The Daintree Rainforest, located on the northeastern coast of Queensland, is amongst the most pristine rainforests globally. Over 10 million years older than the Amazon Rainforest, the Daintree is part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland. This forms the largest contiguous rainforest in Australia.

Countless endemic species of avifauna are found in the Daintree, such as the golden bowerbirds, tooth-billed and lovely fairywrens. Moreover, the rainforest also has a relatively stable population of southern cassowary, for which it was listed as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. Unfortunately, climate change, habitat fragmentation, rural development, and the spread of invasive and feral species severely threaten the Daintree.

In this episode, I speak to Branden Barber, the CEO of Rainforest Rescue on the conservation of the Daintree Rainforest. He elaborates upon the cultural importance of the Daintree, threats, and Rainforest Rescue’s conservation efforts.

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 Dr. David Kimiti and Damaris Lekiluai from Grevy’s Zebra Trust to discuss the conservation of this rare species.

Meet the Pangolin. The world’s most trafficked mammal. Pangolins are also known as scaly anteaters due to the protective  keratin scales covering their skins. Unfortunately, these protective keratin scales are leading to the pangolin’s downfall. Keratin is in high demand in China and Vietnam (the usual suspects) for traditional Chinese Medicine and as a luxury food. Moreover, pangolins are also often consumed as bushmeat and traditional medicine across Africa, though at a relatively smaller scale. It is for this reason, pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world, with over a million animals poached between 2004 and 2014.  This is proving catastrophic, with the illegal trade of pangolins often associated with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is still no global consensus regarding the origins of the deadly virus.

Currently, there are eight extant species of pangolins, with four species being found in Africa and Asia each. Out of the eight species, three are listed as “Critically Endangered” and three are classified as “Endangered” by the IUCN Red List. Meanwhile, the remaining two species are considered “Threatened.  As of September 2023, there have been nine reports of extinct species of pangolin

In this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I interview Matthew Shirley, the co-chair of the IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group. We talk in-depth about the conservation of the pangolin and the works of the IUCN PSG. Matthew is also one of the leading conservationists working with crocodiles, having discovered the Central African slender-snouted crocodile. During the episode,  Matthew elaborates upon his extensive work on these ancient reptiles in West and Central Africa.

The Amazon River Dolphin, known locally as the “Boto”, is the largest species of river dolphin in the world. The species is also the most widespread river dolphin, covering six different countries in South America. Unfortunately, the Amazon River Dolphin is classified as “Endangered” by the IUCN Red List. Commercial fishing remains the primary threat to the species.  The species is also severely affected by extreme drought due to climate change and water pollution from industrial mining.

In this episode, I talk about the conservation of the Boto with Suzanne Smith, who is the founder of the Amazon River Dolphin Foundation.

Globally, there are 15 species of cranes spread across all continents baring South America and Antarctica. With eight species, East Asia has the highest crane diversity. A few species of crane, such as the Siberian and Demosille crane, are known to migrate thousands of kilometers to avoid the harsh winter months of Siberia.

Across their range, cranes are revered culturally.  For example, Sarus cranes, the world’s tallest flying bird, is often associated with the Hindu God Lord Brahama across south and southeast Asia. Similarly, in Ladakh, the Black-necked Crane is a symbol of good luck amongst the local Buddhist population.

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.

After tigers and lions, the jaguar is the third largest species of wild felid and the only species of the Panthera genus (big cats) to be found in Americas. The current range of jaguars extends from southern USA, across Mexico and Central America to the Amazonian rainforest. In Central and South America, jaguars inhabit tropical rainforests, deciduous and cloud forests. In North America, however, jaguars have shown a preference for seasonally flooded wetlands and dry grasslands. 

The jaguar is currently listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List following a   population decline of 20–25%  in about 30 years. Moreover, the jaguar has lost more than half its range since 1999. While deforestation and habitat fragmentation continue to threaten the species, the illegal wildlife trade remains a more pressing issue. Following the Second World War, the international trade of jaguar skis blossomed, with reports of up to 15,000 jaguars being poached annually for the trade from the Brazillian Amazon alone. The international trade of jaguar skins has reportedly plummeted following the enactment of the  Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in 1973. However, poaching and the illegal trade of jaguars still occur on a local scale. Seizure reports indicate that a minimum of 857 jaguars were lost between 2012 and 2018 to the illegal wildlife trade in South America. 

In this episode, I speak to Melissa Arias, who has worked extensively to understand and tackle the illegal trade of jaguars. During her PhD at the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Melissa, scientifically investigated the drives and prevalences of the illegal trade in jaguars in Latin America. Following her PhD, Melissa has worked with various prestigious wildlife organizations, such as the Wildlife Conservation Society, CITES, and the Convention on Migratory Species. She currently is the Coordinator of WWF’s  Jaguar and Priority Landscape Project.

Listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List, The African Lion is one of the most threatened species in the world. The population of this regal carnivore has dropped drastically from over 200,000 individuals a century ago to approximately 24,000 today. Almost half of this population is found outside protected areas, often in human-dominated landscapes. Rampant habitat loss and fragmentation, coupled with a sharp decline in prey abundance across their range is a recipe for human-wildlife conflict. Lions are often persecuted in retaliation to livestock degradation by these big cats. This has unfortunate consequences for Africa’s vultures which often prey on livestock carcasses poisoned by farmers, intending to murder problematic lions.

Additionally, lions are increasingly falling victim to the illegal wildlife trade to meet the demand for wildlife products in China and Vietnam, following the clamp down on tiger poaching in Asia. More specifically in southern Africa, lions are often captured for the horrific canned lion industry.

In this episode, I interview Alayne Oriol Cotterill, the CEO of Lion Landscapes, which is one of the leading organizations working towards lion conservation. We cover their various projects, such as their Ruaha Carnivore Program, Community Co-Op, and Collaring for Coexistence programs. We also talk about the “controversial” role of trophy hunting in wildlife conservation in Africa.

