DM Higher Secondary School

Zotlang, Champhai

NATURE TOUR REPORT

At
DAMPA TIGER RESERVE (DTR)
On
21st-24th November, 2024

Prepared by
LALTANPUIA
Principal, DM Higher Secondary School, Zotlang, Champhai
 PREFACE

The report includes a compiliation of different events, places

and activities of a 4 days of Nature Tour to Dampa Tiger Reserve (DTR)
funded by Nature Learning Centre, Mizoram from 21 st to 24th November,
2023 with the aim of the studying Flora and Fauna in the DTR Area and
to aware the students about the need for Environmental protection as well
as to acquire the knowledge about Ecosystem.
DM Higher Secondary School is located at Zotlang,
Champhai and was established on 5 th October, 2022 and functions
formally on 5th April, 2023 (from the academic session of 2023-2023) as
a Private Institution, which is the only Higher Secondary School in
Zotlang area. The school emphasizes not only on the curricular syllabus
but also holistic development in employment opportunities for the
students in their future and to promote sustainable development.
The tour was attended by 21 Geography students and were
accompanied by the Principal and 6 Teaching staff of the school that was
listed below :
Faculty members :
S/n Name Designation
1. Laltanpuia Principal
2. Vanlalvenpuia Tour in-charge
3. H. Rosiamkima Discipline in-charge
4. H. Zomuanthanga Escort Staff
5. C. Lalhmingthangi Discipline in-charge
6. K. Lalbiakhlui Escort Staff
7. Lalthazuali Escort Staff

Students :
Vanlalpeka Ralte Lalrammuana
Vanlalchhandama
Vanlallawmkima Lalhlimawma
Ramnunmawia
C. Thanglianmawii F. Lalremruati Rebecca Lalenkawli
Lalruatchhungi Lalngaihsaki Elain
Zoramsangi
Lalrindiki Lalruatfeli Lalduhsaki
Lalrozuali Ramneihpuii C.
Lalhmangaihzuali
Remsangpuii Lalsiamkimi Mary
 Principal and Staff @ DTR

Students with their Teachers @ Field Hostel, DTR

 CONTENTS
1. Tour Preparation and Briefing
2. Objectives of Nature Tour
3. Itinerary
4. Brief Story of DTR
5. Wild Animal Population at DTR
6. Environmental Awareness Programme
7. A visit to Zoological Park, Aizawl
8. List of important activities
9. Conclusion and Comments about Nature Tour
 1. TOUR PREPARATION AND BRIEFING

As being a Nature Tour, the school aims at to sowed

the seeds of environmental protection among the students. So
the school conducted a two session briefing for tour
preparation.

The first session was a 1 hour tour preparation held

at the school classroom on 17th November, 2023 (Friday) at
2:00-3:00p.m, giving necessary informations about Dampa
Tiger Reserve (DTR), do’s and dont’s as being a protected
area.
The second Session was held on 20th November,
2023 (Monday) at 1:00 – 2:30p.m. In this session, a
sensitization programme regarding some climate change and
the contributions of forests in this case. Moreover, The
principal explains different Nature Learning Centre (NLC)
project that focuses its different steps for balancing ecosystem
and other objectives.
 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF NATURE TOUR

Aims :-
The importance and urgency of Environmental
protection can’t be taught merely in classroom. Only
theoretical knowledge is not sufficient and thus, practical
knowledge about the ecosystem and environmental change in
the modern days is necessary for the students.

This tour mainly focuses on the awareness of

students to acquire basic knowledge about nature and the
contribution of Dampa Tiger Reserve (DTR) in the climate of
Mizoram. Moreover, the tour aims the need for protection of
flora and fauna in Mizoram among the students.
 ITINERARY

On 21st November, 2023,

the very first day of the journey starts
from the School yard when the
students and the staffs are ready for
departure at 4:45a.m by Bus.
Before leaving the
school, the Principal delivered short
briefing to students and prayed to
God for their trip. After this, they left
the school campus and went to EF&CC Quarter, Champhai with
Pu Lalduhthlana, DFO, Champhai
Department of EF & CC quarter,
Champhai. Pu Lalduhthlana, DFO,
Champhai present a short speech
about the aims and objective of NLC
project and the present status of DTR
and after this, he waved off the
students to start a journey leaving
DFO Quarter at 5:20a.m
We arrive Keifang at
8:20a.m and have a breakfast right
there and continues a journey to
Dampa. Two of our school staff
joined us from Aizawl. Inside the bus @ Keifang

