Senapati, October 2: The scenic landscape of Naamai Zho in Koide, Manipur, is hosting the vibrant Cosmos Flower Festival from October 2nd to 5th, celebrating the season when cosmos flowers are in full bloom. Organised by the Naami Eco Tourism Society (NETS), a local NGO comprising village youth, the festival is championed under the theme: “Cosmos for Culture, Conservation for Future.”

The festival aims to weave together local culture and critical environmental awareness, with a strong emphasis on biodiversity protection through a core collaboration with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

WTI’s participation stems from its ongoing project: “Countering Pangolin Trafficking in the Indo-Myanmar Border”, which is supported by Wildlife Conservation Network’s (WCN) Pangolin Crisis Fund (PCF) and in partnership with the Manipur Forest Department. Through this initiative, WTI is working to dismantle illegal wildlife trade networks, reduce local hunting, strengthen the capacity of enforcement officials and build awareness among communities living along the Indo-Myanmar border.

Manipur, home to the critically endangered Chinese Pangolin(Manis pentadactyla), has been identified as a key region for targeted conservation. WTI’s presence at the Cosmos Festival includes support, as well as extensive public outreach and sensitisation efforts, focusing on pangolin protection and biodiversity conservation.

On the festival’s opening day, WTI Assistant Manager and Officer-in-Charge, Monesh Singh Tomar, who also serves as the Functional President of the event, inaugurated the festivities and, alongside village heads, issued a resolution to ban the hunting, consumption, and trade of pangolins in the region—a landmark commitment to wildlife conservation at the grassroots level.

The four-day festival is rich with cultural activities, traditional performances, and sporting events such as a volleyball tournament aimed at promoting community pride and environmental stewardship. A cleaning drive, held to mark Gandhi Jayanti, underscores the festival’s commitment to both ecological and civic responsibility.

WTI is also conducting extensive outreach and sensitisation activities throughout the festival. Their dedicated stall at Naamai Zho provides visitors with information on pangolin conservation and encourages them to sign a pledge to protect the species and safeguard Manipur’s biodiversity. The organisation is hosting wildlife documentary screenings at the local community centre, offering compelling visuals and narratives on India’s diverse and endangered fauna.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Tomar stated, “The Cosmos Flower Festival is not just a celebration of natural beauty, but a call to action. By weaving conservation into the fabric of cultural events, we are creating a powerful, community-led movement to protect the pangolin and all of Manipur’s biodiversity.”

Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) is a conservation organisation established in 1998 with a mission to conserve nature, especially endangered species and threatened habitats, in partnership with communities and governments. In its 25 years of operations, WTI has saved over 55,000 animal lives, trained and equipped over 27,000 frontline forest staff, assisted the government in creating 7 Protected Areas, sensitised 32 lakh children to conservation and assisted enforcement agencies in combatting wildlife crimes.

For more information, contact Arinita Ph. 9582490170, Email — media@wti.org.in