If you enjoyed this podcast, do not forget to share and subscribe! You can also listen to The Think Wildlife Podcast on other platforms, such as YouTube, Spotify, and iTunes.

Once upon a time, the Great Indian Bustard was close to becoming India’s National Bird. However, the species is now considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List, with less than 100 individuals remaining in the wild. The species is predominantly found in Rajasthan, though sightings do occur across the Deccan Plateau. Collisions with windmills, hunting of eggs by free-ranging dogs, and the loss of grassland habitat have decimated populations of the Great Indian Bustard. Unfortunately, the three remaining bustard species in India, have a similar storyline.

In this episode, I interview Sujit Narwade, the Assistant Director of the Bombay Natural History Society to discuss bustard conservation in India. We predominantly focus on the conservation Great Indian Bustard and the Lesser Florican, the two species which BNHS has extensively worked with. 

One of the most charismatic species of the rainforests of south-east Asia is the orangutan. The orangutan is the only wild species of Great Ape found in Asia, with the remaining three,  gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos, found in Africa.  Until 1996, the orangutan was considered one individual species. However, since then the species has been divided into three subspecies, which include the Borneon, Sumatran, and Tapanuli Orangutan. 

Historically, the orangutan’s range spread across southeast Asia and south China. Now, the species is found in fragmented populations scattered across the Borneon and Sumatran rainforests. The species, unfortunately, is on the brink of extinction, with all three subspecies classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List.  Habitat loss, driven by the rampant expansion of palm oil plantations, is the primary threat to these ecological engineers. The bushmeat trade also looms large on the species. 

In this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I interview Michelle Desilets, the Executive Director of the Orangutan Land Trust to discuss the future and conservation of the charismatic Great Ape.

One of Asia’s most elusive predators is the Clouded Leopard. Until 2006, the term clouded leopard referred to one ubiquitous species found across the Eastern Himalayas, mainland Southeast Asia, and the islands of Borneo and Sumatara. However, extensive genetic analysis of various populations revealed two sister species of clouded leopard. The first is the Mainland Clouded Leopard, distributed discontinuously across the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, South China, and South East Asia. The second species, the Sunda Clouded Leopard, is restricted to rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. Physically, the latter has a darker and smaller cloud pattern than the former.

 Studies suggest that both species diverged relatively recently (in evolutionary terms), approximately 2-0.9 million years ago. This has been attributed to the submergence of the land bridge connecting the Sumatran and Bornean rainforests to mainland Asia, hence resulting in extreme geographic isolation and hence speciation. 

The population of both species has declined significantly below 10,000 individual adults. None of the subpopulations of the two species have more than 1,000 individuals. Consequently, both species have been considered “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List for Threatened Species. Habitat fragmentation, due to unprecedented levels of deforestation, and commercial hunting for the illegal wildlife trade are the primary threats faced by clouded leopards.

In this episode, I speak to Chrishen Gomez, a Ph.D. student at the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit. He is currently a part of WildCRU’s Clouded Leopard Programme. Established in 2010, the program has since conducted long-term ecological studies on both species of clouded leopards across their range, with the aim of improving the species conservation. Tune in to learn more about Chrishen’s and WildCRU’s research on Clouded Leopards.

The highly biodiverse island Borneo forms one of the largest remaining intact forests of Southeast Asia. Also, the world’s third largest island, Borneo is a stronghold for various charismatic and endangered megafauna species, including orangutans, clouded leopards, elephants, proboscis monkeys and sunbear. 

Unfortunately, the rainforests of south-east Asia, and in particular Borneo,  are under immense pressure. Around 85% of the world’s palm oil and half of the annual global tropical timber is sourced from the Borneon Rainforest, leading to rampant deforestation. Concerningly, the highly destructive “slash and burn” method is utilized extensively by corporations to clear rainforests and peatlands for palm oil plantations. This leads to uncontrollable forest fires, which not only threaten the region’s rich biodiversity but the health of millions of people in the region.

In this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I interview Dr. Susan Cheyne to discuss in depth the conservation of Borneo’s mammals. Since 1997,  Susan has conducted extensive research on the region’s biodiversity, with a particular interest in gibbons and clouded leopards. She is also the co-director of Borneo Nature Foundation International, which is spearheading the conservation of the world’s third-largest rainforest. 

The Eastern Ghats is amongst the most biodiverse regions in India. This discontinuous mountain range is spread predominantly across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka. A study conducted by ATREE found over 200 species of birds in the Eastern Ghats, which includes the endemic Jerdon’s Courser. The region also has healthy populations of elephants, gaur, blackbuck, leopards and wolves, alongside various small mammal species. Around 400 tigers are found in the region. 

Unfortunately, only a very small portion of the Eastern Ghats landscape is classified as a protected area, making the region vulnerable to rapid land cover change. Other than rampant habitat loss, hunting and the illegal wildlife trade threatens the fauna of the region.

In this episode, I interview Dr. Vikram Aditya who has worked extensively on the conservation of the mammals of the Eastern Ghats. He is currently a Principal Scientist at the Centre for Wildlife Studies and spearheads their Wildlife Hunting and Trade program. Currently, the program operates solely in the Eastern Ghats, to study how hunting pressure and illegal wildlife trade is impacting wildlife in the region.

Coraf Reefs around the world are under severe threat. It is estimated that around 10% of the global coral reefs are dead while about 60% are under severe threat due to anthropogenic pressure. 

Climate change remains the primary threat to coral reefs around the world, with increasing sea temperatures catalyzing coral bleaching, which results in the death of reefs. Additionally, increased frequency and intensity of storms, induced by climate change, further damage coral reefs. Beyond climate change, corals are also threatened by rampant coral mining, ocean acidification, and pollution from wastewater and plastic debris.

