Background of the Organisation:

Visakhapatnam is a fast growing city on the east coast of India along the Bay of Bengal in the state of Andhra Pradesh. In June 1996, a small group of animal lovers from the city started the Visakha Society for Protection and Care of Animals (VSPCA). The aim of VSPCA was to make a profound and lasting impact on the lives of many suffering animals and to protect the environment against the destructive forces of unplanned development in the region. VSPCA is an associate member of the Royal Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and the World Society for Protection of Animals (WSPA), and is recognised by the Animal Welfare Board of India, Chennai and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Objectives:

The Society, being non-pro t in nature and set up exclusively for the promotion of welfare of all animals which are an essential part of the environment and society, is dedicated to prevent cruelty and alleviate suffering of all animals.

Through its innovative awareness programmes, VSPCA intends to educate the masses and build a strong and lasting bond between animals and human societies, and to compell responsibility upon people towards the welfare of animals, especially the sick, injured and abandoned. We endeavour to provide a framework for the enforcement of law at all levels of government and pursue and promote a uniform codified law for animals.

Where we Work:

VSPCA carries out its activities in various parts of Andhra Pradesh with a focus in Visakhapatnam. Our sea turtle conservation activities are carried out primarily in Visakhapatnam, Bheemili and Srikakulam.

Support for the Organisation:

VSPCA has a multifaceted approach, and our protection programmes involve different kinds of species. Therefore, the categories under which we solicit funding and support for various projects ranges from donations from individuals and philanthropists and grants from organisations associated or interested in supporting programmes for particular species. We also receive partial support from government agencies.

Plans for the Future:

Of the various projects that our organisation carries out, sea turtle protection is our earliest and most ambitious endeavor. Therefore our plans as far as sea turtle protection is concerned would like to expand in geographical scope from the Visakhapatnam beaches to the borders of Orissa in the north, where there are much more significant turtle nesting grounds, approximating to a total of 990 km. So far the activities we have successfully carried have been restricted to an area about 60 km wide. The paucity of funds for sea turtle protection has always been the greatest hindrance in our efforts, presumably due to the nature of nesting in the area, which is sporadic, as compared to mass nesting in the neighbouring state of Orissa. This, despite it being proven that success rates are higher in the significant nesting beaches along our coast. Our efforts in future therefore will focus on drawing attention to the importance of these nesting beaches in ensuring the survival of the species.

Role Within the Network:

VSPCA sees its role within the network to provide basic eld related expertise, one of the necessary ingredients for effective conservation of sea turtles. Our strength lies in our dedication and commitment to the cause. As a core member of TAG, we are willing to lead from the forefront and hope to provide the requirements that will help meet the objectives of TAG. Our action based interventions and experience with education and awareness encompassing all animals will help provide a more comprehensive approach to the cause. We love all animals and for us, to save and protect sea turtles is not based on the number of sea turtles coming to nest on our beaches. This is the motive which drives our commitment to support such conservation efforts for sea turtles even if it is just one sea turtle!

We hope that TAG will bene t from our role within it and utilise our expertise in a manner that would best support its activities and fulfill its objectives. The nature of the constitution of the network which involves organisations from all over the country will enable us to interact with others and help develop a working model for collaborative efforts, to seek and provide any help that is required to continue the efforts towards protecting sea turtles.

Contributed by Pradeep Kumar Nath, President and Founder, VSPCA.

Contact information: Pradeep Kumar Nath, President and Founder, VSPCA.
Postal address: 26.15.200 Main Road, Visakhapatnam – 530001, Andhra Pradesh
Phone: +91 891 2716124
Email: vspcadeep@yahoo.co.in
Website: www.vspca.org