The second batch of “Nature Guiding & Ecotourism course” which began on 3^rd March 2016 concluded with the awarding of certificates at the institute on 29^th April 2016. The certificate awarding ceremony was graced by Mr. Tshering Tempa, Officiating Director and attended by the faculty and other staff members. Officiating Director, on his keynote address, advised the graduates to make best use of the knowledge and skills they gained through this course in conserving Bhutan’s natural resources and in nature guiding & ecotourism.

During the two-month course, trainees were taught basics in identification of plants, mammals, butterflies, and birds. While at the Institute, trainees were involved in the mist netting program.

To gain hand-on experience in taxonomic skills, the institute organized a month long field excursion led by the experts from the institute in six different Dzongkhags. During the field excursion, the team sighted a White Bellied Heron (Critically endangered bird) in Jamkhar Drang near Gomkora in Tashiyangtse in the morning of 18th April 2016. This has been confirmed as a new distribution record for the species in Bhutan. 

Once back to the institute, trainees made a presentation and submitted checklist with pictures to produce brochures for their future reference.