The destruction of coral reefs is particularly concerning. Other than fostering rich marine biodiversity, coral reefs are also critical for the economy of coastal communities. Corals provide a plethora of ecosystem services ranging from protecting coastlines from storms and erosions to supporting fisheries and providing job opportunities in the form of tourism. Over half a billion people rely on coral reefs for subsistence and protection.

Dugongs are amongst Asia’s most charismatic marine mammals. The species is often referred to as "sea cows" as their diet predominantly consists of seagrass.  The range of the dugongs is fragmented across the warm coastal waters of the western Pacific Ocean to the eastern coast of Africa. In India, their range extends across the Western and Southern coast and the Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago. 

Unfortunately, dugongs are listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List, with their global population declining more than 20% in the last 90 years. Traditional and industrial hunting of dugongs for their meat and oil led to the plummeting of sea cow populations. However, currently, the primary threats faced by dugongs are habitat loss and environmental degradation. Deep-sea mining, trawling, and land reclamation degrade seagrass meadows by increasing sedimentation and hence reducing exposure to light. Pollution, in the form of sewage, heavy metals waste, and herbicides further destroys seagrass meadows. While not quantified,  industrial fishing is also a massive threat as dugongs regularly succumb as bycatch following entanglement in fishing nets.

In this episode, Elrika D’Souza, one of India’s leading marine biologists, elaborates on her dugong and seagrass conservation work at the Nature Conservation Foundation. Tune in to listen more!

India is a wildlife paradise. Despite being the largest democracy and fastest-growing economy in the world, wildlife has recovered throughout the country. From tigers of Madhya Pradesh to hornbills and Amur falcons of Nagaland and the lions of Gujarat, India is home to conservation miracles.  Capturing these stories is RoundGlass Sustain. With the aim of becoming an encyclopedia of India’s wildlife, RoundglassSustain utilized stories, videos, infographics, and humor to highlight India’s biodiversity, habitats, and conservation. RoundGlass Sustain captures some of the most inspiring conservation stories, from the Great Indian Bustard to the One Horned Rhino. They also aptly decipher complicated conservation issues, such as human-wildlife conflict and climate change. In this episode, I interview Sunny Gurpreet Singh, the founder of RoundGlass, and  Neha Dara, the business head of RoundGlass Sustain.

The Markhor is one of Central and South Asia's most charismatic mountain ungulates. The species is scattered across the Karakoram Range, Afghanistan, and the western Himalayas. The Markhor, often called the “Screw-horned Goat” is the national animal of Pakistan.  In Persian and Pahto languages, the word “mārkhor” translates as "snake-eater" highlighting the ancient belief that the markhor would actively kill and consume snakes.

The Markhor is currently listed as “Near Threatened” by the IUCN Red List. Across its range, hunting is the primary threat to the Markhor.  In Pakistan, the Markhor falls victim to the lucrative trophy hunting business. Meanwhile, the hunting of markhor for bushmeat and traditional beliefs is still prevalent in Afghanistan and India, despite such practices being banned. In India, habitat loss and fragmentation due to climate change and livestock overgazing remain a major threat. LIke most mountain ungulates in the Himalayas, the markhor is not spared from the free-ranging dog menace in India.

In this episode of the Think Wildlife Podcast, Tanushree Srivastava and I discuss Markhor conservation in Kashmir. Tanushree, who is one of the leading scientists researching Himalaya’s ungulates, also spearheads Wildlife Trust of India’s  “ Kashmir Markhor Recovery Project”.

With over three decades of conservation experience, Dr. Sanjay Molur, is one of India’s leading wildlife biologists. He was a part of the team of scientists which formulated the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Since 1995,  Dr. Molur has conducted the status assessments of over 10,000 (sub)species and ecosystems. He was amongst the earliest scientists to report frogs in the Western Ghats succumbing to the fatal chytrid fungus.

Dr. Molur established the Journal of Threatened Taxa, the first international platinum open-access journal from India. He is also the founder and executive director of the Zoo Outreach Organization. As a recognition of his work, two species have been named after him. This includes the thomisid spider (Strigoplus moluri) and a freshwater fish Pethia sanjaymoluri, both endemic to parts of the Western Ghats. 

Tune into the episode as we discuss his illustrious conservation career. We also disseminate the IUCN Red List Criteria and the conservation of amphibians in India.

Neha Sinha was once an environmental reporter at The Indian Express. However, she is now one of India’s leading conservationists.  Throughout her career, Neha has utilized her aptitude for communication and advocacy to improve policy and safeguard India’s precious wildlife.  One of the most prominent campaigns Neha has supported is the Amur Falcon Campaign in Nagaland and Manipur.  

During their annual winter migration from Siberia to southern Africa, over a million birds roost in Nagaland between November and December. The Doyang Reservoir formed the single largest congregation of the species and is referred to as the Amur Falcon Capital. In 2012, the indiscriminate massacre of Amur Falcons in the Pangti villages in Nagaland’s Wokha District. Over 100,000 falcons were hunted annually and sold to local markets in Nagaland and Assam. Hunters could earn up to $500 within five weeks from this lucrative trade.

Fortunately, over a decade later, a revolution has occurred in the region. Much like the hornbills of Nagaland, the Amur falcons are passionately protected by local communities, which once hunted them. In this interview, Neha remembers one of India’s greatest conservation miracles.

Neha also elaborates on her work in policy and advocacy. This includes the National Biodiversity Targets for the Government of India and the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act 2022. We also discuss about the State of India’s birds and the importance of nature writing for conservation. Lastly, Neha also talks about her book  'Wild and Wilful', which explores the story of 15 iconic Indian species. This includes the Bengal Tiger, King Cobra, elephants, leopards, magarmach, and many more.  All views in this podcast are personal.

