Kutch Ecological Research Centre (KERC), a division of The Corbett Foundation, was started in 1999 to preserve the fragile eco-system and wildlife of Kutch with active involvement of the local communities. Kutch is home to a number of endangered species like the Great Indian Bustard, Lesser Florican, Chinkara, Desert Fox, Desert Cat, Caracal, Indian Wolf and a wide variety of migratory birds.

KERC was established in Tera, the ancestral village of Mr. Dilip Khatau, Chairman of TCF, in Abdasa taluka of Kutch. The district of Kutch is divided into nine talukas, of which Abdasa is one of the remote coastal talukas. It has a total of 151 villages spread over an area of 2400 sq km. Until recently, the area had been neglected in terms of development of basic infrastructure and allocation of the state resources. Lack of clean drinking water, food, fodder and steady sources of income resulted in people migrating away from home. Health and education services were limited to small townships and are still very poorly represented in the rural areas. However, in the past couple of years, the government opened the gates of development for the corporate sector. This has changed the face of Kutch with wilderness areas being lost to rapid development and encroachment. Natural grasslands that harbour Kutch’s unique fauna are being lost at a massive scale. KERC strives to reverse the tides of destruction and actively mobilises local support for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems of the area with the programmes as listed below.

The Last Call to Save Indian Bustard in Kutch, Gujarat, India