(Kutch Ecological Research center campus at Village Tera, Kutch.)

Kutch Ecological Research Centre, a division of The Corbett Foundation, was started in 1999 with the aim to help the local communities and to study the fragile eco-system of the unique grasslands of Kutch ever threatened by overgrazing and drought. These are home to a number of endangered species and in urgent need of attention. The Kutch region is located in the North Western part of Gujarat. It borders Pakistan on its North, and has a long coast line on its South.

Kutch is divided into nine talukas, of which Abdasa is one of the remote coastal talukas. It has a population of 97,000 (Census 2001) in 151 villages spread over an area of 2400 sq. kms. Barring the floods this year it has been receiving an average of 300 mm of rainfall per annum. Kutch has been neglected in terms of development of basic infrastructure and allocation of state resources. Access to Bhuj, the main city of Kutch has been very limited until year 200. the people of Kutch are struggling to survive. Lack of clean drinking water, food, fodder and state sources of income has resulted in people migrating away from home. Health and education services are limited to small townships and even those are those are not of an adequate standard.

Village Tera in Abdasa taluka is also the ancestral home of our Chairman, Shri Dilip Khatau’s. In 1999, he decided to start a branch of the Corbett Foundation based from here, to actively participate and mobilize local support for the conservation of biodiversity of the area.