The Western Ghats is one of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots. Older than the Himalayas, the Western Ghats is home to at least 508 species of birds, 227 reptile species, and 139 mammal species. The region is home to the largest population of Asiatic elephants, with an estimated population of around 11,000 individuals across eight distinct populations. The region is one of the key strongholds for tiger conservation with a population of around 1,200 individuals. Large populations of various other megafauna species are found in the region, including sloth bear, Indian gaur, leopards, Nilgiri Tahr and the Asiatic Wild Dog.

Unfortunately, the region’s biodiversity is under immense pressure. The Western Ghat is undergoing rampant habitat loss and fragmentation due to the development of linear infrastructure, such as roads and railways, mining, hydroelectric dams, and monoculture plantations. Other than isolating populations of megafauna, this fragmentation is catalyzing extensive human-wildlife conflict.  Changing land use patterns and loss of habitats often result in conflict over resources, such as food and space. Moreover, as megaherbivores, such as gaur and elephants, seasonally migrate across the Western Ghats, there is a high risk of crop depredation, property damage, and even loss of life. Meanwhile, increased human activity in these habitats is leading to increased livestock depredation and loss of lives by carnivores, such as leopards, sloth bears, and even tigers. These lead to retaliatory killings of carnivores. Moreover, the management of animals touted as “man-eaters” often leads to intense political controversy. As megafauna species are on the path to recovery, mitigating human-wildlife conflict is a priority for conservationists in the region. 

In this episode of the Think Wildlife Podcast, I interview Dr. Sanjay Gubbi, who is one of the leading conservation biologists working in the Western Ghats. He has extensively studied and analyzed patterns of human-wildlife conflict in the region, with a particular focus on tigers, leopards, and elephants. Other than human-wildlife conflict, he has worked extensively to minimize the impact of roads, and vehicular traffic on the biodiversity of the Western Ghats. He played a pivotal role in the banning of night-time traffic along the highways passing through Nagarhole and Bandipur National Parks. His extensive research work, coupled with passionate outreach efforts, has led to the addition of nearly 3,000 square kilometers of forested land to Karnataka’s protected area network. The famous and ecologically crucial  Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary was established based on his work. Tune in to listen more about his illustrious career. 

The sloth bear is the most widespread of the four bear species found in India. More popularly known as “Baloo” from the Jungle Book, sloth bears are found across a large variety of habitats below an altitude of 1,500m, such as tropical forests, scrubland and grasslands. Sloth bears are regionally extinct in Bangladesh and [are listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List due to extensive habitat loss and degradation. Additionally, the rising demand for bear bile in Eastern Asia makes the sloth bear susceptible to the illegal wildlife trade. Historically, sloth bears were used for the disturbing “Dancing Bears” practice by the Kalahadhar Tribe. Fortunately, persistent efforts from NGOs, such as Wildlife SOS has ended this horrific practice and rescued all 600 affected bears.

Another major threat to the sloth bear is human-wildlife conflict. Interactions between these bears and humans peak during the flowering of the mahua trees in the summer. The mahua fruit is crucial for the livelihoods of indigenous and tribal communities, as they are used not only as fodder and fuel but also to brew local alcohol. However, sloth bears often forage these fruits during the summer, which often leads to fatal human-bear conflicts in central India. 

In this episode, I interview Dr. Nishith Dharaiya, the co-founder of the Wildlife Conservation Biology Research Foundation.  He is also the co-chair of the IUCN Sloth Bear Expert Team. In this episode,  Nishith talks candidly about his conservation and research work on sloth bears in Gujarat over the last few decades. We also revist his PhD on Gir’s lions. Tune in to also learn about the work being done by WCB Research Foundation.

Over the last few years, the world has celebrated the recovery of various species of large carnivores from the cusps of extinction. This includes the brown bears and gray wolves of North America and Europe, the tigers of South Asia, and the lions and leopards of Africa and Asia. However, much of this recovery has occurred despite rampant habitat fragmentation and degradation.

As large carnivores require large territories with an abundance of prey, habitat fragmentation has resulted in significant overlap of the range of large predators and rural communities. With increasing overlapping ranges, human-carnivore conflict is inevitable. Carnivores are more like to predate upon livestock, which results in huge financial losses for the affected rural communities. In retaliation, large carnivores are often murdered by these communities. It is therefore critical to foster human-wildlife coexistence by socially and financially uplifting the communities living with wildlife. This can be in the form of alternative livelihood projects, such as wildlife ecotourism, and utilizing tourism revenue for community development.

In this interview, I speak to Dr. Andrew Stein who has extensively studied human carnivore conflict in Africa. He is also the founder of CLAW Conservancies and is working on coexistence projects, involving lions, leopards, and wolves. Tune in to learn more!

If you enjoyed this podcast, do not forget to share and subscribe! You can also listen to The Think Wildlife Podcast on other platforms, such as YouTube, Spotify, and iTunes.

Once upon a time, Scotland was amongst the most biodiverse regions of Europe. However, over the last few centuries, Scotland, like the rest of the United Kingdom, lost most of its biodiversity. Megafauna, such as the European bison, brown bear, gray wolf, and European beavers, were all hunted to extinction. Moreover, the Scottish Highlands have also experienced rampant habitat degradation and loss due to agricultural expansion and urbanization. With a lack of large predators, herbivores, many of which have been introduced, have proliferated across the United Kingdom to unsustainable populations, further exacerbating habitat degradation.

However, there is still hope for Scotland’s wilderness. Over the last half-century, various reintroduction projects have proven to have found success, not only in Scotland but across the UK. This includes the reintroduction of red kites and white-tailed eagles in the late 20th century. More recently, beavers have made a strong comeback to the region.

