Guwahati: A remote village in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district has found its way into the spotlight through a new children’s book documenting a rare, community-led conservation journey rooted in Indigenous knowledge.
Guardians of Gobuk, co-published by Kalpavriksh and Titli Trust, captures how Gobuk village, home to the Adi community, responded collectively to declining wildlife by rethinking traditional hunting practices and embracing conservation.
Written by Tanya Majmudar and illustrated by Pankaj Saikia, the book targets readers aged 8 to 12 and narrates a real-life story of ecological awareness emerging from within the community.
Located at an altitude of over 1,200 metres, Gobuk had long followed customary hunting traditions integral to Adi culture. However, growing concerns over vanishing wildlife prompted introspection among villagers. The shift was led in part by Epum Sirum, which works to preserve cultural heritage while adapting practices for sustainability.
Gobuk’s conservation efforts have also translated into significant scientific outcomes. Biodiversity surveys in the area have documented over 200 bird species, around 300 butterflies, and more than 750 moth species.
Collaborative research with the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, has led to the identification of 20 moth species previously unrecorded in India, detailed across two papers published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Tropical Lepidoptera Research in 2024.
The authors say the narrative traces this transition with nuance, capturing internal debates, resistance, and eventual consensus, offering a grounded account of conservation that moves beyond idealised narratives.
The initiative is part of a broader push to document “Territories of Life”—landscapes conserved by Indigenous communities through traditional governance systems. Organisations such as Titli Trust, with support from Royal Enfield Social Mission and Green Hub, have been working with Gobuk on conservation, eco-tourism, and youth engagement.
Beyond storytelling, Guardians of Gobuk underscores a wider message: conservation in India’s biodiversity-rich regions is often driven quietly at the grassroots, with Indigenous communities playing a crucial role in safeguarding ecosystems.
By bringing this story to children, the book signals the importance of nurturing environmental stewardship early, showing how even small, remote communities can offer powerful lessons in sustainability.