Mr. Raymond Lalthazuala, Beat Officer guided us from West

Phaileng and arrived Safely Teirei Forest IB at about 5:50p.m. Mr.
Lalkungliana, Beat Officer and other field staff welcomes us and have a dinner
at about 6:30p.m.
 BRIEF STORY ABOUT DAMPA TIGER RESERVE

1. Location :
Dampa Tiger Reserve is located at 92°16’08” - 92°27’41E and
23°18’27” - 23°43’50”N, 8kms away West Phaileng, Mamit District,
Mizoram, India. It covers an area of 545 [Link] at an altitude range of 800–
1,100 m (2,600–3,600 ft). It also gets an 80kms long with Bangladesh
international Border.

2. Area coverage :
It was declared a tiger reserve in
1994 and is part of Project Tiger. The
total geographical Area recorded covers
[Link] which was divided into
buffer area and core area. The buffer
area covers [Link], which was
an outer area of DTR but available
for cultivation. The core area covers
[Link] which was a fully protected
area. Dampa Tiger Reserve occupied 5%
of the total area of Mizoram.
Geographical Map of DTR
(Buffer and Core area)
3. Origin :
The word ‘Dampa’ was orginally named it when the Lushai Chief
Lalsawta established a village in this area in(about) 1900 A.D. During this
time, some people said thar women in a couple cannot live long and only men
often survive in this village, so named it as Dampa, literally means ‘survival
place of men’. In its origin, the preliminary notification of the central
government announced it on Dt. 20 th January, 1974 as a wildlife sanctuary and
named it in the final notification on Dt. 16 th March, 1989 as Dampa Sanctuary.
And in 7th December, 1994, this area was announced as a Tiger Reserve and
named it as Dampa Tiger Reserve.
 WILD ANIMAL POPULATION AT DTR
(According to 1996 Census)

S/N Name of Animal Zoological name Nos Remarks

1 Tiger Panthera Tigris 4 Endangered
2 Leopard Panthera Pardus 9 Endangered
3 Elephant Elephas Maximus 4 Endangered
4 Indian Bison Bos Gaurus 11 Endangered
Samber Cervus Unicolor 59
Barking Deer Muntiacus Muntjak 63
Wild Boar Sus Scropa 27 Endangered
Bear Melursus Ursinus 10 Endangered
Serrow Capricornis Sumatraenses 15
Jungle Cat Felis Chaks 17
Indian Civet Viverra Zibtha 14
Binturong Arctictis Binturong 15 Endangered
Indian Porcupine Hystrix Indica 20 Endangered
Slow Loris Nyeticebus Coverang 9 Endangered
Rhesus Mocaque Macca Muatta 210
Phyres Leave Presbytis Phayrei 11
Monkey
Common Langur Presbytis Entellus 136
Hoolock Gibbon Hylobates Hoolock 41 Endangered
Indian Pangolin Manis Crassicaudata 11 Endangered
Common Otter Luthra Luthra 19
Python Genus Python 8 Endangered
Indian Hornbill Buceros Bicornis 18 Endangered
Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros Mala 14 Endangered
Barious
King Cobra Ophiophacus Hannah 3 Endangered
4. Flora and Fauna :
The tropical forests of Dampa Tiger Reserve are home to a
diverse flora and fauna. It consists of forest interpolated with steep
precipitous hills, deep valleys, jungle streams, ripping rivulets, natural
salts licks. Dampa Tiger Reserve is not easily accessible unlike other
park where you can ride on a four wheeler but one has to walk through
the forest if one wishes to sight animals. It is recorded that DTR has
242 birds species, 52 fish species and 72 animal species. The primates
of 8 species out of 15 species in India are found in which no other
species are found in other parts of the world.