In this episode, I interview Peter Cairns, who is the Executive Director of SCOTLAND: The Big Picture. We talk about their valiant efforts to reintroduce the Eurasian Lynx to the Scottish Highlands. We also discuss the possibility of wolves and bears making a return to the country. We also talk in-depth about the organization’s projects, including the Carignoms Cranes and Painting Scotland Yellow campaigns.

If you enjoyed this episode, do not forget to share and subscribe! You can also listen to The Think Wildlife Podcast on other platforms, such as YouTube, Spotify and iTunes.

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Over the last few years, Artificial Intelligence has evolved immensely. Not surprisingly, advanced AI and machine learning algorithms are increasingly being incorporated in sectors across the world. One particular sector, which AI is revolutionizing is wildlife conservation! With an increasingly urgent demand for effective and affordable conservation action, scientists, NGOs, and governments are turning to AI and related technologies for solutions.

The earliest and most ubiquitous adoption of AI in conservation is the use of remote sensing to monitor natural ecosystems. Remote sensing has proved to be a far more effective and cost method than manual alternatives, to not only predict and detect threats to ecosystems but also collect high volumes of data for ecological research.

Around the world, conservationists are incorporating a wide plethora of remote sensing technology, such as satellites, UAVs, camera traps, and camera traps. These technologies aid in the monitoring of wildlife populations and diseases, analysis of vegetation, the detection of forest fires and environmental impact assessments.

One particular technology becoming increasingly popular for conservationists is bioacoustics. Countless species of wildlife produce sound for communication and navigation, hence broadcasting immense amounts of information about, not only themselves but their entire population in their environment. Additionally, acoustic monitoring helps in the detection of illegal logging and poachers. The use of acoustic monitoring systems allows researchers and conservationists to tap into this gold mine of ecological data. Moreover, other than being cost-effective, acoustic monitoring systems also can cover larger radii than camera traps, hence allowing for the collection of larger quantities of data.

In this episode, I interview Bourhan Yassin. He is the Founder and CEO of Rainforest Connection, one of the leading conservation technology start-ups in the world. We discuss in depth how bioacoustics and AI are revolutionizing conservation and some of the projects the organization is involved with!

If you enjoyed this podcast, do not forget to share and subscribe! You can also listen to The Think Wildlife Podcast on other platforms, such as YouTube, Spotify, and iTunes.

Nature forms the foundation of the world’s economy.  Nature-based solutions focused on climate mitigation contribute about USD 170 billion worth of ecosystem services to the global economy. However, the dependencies of the nature of the global economy and the related risks and opportunities to the economy have not received much attention from corporations, investors, and lenders.

In this episode, I interviewed Darren Mckenzie from Global Canopy, a data-driven not-for-profit that targets the market forces destroying nature. Intending to tackle the drivers of deforestation, Global Canopy is working towards improving the supply chain transparency of corporates while improving company sustainability and  ESG Metrics. Furthermore, Global Canopy is working towards developing high-quality data to tackle nature-related risks and opportunities. In this episode, Darren elaborates on the work of Global Canopy and other concepts of nature finance.

India is home to over 65 million free-ranging dogs. The explosion in free-ranging dog populations around the country has stemmed from poor waste management, uncomprehensive pet ownership laws, and the vulture crisis. Unfortunately, this has led to an ecological crisis.   Countless endangered species, such as the Great Indian Bustard, Black-Necked Cranes, antelopes and deer regularly fall victim to the world’s most populous terrestrial carnivore. Meanwhile, free-ranging dogs have catalyzed the transmission of deadly viruses, such as canine distemper virus, to carnivores such as wolves, dholes and even lions. Unfortunately, human society has not been spared as the dog menace has exacerbated India’s battle against rabies. 

In this episode, I interview Chandrima Home to understand India’s free-ranging dog menace. We discuss the causes and potential solutions to the menace. Additionally, Chandrima elaborates on her extensive research on the ecological impacts of free-ranging dogs in India.

Wild Earth Allies protects vital areas of our natural world for the benefit of wildlife, habitats, and people by inspiring collaborative action. For decades, the organization has partnered with grassroots conservationists to conserve some of the most at-risk species around the world. These include endangered Asian elephants in Cambodia, critically endangered Grauer's gorillas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and threatened marine turtles in Central America. Join Adam Henson, the Conservation Director of Wild Earth Allies, as we discuss more about the organization’s projects.

If you enjoyed this episode, do not forget to share and subscribe! You can also listen to The Think Wildlife Podcast on other platforms, such as YouTube, Spotify and iTunes.

On this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I interview Markus Hofmeyr, who is the Director of the Rhino Recovery Fund (RRF). Launched in 2020 by the Wildlife Conservation Network, the RRF aims to protect rhinos from wildlife crime while also restoring their landscapes. The RRF is working towards the conservation of all five species of rhinos across Africa and Asia, aiming to tackle the illegal rhino horn trade and habitat loss. Furthermore, RRF invests in projects that not only benefit local communities but also involve them in rhino conservation.

In this episode, Markus and I cover the great work that the RRF supports across both continents. We also discuss in detail the miraculous recovery of the Greater One-Horned Rhino and the way forward for their conservation. Additionally, we talk about the conservation of the Javan, Sumatran and Black Rhino.

If you enjoyed this episode, do not forget to share and subscribe! You can also listen to The Think Wildlife Podcast on other platforms, such as YouTube, Spotify and iTunes.

One species of megafauna particularly impacted by climate change, is the polar bear. Considered “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List, less than 31,000 individual bears roam the Arctic and surrounding regions of Greenland, Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Svalbard. As Polar Bears are pagophilic (species that live on ice), they are severely threatened by the decline in sea ice due to climate change. A decline in sea ice is particularly problematic as it reduces access of the bears to favored marine prey species, hence increasing the risk of malnutrition and starvation. Additionally, a reduction of sea ice is leading to increased human-wildlife conflict as bears spend more time on land. Other than climate change, Polar Bears are threatened by pollution, energy development, and hunting by both native and non-native people for their coats.

