Ponnampet: Kotrangada Medappa Chinnappa, an 84-year-old dedicated conservationist and retired official of the Karnataka Forest Department, who worked at the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, passed away on Monday in Ponnampet taluk of Kodagu District.
Mr. Chinnappa exerted considerable effort to protect the plant and animal life within the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, playing a key role in elevating it to one of India's best-managed tiger reserves through the implementation of various conservation programs.
Born in 1941 in Kumtoor village in Virajpet taluk of Kodagu, into a family with a military background, Mr. Chinnappa pursued a career in the forest department. He began his journey as a forester at Nagarahole in 1967. Witnessing the park's degradation with poachers, smugglers, and encroachers freely operating in the forests, Mr. Chinnappa, utilizing whatever resources available to him, launched a determined campaign against these wrongdoers.
Mr. Chinnappa received numerous state, national, and international accolades for his conservation endeavors, both during his tenure as a forester and in his post-retirement involvement with the Wildlife First trust. He generously contributed his award winnings of Rs 7.5 lakh towards the conservation and well-being of frontline staff who tirelessly work in the challenging and remote terrain.
According to family sources, the last rites are scheduled to take place on Tuesday in his hometown of Kumtoor, near Srimangala in Ponnampet taluk of South Kodagu.
Please Join The Kodagu Express WhatsApp Channel: CLICK HERE
Follow us on Instagram and X(Twitter) to get latest news updates and special stories from Kodagu.
Share your feedback on our website via email at thekodaguexpress@gmail.com
コメント