5. Protected areas in Mizoram :

Protected Areas in Mizoram are categorized as follows :
a) National park – 2 (Phawngpui ang Murlen)
b) Tiger Reserve – 1 (Dampa Tiger Reserve)
c) Wildlife Sanctuary – 8
1) Lengteng 2)
Pualreng
3) Tawi 4)
Khawnglung
5) Thorangtlang 6)
Ngengpui
7) Tokalo 8) Buhvum
 ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PROGRAMME

As being a part of nature tour programme, An awareness

programme about Environmental protection was held on 22 nd
November, 2023 at 7:30p.m. Sir Laltanpuia, Principal, DM HSS
presides over the programme. The programme was attended by 3
field staff – Mr. Lalkungliana, BO, Mr. Raymond Lalthazuala, BO
and Mr. Laltanpuia, Forester, 21 students of DM HSS and 5 teachers.
In this programme, Mr. Lalkungliana, Beat Officer, Teirei
Forest range present a speech about the origin, maintenance and
brief story about Dampa Tiger Reserve. Apart from this, Mr.
Raymond Lalthazuala, Beat Officer, Phuldungsei range presents a
paper on the contribution of DTR in Mizoram climate and told the
importance of preservation, protection and maintenance of DTR and
other protected area in Mizoram.
The programme continues with an open interaction with
the students. The students ask many questions about DTR and
Environmental issues in Mizoram. The field staff explains some
materials in the hall to the students. The programme was dismissed
at 9:30p.m

Environmental Awareness programme at field Hall

 A VISIT TO ZOOLOGICAL PARK, AIZAWL
We arrived Aizawl Zoological Park at about 12:40p.m. Due
to renovation of approach road, we went about 800metres from the
main road by foot.
After paying a visiting charge @ 20 per students for 32, we
enter the park and check carefully our bags and conduct a detail
briefing to students about the rules and regulations.
Aizawl Zoological Park is categorized as a small zoo and
was establish on 2006 with an area covering 65 hectares. Aizawl Zoo in
India has a second list of rescued exotic animals and birds smuggled
into India from Myanmar, but the zoo is running out of space and some
of these animals are dying. Between July 2019 and September 2022,
the zoo received 910 exotic animals, of which only 274 survived till the
first week of December 2022.
Data available with the Mizoram forest department that HT
has seen shows that between July 2019 and September 2022, the
Aizawl Zoo received 910 exotic animals, of which only 274 survived
till the first week of December 2022. “Many more have succumbed
after that,” a senior official of the Mizoram forest department said.
We left the zoo at about 2:30p.m and returns our journey to
Champhai at about 3:30 from Aizawl.

DM HSS Staff & Students @ Zoological Park, Aizawl

List of Important Activities
S/N Date Name of Activity

1 20.11.2023 Pre-Nature Tour Sensitisation programme

1) Short Briefing ang Waving Off by DFO at 5:00a.m
2) Arrival of Teirei Rest House at 5:50p.m
2 21.11.2023
3) Distribution and explanation of Tour
Questionnaire at 8:00p.m
1) Visit ‘Bak Pûk’ located at the core area at 6:00a.m
2) Enter inside the Dampa Tiger Reserve Forest after
breakfast at abour 9:30a.m from Damparengpui
side.
3) Arrival of “Pathlawi Lunglen tlang”, which was
3 22.11.2024
located at core area.
4) 2 hours Environmental Awareness programme at
Teirei rest house with Pu Lalkungliana, Teirei
range and Pu Raymond Lalthazuala, Phuldungsei
range at 7:30p.m to 9:30p.m
1) Cleanliness Drive - Teirei Field Hostel Compound
at 5:00a.m
6 23.11.2024 2) Departure – Teirei Forest IB at 6:00a.m
3) Visit Zoological Park, Aizawl at 12:45p.m
4) Departure – Aizawl Zoological Park at 2:40p.m
1) Arrival – DM Higher Secondary School at
1:00a.m
7 24.11.2024
2) A short briefing and collection of questionnaire at
9:00a.m
 SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE TOUR

 I must mention my deep sense of appreciation to all the field

staff in DTR.
 I should give my hearty thanks to all the DFO and staff in
Champhai division to utilized the NLC project. I hope this would
results in better understanding the urgent need of Protection,
preservation and maintenance of Flora and Fauna in Mizoram.
 The field staff and the DPR area ratio is imbalance so needs to
recruit more fields staff here.
 Planting Oil Palm near Teirei river may have a negative effects
because it may results in scarcity of water in this area.
 The students are now aware after the tour and hope more curious
about the climate change issues.
 Some core areas of DTR are located at Bangladesh border. This
may be dangereous to the safety of the forest. The government
should takes necessary steps for the safety of this forest.
 The state government should prepare the DTR more attractive
for the visitors.
 The department should keep precise, details and updated data
about the DTR.
 PHOTO DOCUMENTS

Cleanliness Drive On 23rd Nov., 2023 5:30a.m at Field Hostel,

Teirei

Teirei River