Elephant Tails Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Elephant Tails, we sit down with Wildlife SOS co-founder Geeta Seshamani to talk about the importance of empowering women to help conserve wildlife. During Geeta’s decade-long fight to eradicate the cruel ‘dancing’ bear practice in India, she immersed herself in the day-to-day lives of tribal communities. She learned that lasting change begins with uplifting women and girls from misogynistic traditions. Geeta listened to their hopes and needs, and devised clever ways to help these women gain valuable skills and education, allowing them to earn income and gain newfound respect in their communities.

Twenty years later these tribal women have permanent homes, their daughters are going to school and even college, they’re earning income for their families, and they’ve become conservation leaders in their communities.

Read more about the successful women and children of the Kalendar community: https://wildlifesos.org/tribal-rehabilition-programs/on-the-path-of-hope-mahaks-journey-through-wildlife-sos-tribal-rehabilitation-programme/ 

Geeta is interviewed by Wildlife SOS Director of Marketing and Communications, Dana Wilson. Learn more about Wildlife SOS at wildlifesos.org. 

This is the first in a three-part series discussing the work of Wildlife SOS to conserve wild elephant herds in India and reduce human-elephant conflict. This hands-on research and tracking in the state of Chhattisgarh is a pilot project we hope will expand to protect each and every one of the 27,000 wild Asian elephants left in India.

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Wildlife SOS Director of Marketing and Communications, Dana Wilson chats with Thomas Sharp about the current status of elephants in Asia, what direct actions are being taken to protect wild herds, and what Wildlife SOS researchers are discovering that will help more elephants in the future.

Tom is the Director of Conservation and Research for Wildlife SOS and Co-Chair IUCN Sloth Bear Expert Team specializing in sloth bears, Asian elephants, reptiles and leopards in India. With 25 years of experience studying wildlife around the globe, Tom has worked with many species from turtles, snakes and crocodiles, nesting birds and raptors, small mammals, blue bull deer, and of course bears, leopards and elephants. He received his Master’s in biology from Northeastern University in Chicago.

Read more about our Chhattisgarh Wild Elephant Project 

Wildlife SOS is a Delhi based wildlife conservation nonprofit with offices in the USA and UK. Learn more at wildlifesos.org 

Executive Director Nikki Sharp sits down with Assistant Campaign Officer Mahima Sharma to chat about the rescue of an amazingly elephant named Bella. In her short time with Wildlife SOS, Bella stole the hearts of so many of us with her courage and strength. Mahima was on-site as part of the rescue team for the challenging rescue of the severely neglected elephant.

In this episode, guest host Rachel Hinman sits down with Wildlife SOS co-founder Kartick Satyanarayan to discuss some of the challenges the organization has faced and overcome throughout the years, while working to protect and preserve India’s sloth bears, elephants, and many more. Rachel had recently participated in the volunteer program at the Wildlife SOS at the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre.

This interview was originally released on Rachel's podcast series, A Will and a Way, where she travels the world to meet with founders, activists and advocates all fighting to change the fate of animals on this planet. On each episode she steps into the worlds of those who are speaking up, standing up and showing up for the animal kingdom. You can find A Will and a Way however you listen to podcasts, and please be sure to subscribe!

You can find Rachel Hinman, on Instagram @awillxaway

In this episode of Elephant Tails, Executive Director Nikki Sharp sits down with co-founder Geeta Seshamani in our offices in Delhi to chat about Friendicoes SECA, the sister organization of Wildlife SOS dedicated to caring for community animals. This interview gives amazing insight into the unique and compassionate way Indian communities care for the animals in their cities.

Geeta is an acting Senior Wildlife Conservationist and animal rights activist. For over three decades, her life has been centered on the profound belief that man can coexist with animals and forests. She is the Vice President of Friendicoes SECA and the Co-Founder and Secretary of Wildlife SOS.

Learn more at friendicoes.org

Wildlife SOS USA Director of Marketing and Communications, Dana Wilson chats with Thomas Sharp about research into wild sloth bear populations and learns more about bears.

Tom is a Director of Conservation and Research for Wildlife SOS specializing in sloth bears, Asian elephants and leopards in India. With 25 years of experience studying wildlife around the globe, Tom has worked with many species from turtles, snakes and crocodiles, nesting birds and raptors, small mammals, blue bull deer, and of course bears and elephants. He received his Master’s in biology from Northeastern University in Chicago. Tom serves on the Sloth Bear Expert Team for the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Executive Director Nikki Sharp sits down with Director of Conservation Projects, Baiju Raj at our Agra Bear Rescue Facility to chat about his childhood love of reptiles, and how that love grew to compel him to help all wildlife.

Baiju Raj has been handling snakes and other wild animals since the age of 2. He is known at Wildlife SOS as the man who would go to the ends of the earth to save wildlife. 

Baiju began working with Wildlife SOS in 2005. He is a Member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Crocodile Specialist Group and oversees conservation and research in India. You can see Baiju in action in our new Nat Geo WILD series! 

Welcome to the Elephant Tails Podcast from Wildlife SOS, where we bring you the intimate stories and behind-the-scenes perspectives with the people working to save India’s wildlife.

In Episode 2, Wildlife SOS communications ace Suvidha Bhatnagar chats with one of our most senior veterinary officers, Dr. Yaduraj Khadpekar about the challenging rescue of everyone's favorite little elephant, Laxmi. Laxmi was a badly overweight and neglected begging elephant living on the streets of Mumbai, a busy metropolis with more than 18 million people.

This episode was recorded at our Agra Bear Rescue Facility, so please excuse the occasional background noise of mischievous rhesus monkeys pounding on the doors and roof. You can see Dr. Yadu in action in our new Nat Geo WILD series! 

To learn more about Laxsmi and Wildlife SOS, visit wildlifesos.org

Welcome to the Elephant Tails Podcast from Wildlife SOS, where we bring you the intimate stories and behind-the-scenes perspectives with the people working to save India’s wildlife.

In Episode 1 we chat with Geeta Seshamani about how Wildlife SOS first got started. Geeta is an acting Senior Wildlife Conservationist and animal rights activist. For over three decades, her life has been centered on the profound belief that man can coexist with animals and forests. She is the Vice President of Friendicoes SECA and the Co-Founder and Secretary of Wildlife SOS.

To learn more about Wildlife SOS, visit wildlifesos.org

In this episode of Elephant Tails, Wildlife SOS Director of Advocacy and Engagement Kip Peterson talks about the Founders' Trip, where a handful of guest get the VIP treatment and an exclusive tour of India with Kartick and Geeta, Co-Founders of Wildlife SOS. See colorful sights including historic Old Delhi, our Elephant Care and Conservation Centre, the Taj Mahal, and search for wild tigers in the spectacular Ranthambore National Park.

Learn more about the experience and plan for your future adventure meeting the elephants of Wildlife SOS as they play in Yamuna river. It's the trip of a lifetime!

Kip is interviewed by Wildlife SOS Executive Director Nikki Sharp. To learn more about Wildlife SOS and our lifesaving work helping India's elephants, bears, leopards and other amazing animals, visit wildlifesos.org