This Andaman IFS Officer Got Bird Hunters to Swap Guns for Cameras & Cleared 1 Lakh+ Kg of Waste

‘Gun Choro, Camera Pakado’ was the central message of ‘Udne Do Hamein’, a conservation effort in Middle Andaman. It addressed bird hunting by changing people’s relationship with birds, not merely by increasing punishment. This mattered because protected forest species were being hunted even though the air guns themselves were not illegal.

The campaign offered birding workshops, clubs, rallies and citizen-science activities. People learned to identify local species and photograph them. These activities created a new pursuit for people who had once hunted birds for food, exotic collections or traditional beliefs about health benefits.

The approach turned communities into conservation partners. As birdwatching grew, people also became more interested in protecting forests and wetlands. The campaign shows that lasting enforcement works better when people are given a rewarding alternative and a reason to value the species around them.

Mission 1 Lakh removed 1,19,000 kg of marine waste from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The scale is striking because the waste was collected from remote forest beaches, not just busy urban shorelines. The mission showed that marine pollution can affect even places without permanent residents.

During Wildlife Week 2024–25, teams carried out 30–35 clean-ups across around 100 forest beaches. Much of the collected litter was transported out by boat. Divers also removed plastic from coral reefs, while some waste was examined to understand where it had come from.

The quantity became more than a cleanup statistic. It created evidence about the movement and origins of ocean pollution. Labels on identifiable items pointed to 19–20 countries besides India, and 32.4% of identifiable waste came from outside the country. This supports stronger regional cooperation on marine waste.

Bird hunting continued for several different reasons. Some people hunted birds for food. Others wanted exotic species. Traditional beliefs also led some to think that eating particular birds could help with health conditions. These motives made the problem social and cultural, not simply legal.

The air guns used for hunting were not illegal by themselves. However, hunting protected forest species was illegal. This distinction meant that confiscating or restricting guns could not address every cause of hunting. Punishment also could not automatically replace the food, status or beliefs connected to the practice.

Behera therefore focused on changing how people viewed birds. ‘Udne Do Hamein’ promoted birding, photography, clubs and citizen-science projects. This gave people a constructive alternative. When residents began observing and learning about birds, conservation became a community activity rather than only an enforcement duty.

The cleanup revealed that marine waste reaching the islands was not only locally produced. On remote Tarmugli Island, the team found a 2-kilometre beach covered in plastic even though nobody lived there. That finding pointed to the ocean as the main transport route.

Mission 1 Lakh teams collected waste from around 100 forest beaches and studied some of it to trace its origins. Labels on identifiable items pointed to 19–20 countries besides India. Among identifiable waste, 32.4% came from outside the country. Divers also found plastic on reefs, showing that pollution affected underwater habitats too.

The evidence changes the conservation response. Island cleanups remain necessary, but they cannot solve the entire problem alone. Marine litter crosses borders, so reducing plastic leakage and improving waste management require cooperation between India and other countries. The beaches became evidence of a shared ocean-pollution challenge.

When local people began photographing birds, joining clubs and taking part in citizen science, birds became part of everyday learning rather than targets for hunting. This shift mattered because conservation depends on how communities value the species living around them.

‘Udne Do Hamein’ created practical ways to participate. Workshops taught bird identification. Clubs and rallies brought people together. Citizen-science initiatives encouraged residents to record and share observations. The message ‘Gun Choro, Camera Pakado’ offered a clear alternative to using air guns, while making local biodiversity more visible.

The result was wider concern for habitats. As birdwatching grew, so did interest in protecting forests and wetlands. People were no longer only the audience for enforcement or conservation rules. They became partners who could notice species, build public enthusiasm and support habitat protection. The campaign suggests that participation can make conservation more durable.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are important because they hold many species found nowhere else. They cover only about 2% of India’s geographical area, yet they are home to around 30 endemic bird species. This gives the islands exceptional biodiversity value in a relatively small space.

Endemic species depend on particular island habitats and can be especially vulnerable when forests, wetlands or coastlines are damaged. The birding campaign helped residents discover this richness. Workshops, clubs, rallies and citizen-science activities encouraged people to notice and document the species around them.

That local interest can strengthen protection. As birdwatching grew, so did concern for forests and wetlands. The islands also face marine pollution, with plastic found on remote beaches and reefs. Protecting their biodiversity therefore requires both community participation on land and action against pollution arriving through the sea.

Plastic can travel across countries because the ocean is connected by moving water. Floating items may be carried by surface currents, waves and winds. Boats can also transport or release waste. Over time, this movement can bring litter far from the place where it entered the sea.

The article provides a clear example. Tarmugli Island had a 2-kilometre plastic-covered beach despite having no residents. Mission 1 Lakh found labels from 19–20 countries besides India. Among identifiable waste, 32.4% came from outside the country. Divers also removed plastic from coral reefs, where floating debris can become trapped.

This means remote beaches and reefs can reveal wider pollution patterns. Cleanups remove immediate hazards and help researchers study waste origins, but they do not stop new litter arriving. Countries need better waste control on land, safer marine practices and shared action across ocean regions.