Wildlifer and conservationalist Richard D'souza, theAdditional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Goa, has been conferredwith the coveted Wildlife Service Award of the Sanctuary Asia magazine, whichis supported by DSP Black Rock and Deutsche Bank.
“He is a fine gentleman and a crusader and his work has beenknown...he has received threats, but that has not deterred him,” said BittuSahgal, who is a noted conservationist and Member of National Board forWildlife.
The award was given away by Maharashtra Governor KSankaranarayanan, who also conferred the Lifetime Service Award to BelindaWright, the founder and Executive Director of Wildlife Protection Society ofIndia, among other awards of the Sanctuary Asia Wildlife Award-2012.
D'souza is a wildlife defender, but he is known by thepeople of Goa as a man, who protected their water resources foreever.
A rare individual, whose blood seems to flow even greenerthan Goa's tiger forests, which he zealously protects, his passion for allthings natural dates back to the 60s, when as a student he first encountered atiger in Billy Arjan Singh's Dudhwa Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh.
He decided then and there that he would join the IndianForest Service, a dream that came true in 1980 with a posting to the Andamanand Nicobar Islands. Since that day, he has been steadfastly walking thenarrow, unbeaten wildlife conservation trail, which had its own share ofproblems including two near-death experiences.
As Chief Wildlife Warden of the A&N Islands, he quicklygot Cuthbert Bay declared as a sanctuary for the Olive Ridley turtle, RaniJhansi Marine National Park for the endangered duhong and Galathea Bay in GreatNicobar for the highly-endangered giant leatherback turtle. Shielding theseamazing creatures has not only guaranteed their future, but that of themillions of other lifeforms.
He has also authored management plans for many other regionsin the Andamans in the 16 long years he had spent there.