Polar Bears are not only the largest species of bear but also the largest terrestrial carnivore, with males reaching up to 800kgs. Their range often overlaps with the closely related brown bear. There have been records of the two species interbreeding.

On this episode of the Think Wildlife Podcast, I interview Krista Wright, the Executive Director of Polar Bear International. We discuss not only the conservation of the Polar Bear but also the great work the organization is doing to conserve the species.

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The African Wild Dog, more aptly known as the Painted Dog, is the largest wild canid species found in the entire African continent. The species is one of the rarest large carnivores in the world with the population of the species crashing from around 500,000 a hundred years ago, to an estimated 6,600 adult individuals today. It is for this reason that the species is listed as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List.

In the 20th century, Painted Dogs were immensely persecuted by farmers due to supposed livestock depredation by the species. Currently, the species is primarily threatened by habitat fragmentation, particularly as a consequence of the development of roads and other linear infrastructure within their range. Not only does this increase the number of dogs lost to road kill but increases the risks of human-wildlife conflict. Additionally, the social nature of the species, makes the Painted Dog highly susceptible to diseases, such as rabies, distemper and parvo-virus, often transmitted from free-ranging dogs.

In this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I interview Dr. Gregory Rasmussen, who is the Founder of Painted Dog Research Trust. Gregory is one of the leading scientists working on painted dogs in Africa. We discuss the conservation of the Painted Dogs and a variety of PDRT’s projects, which include the Kazungula Road project, dog collaring, and den protection initiatives.

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Deforestation is one of the leading threats to biodiversity globally. The world is losing over 10 billion trees annually. Over half the three trillion trees on our planet have been lost. But why should you care? Because YOU are a victim of deforestation.

Over 1.6 billion people directly rely on forests for subsistence, in the form of food, fuel, medicine, bushmeat, and fodder for livestock grazing. Moreover, even urban populations rely on forests for crucial ecosystem services, such as reliable clean water, climate regulation, air purification and productive soils. Unfortunately, deforestation and land degradation cost the world $6.3 trillion every year.

Moreover, forests are critical for biodiversity and tackling climate change. Globally, 68% of mammal species and 75% of bird species are found in forests. Additionally, forests play a critical role in carbon regulation in the atmosphere, hence stabilizing climatic patterns globally.

In this episode, I interview April Bagwill, the program officer of Trillion Trees, a collaboration between three leading wildlife NGOs, BirdLife International, Wildlife Conservation Society, and the World Wildlife Fund. The initiative aims to restore 20 million hectares of forests while protecting 105 million hectares of forests under improved management systems. In this episode, we discuss the principles, challenges and process of restoration while also dwelling on the organizations’ projects

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The cheetah is symbolic of the African wilderness. However, once upon a time, the world’s fastest mammal, used to roam the plains of Asia, with their range extending from the Middle East across to northern parts of India. Unfortunately, the Asiatic Cheetah subspecies is now considered “Critically Endangered” by the IUCN Red List. Reports estimate, that there are less than 40 individuals left in the wild, with their entire range being restricted to the eastern-central arid region of Iran. The species has fallen victim to the rampant destruction of their grassland habitat and human-wildlife conflict. Additionally, hunting of the Asiatic Cheetah significantly reduced the wild population. Other than being hunted for the illegal wildlife trade, cheetahs were also hunted as a sport, particularly during the Mughal Empire.

In this episode, I speak to Morteza Pourmirzai who is the CEO of the Iranian Cheetah Society. We talk in-depth about the organization’s extensive conservation efforts, challenges, and future plans. We also talk about the work the organization is doing with the other four major carnivores found in Iran, which are the gray wolf, Eurasian lynx, Persian leopard and brown bear.

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The Fishing Cat is a medium sized cat, discontinuously distributed across South and Southeast Asia. Currently, their range extends from India to Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. In India, the species is found in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal. In fact, the fishing cat is the State animal of West Bengal. A study from Keoladeo National Park found that fish compromised nearly 75% of the fishing cat's diet of the fishing cat, a testament to the species name.

The fishing cat is listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List. The species is predominantly found in lowland wetland habitats, such as mangroves, swamps, rivers, and streams. Unfortunately, the species is threatened by rampant habitat loss as wetlands are either severely polluted or converted for agricultural use. Additionally, mangroves in the state of Andhra Pradesh are being converted to aquaculture ponds, further exacerbating habitat loss. In some regions, the species is a victim of human-wildlife conflict due to competition for fish stocks with local fishermen.

In this episode, I discuss the conservation of the fishing cat with Anjallee Prabhakaran from Small Cat Advocacy and Research (SCAR). This NGO, which is based in Sri Lanka is a part of the Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance. We talk about all the great work the team is doing towards the conservation of, not only the fishing cat but other small cats on the island nation.

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The story of the Bengal Tiger is probably the pinnacle of India’s conservation miracles over the last few decades, especially following the enactment of Project Tiger. In fact, over the last 15 years, India’s tiger population has more than doubled. While this is promising, much work remains, as habitats continue to become fragmented, which fosters Human-Wildlife Conflict. Meanwhile, the threat of poaching in India still looms large. Additionally, the aspirations of nearly 300 million people who depend on India’s forests for sustenance are also of utmost importance.

One particular landscape that has been at the forefront of the tiger’s miraculous recovery is the Central Indian Tiger Landscape. As per the 2023 census, the region, which spreads across Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chattisgarh, is home to over 700 tigers, which is almost a quarter of the global population. Conservationists, NGOs, and the government have been involved in a plethora of measures to bolster tiger populations in this region. This includes the restoration of degraded habitat, the protection of wildlife corridors, the creation of wildlife underpasses across highways, and the development of ecotourism.

