Think Wildlife Foundation

In Episode 8, I am joined by Moumita Chakraborty, an Eastern Himalayas Consultant at the Global Tiger Forum, to discuss red panda conservation. During her PhD at the Wildlife Institute of India, Moumita studied the habitat suitability of Red Panda in Sikkim to identify the priority areas for conservation. She also studied the relationship between red pandas and people in the habitat. Listed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List, the Red Panda faces a plethora of threats including forest fragmentation, poaching, and even free-ranging dogs. Tune in to this episode to learn about the conservation of red pandas in India! Zoological Society of London (ZSL) https://lnkd.in/gmgd__yd

In Episode 8, I am joined by Moumita Chakraborty, an Eastern Himalayas Consultant at the Global Tiger Forum, to discuss red panda conservation. During her PhD at the Wildlife Institute of India, Moumita studied the habitat suitability of Red Panda in Sikkim to identify the priority areas for conservation. She also studied the relationship between red pandas and people in the habitat. Listed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List, the Red Panda faces a plethora of threats including forest fragmentation, poaching, and even free-ranging dogs. Tune in to this episode to learn about the conservation of red pandas in India! https://lnkd.in/geMgnVMe

In Episode 7, I explore the ecology and conservation of this fascinating cat with Shreyas Vijay, the founder of the Caracal Conservation and Research Project (CCRP). We discuss his research on mapping the population and distribution of caracals in India. Shreyas talks about the threats of human-caracal conflict and the illegal pet trade to caracals across its range in Asia and Africa. Tune in to learn more about the future of caracals in India. https://lnkd.in/gq-EGU2E

The story of India's lions is one of conservation's greatest stories. With less than hundred Asiatic lions left in the wild, the species was on the verge of extinction in the late 20th century. Now, following extensive conservation efforts, there are between 600-800 lions roaming the forests, beaches and even streets of Saurashtra. With the population of lions far exceeding the carrying capacity of Gir, translocation and reintroduction of lions in other potential habitats in India is the need of the hour. In Episode 6 of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I am joined by one of India’s leading lion biologist, Dr. Meena Venkataraman, the founder of Carnivore Conservation and Research. She has over 20 years of experience as a wildlife biologists and studied the behavioural ecology of the Asiatic Lion. We talk about her intriguing work on lion ecology and behaviour. We also talk about the state of lion translocation efforts in India and the potential impact of the cheetah reintroduction. Tune in to learn about this magnificent cat and their remarkable story in India!

The story of India's lions is one of conservation's greatest stories. With less than hundred Asiatic lions left in the wild, the species was on the verge of extinction in the late 20th century. Now, following extensive conservation efforts, there are between 600-800 lions roaming the forests, beaches and even streets of Saurashtra. With the population of lions far exceeding the carrying capacity of Gir, translocation and reintroduction of lions in other potential habitats in India is the need of the hour. In Episode 6 of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I am joined by one of India’s leading lion biologist, Dr. Meena Venkatraman, the founder of Carnivore Conservation and Research. She has over 20 years of experience as a wildlife biologists and studied the behavioural ecology of the Asiatic Lion. We talk about her intriguing work on lion ecology and behaviour. We also talk about the state of lion translocation efforts in India and the potential impact of the cheetah reintroduction. Tune in to learn about this magnificent cat and their remarkable story in India! https://lnkd.in/gwD32Gyk

In Episode 5 of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I am joined by Mayank Shukla, Anshita Das and Arjun Srivathsa from The Dhole Project, which is a part of Wildlife Conservation Society-India and National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS). Launched in 2016, The Dhole Project aims to conduct research on Asiatic wild dogs or ‘dholes’ to better understand their ecological requirements and protect their populations in India. Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Conservation Network, The Rufford Foundation, IUCN Species Survival Commission, Wildlife Conservation Society-India https://lnkd.in/gQ8adS_K

https://lnkd.in/g3XqEPdv In Episode 5 of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I am joined by Mayank Shukla, Anshita Das and Arjun Srivathsa from The Dhole Project, which is a part of Wildlife Conservation Society-India and National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS). Launched in 2016, The Dhole Project aims to conduct research on Asiatic wild dogs or ‘dholes’ to better understand their ecological requirements and protect their populations in India. In this episode we cover the ecology and conservation of dhole in India, particularly in the agroforestry landscape of Valparai. We also talk about The Dhole Project’s research on dhole genetics and human-wild canid interactions!

The Grevy’s Zebra is the largest extant species of equid in the world. Unfortunately, the species is listed as “Endangered” by the IUCN Red List. With less than 2,000 wild individuals found in pockets of Kenya and Ethiopia, the Grevy’s Zebra is the most threatened of the three zebra species. In the 20th Century, hunting for their skins was the primary threat to the species. However, the species is now heavily threatened by rampant habitat loss and fragmentation, driven primarily by livestock overgrazing and the spread of invasive plants. The development of linear infrastructure is further fragmenting the populations of Grevy’s Zebra. In this episode, I speak to David Kimiti and lekiluai damaris from Grevy's Zebra Trust to discuss the conservation of this rare species. https://lnkd.in/gHkJE28f

https://lnkd.in/gK6bF-V5 In August 2022,  I had the very good fortune to explore the mountains of Dras, Kargil in search of one of India’s rarest terrestrial mammals - the Himalayan Brown Bear. Listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List, there are less than 500 individuals remaining in the wild scattered across Western Himalayas and the Karakoram Mountains. Drass in the Kargil District of Ladakh and the neighbouring Deosai National Park in Pakistan remain their largest stronghold (tune in to this episode to learn why this region is so attractive for the bears!) In this episode of Think Wildlife Podcast, I interview niaz khan, a PhD Scholar at the Wildlife Institute of India. He also works with Bombay Natural History Society ( Bnhs ) in the region. We talk about his work on Himalayan Brown Bears in Kargil and the way forward for their conservation.

Unfortunately, cranes are under severe threat. Across the world, cranes are rapidly losing their grassland and wetland habitats to agriculture and industrialization. Other than the conversion of natural habitat to agriculture, altered wetland hydrology due to irrigation and increased exposure to agricultural chemicals are also pressing threats. A few species of crane, especially the critically endangered Siberian Crane, have been driven to the brink of extinction by legal hunting in central and west Asian countries, such as Pakistan. In this episode, I interview Dr. Rich Beilfuss, who is the President of the International Crane Foundation. Founded in 1971 at Cornell University by two undergraduate ornithologists, the International Crane Foundation is working extensively on the conservation of all 15 crane species. Their work extends across Asia, Africa, and North America. In this conversation, Rich elaborates on the various conservation initiatives ICF leads. https://lnkd.in/gC5VDgM3