiversity conservation.
“This initiative will help shape local strategies for conserving Mumbai’s ecological diversity,” said Superintendent of Gardens Jitendra Pardeshi, adding that the workshop will focus on practical solutions to protect the city’s green spaces.
Meanwhile, the forest department of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) organised an interactive awareness session for students of Aarey Colony High School.
The school, located on the edge of a forested area, offered an ideal setting to educate children about coexisting with wildlife — especially leopards and snakes, which are commonly spotted in the region.
The Leopard Awareness session was conducted by Manasi Warde from RESQ Charitable Trust, who used visuals and real-life experiences to explain key dos and don’ts when sharing spaces with big cats. Raj Jadhav from Madras Crocodile Bank Trust led the Snake Awareness segment, guiding students on how to stay calm and safe during snake encounters.
Forest officials also introduced students to the work of the Aarey camera-trapping team, which monitors leopard movements in collaboration with SGNP.
“Educational initiatives like these are vital in reducing human–wildlife conflicts and building respect for the animals we live alongside. Our RESQ team regularly conducts such sessions across schools in Mumbai and Pune, free of cost, to instill awareness and encourage coexistence from a young age,” said Manasi Warde.