In this episode, I interview Mr. Kishor Rithe, who is the founder of the Satpuda Foundation. As its name suggests, the organization primarily works in the Satpuda Tiger Landscape. This includes the forests of Kanha, Satpura Tiger Reserve, Pench Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Melghat Tiger Reserve, and Navegaon-Nagzira. Around 300 tigers are found in this landscape.

Through our discussions, we cover the work the organization is doing regarding tackling human-tiger conflict, voluntary resettlement of villages in tiger reserves, habitat restoration, nature education, and alternative livelihoods. We also talk about Kishor’s new role as the Director of the Bombay Natural History Society, which is the oldest wildlife conservation organization in India. The organization is leading research and conservation of various avifauna species, including Great Indian Bustards, Lesser Floricans, Amur Falcon, and various species of Vultures.

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Sacred Groves are amongst the finest examples of in-situ conservation. Often as large as 500 hectares, Sacred Groves are undisturbed and communally protected forest patches that are dedicated to local folk deities. Social traditions which embody both social and ecological values encourage the preservation of Sacred Groves. As a result, these groves contain an invaluable gene pool and also conserve immense biodiversity. Hunting and logging are banned in Sacred Groves.

Official records suggest that there are around 13,000 Sacred Groves spread across Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, and the Western Ghats of Karnataka, Maharashtra. However, a few studies suggest that there could be as many as 100,000 to 150,000 Sacred Groves in the country.

Unfortunately, Sacred Groves are severely threatened by urbanization, over-exploitation of resources, and environmental destruction due to religious practices. On this episode, I interview Archana Godbole, the founder of Applied Environment Research Founder (AERF), on the conservation of Sacred Groves. AERF has worked extensively to preserve the Sacred Groves of Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra in the Northern Western Ghats.

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In a previous episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, we briefly touched upon the role of artificial intelligence and biacoustic monitoring in wildlife conservation. On a similar note, in this episode, I interview Professor Ed Mitchard, to discuss the role of remote sensing in forest conservation Through the use of satellites, remote Sensing allows for the observation and accurate imaging of the earth’s surface. This is particularly useful for forest research and monitoring as stakeholders can monitor land-use change, estimate a forest carbon stock, detect forest fires, and report upon other key forest indicators.

Professor Mitchard is one of the leading remote sensing scientists, with over 60 peer-reviewed publications on the topic. He has also advised the governments of the UK, Cameroon, Columbia, and Gabon on land use monitoring techniques. He is also the co-founder and chief scientist of Space Intelligence. The start-up aims to utilize high-quality nature data and digital monitoring systems to achieve zero deforestation and mass restoration and tackle the climate emergency.

India is amongst the most biodiverse countries in the world, with a plethora of habitats, including tropical forests, grasslands, arid deserts, mangroves, and deciduous mountain forests. However, while much of India’s megafauna species have recovered miraculously from the brink of extinction, a major issue looms large. That is the sustainable use of the country’s tropical forests. Reports suggested that between 250 - 300 million of India’s rural population rely on India’s forests for some form of sustenance. This can include bushmeat, fodder, bamboo, and a range of non-timber forest products. In fact, 70% of India’s rural population relies on fuelwood to meet their domestic energy needs.

In this episode, I interview Dr. Kamaljit Bawa to discuss the various forest management strategies in India and how forest conservation can be utilized to alleviate poverty. Dr. Bawa is the founder of the famed Ashoka Trust for Research in the Environment and Ecology. Beyond this, he has had a very decorated career. He is currently a distinguished professor of Biology at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Science and the American Philosophical Society.

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Ecosystems around India are becoming increasingly fragmented. This is particularly concerning for megafauna species, such as tigers and elephants. Landscape connectivity is a vital component of megafauna conservation in India. This is because the dispersal of megafauna outside of existing reserves is critical to maintaining the genetic diversity of the larger population. The immense fragmentation between tiger populations has resulted in the increased prevalence of melanism, a phenomenon associated with inbreeding depression. Moreover, preserving wildlife corridors between protected areas is crucial in preserving biodiversity while also minimizing human-wildlife conflict.

One of the leading projects aimed at promoting landscape connectivity in India is the “Rights of Passage” program established by the Wildlife Trust of India, in partnership with the Government of India. It aims to secure connectivity and safe passage for large mammals like elephants and tigers across their identified corridors. In this episode, I interviewed Upasana Ganguly, the Manager of “The Rights of Passage” project. We talk in detail about the importance of wildlife corridors, the threats, and the conservation of these corridors.

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Over the last decade, carbon neutrality and net zero have become the focus across governments, industries, corporations, scientists, and environmentalists. However, over the last few years, the linkage between the carbon and biodiversity crisis has come into the limelight. Restoring biodiversity and ecosystems around the world has become a crucial part in tackling, not only the climate crisis but also in alleviating poverty. For this reason, various global initiatives have come into force to restore biodiversity globally. In fact, the 2020s has been designated as the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration.

One such project is The Nature Positive Initiative. The initiative aims to ‘Halt and Reverse Nature Loss by 2030 on a 2020 baseline, and achieve full recovery by 2050’. It will work alongside the UN Convention on Biological Diversity's Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and overarching mission to halt and reverse nature loss. On this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I speak to Marco Lambertini, who is the Convenor of The Nature Positive Initiative. We talk about the key concepts related to this initiative, potential challenges, and its importance!

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One of the leading causes of biodiversity loss is habitat degradation. In terrestrial landscapes, this is primarily through rampant deforestation. Unfortunately, the direct impacts of deforestation and land degradation extend beyond the realms of biodiversity and climate change. Rural and tribal communities face the brunt of the socioeconomic consequences of deforestation. This ranges from increased human-wildlife conflict, increased soil erosion and hence flooding, poorer agricultural yield, loss of livelihoods, and increased food insecurity.

However, tribal and rural communities can become the torchbearers for afforestation. Ecosystem restoration can not only help bolster biodiversity and mitigate the climate crisis but also alleviate poverty. Through a Payment for Ecosystem Services Model, farmers can be incentivized to protect existing and grow new forests on barren land to improve local ecology while also generating income. This is the vision of Farmers for Forests, a non-profit social enterprise based out of Pune, India. They aim to restore 30,000 acres of degraded land into forests through this method by 2030. This will sequester 25 million tonnes of CO2 annually, which is equivalent to the emissions of 8 million Indians. On this episode, I speak to their co-founder Krutika Ravishankar about the wonderful work the organization is involved with!

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India’s grasslands are amongst the most biodiverse in the world. From wolves and hyenas to blackbucks and gazelle and from the Great Indian Bustard to various species of cranes, these grasslands are pristine ecosystems. Moreover, grasslands play a vital role in the fight against climate change due to the large amongst of carbon sequestration they perform.

However, grasslands are under severe pressure. Unfortunately, considered as wastelands, only about 3% of India’s grasslands are protected. As a result, these ecosystems are being degraded by livestock overgrazing, agricultural expansion, renewable energy projects, and infrastructure development.

One organization working passionately to preserve these vital ecosystems is The Grasslands Trust. Based in Pune, the organization works extensively on grassland restoration, awareness programs, and biodiversity monitoring. Earlier in 2023, the organization found the first genetic evidence of wolf-dog hybridization in India from Pune’s grasslands. Join me on this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, as I speak to Vishwatej Pawar and Makarand Datar from TGT about grasslands, their conservation, and various projects the organization is working on!

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In 2023, India celebrated a major milestone in conservation. The 2022 tiger census yielded an estimated population of around 3,600 tigers, more than double of the 2010 numbers. Ever since the inception of Project Tiger in 1974, tigers, alongside various other megafauna species, including elephants, rhinos, and lions, have recovered from the brinks of extinction.

Unfortunately, it is too early to celebrate. India’s wildlife faces ever-evolving challenges in the world’s largest democracy and fastest-growing economy. Rampant habitat fragmentation and degradation remain a major threat to India’s tigers. Other than fostering human-tiger conflict, this leads to significant inbreeding, which is evident through an increase in melanism in the wild. Moreover, much of the growth in tiger populations have occurred in patches that have been thought to be at its carrying capacity. Meanwhile, large areas of potential tiger habitat, particularly in the eastern states of Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal remain void of tigers due to poor management.

On this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I interview Dr. Ullas Karanth, one of the country’s leading and pioneering tiger biologists. Though trained officially as an engineer, Dr. Karanth has spent much of his career studying tigers in their natural habitat, especially in the Malanad Landscape of Karnataka. He also pioneered the scientific application of camera trapping techniques of capture-recapture sampling as the foundation of scientific estimation of tiger population densities in forests. In 1984, he established the Centre for Wildlife Studies, which is one of the leading conservation organizations in India.

In this interview, we cover his illustrious career and stories from the field, which you can read more about in his book, titled “Among Tigers: Fighting to Bring Back Asia's Big Cats”. We also talk about solutions to human-tiger conflict, voluntary resettlement of forest settlements, and the management of “man-eater” tigers. We also talk about flaws in tiger conservation in India and the way forward.

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The Corbett Foundation (TCF) is amongst India’s largest and oldest wildlife conservation organizations. It was established by the late Mr. Dilip D. Khatau and his wife, Mrs. Rina Khatau, on April 22, 1994. TCF works towards wildlife conservation in tandem with the sustainable development of forest-dwelling communities. Mr. Khatau was a former Member of the National Board for Wildlife in India and a Member of the Indian Wildlife Business Council of the Confederation on Indian Industry. 

Over the last 25 years, TCF has expanded its work well beyond the Corbett Foundation. In fact, their project encompasses a wide range of species across a diversity of landscapes. This includes the Critically Endangered Great Indian Bustard in the Rann of Kutch, tiger conservation in the Satpuda Tiger Landscape, and cheetah-human coexistence in the Kuno Landscape. They also work extensively to involve local communities in conservation through various alternative livelihood and outreach programs.

In this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I interview Kedar Gore, the Director of The Corbett Foundation. We talk about the conservation of wildlife, grassland restoration, the issue of free-ranging dogs, and some of their special initiatives!

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With an annual turnover of USD 199 million, the illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest illicit market in the world, after drugs, arms, and human trafficking. Amongst all known threats to wildlife, the illegal trade and consumption of wildlife is amongst the most significant and destabilizing. Moreover, the negative consequences of wildlife crime are not limited to natural ecosystems. Wildlife crime is organized, and transnational, is fuelled by corruption, and impacts local communities, national economies, security, and public health. The book “Wildlife Trafficking : A Crime Against Environment” by Siddartha Sarkar covers the economics of wildlife crime in detail.

In fact, wildlife crime has been the root cause of various pandemics, including COVID-19, due to increased exposure to zoonotic diseases. Despite the devastation associated with wildlife crime, there is no global agreement on wildlife crime, and existing wildlife trade laws are not adequately enforced.

One organization working towards improving the policy around wildlife crime is The Global Initiative to End Wildlife Crime (EWC), founded and chaired by John Scanlon AO, former Secretary General of CITES. EWC is an alliance of individuals and organizations that support the need for these law reforms.

On this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I speak to Alice Pasqualato, who is the policy advisor of EWS. We talk about all the great work EWS is doing to tackle wildlife crime. This includes the formation of the Pandemics Treaty and the addition of a Protocol to the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC).

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With a growing consensus on the importance of nature-based solutions in tackling the climate crisis, one particular ecological concept has become highly prevalent. That is rewilding. Across the world, landscapes and species are making a return. This includes the Southern White Rhinos of South Africa, the Bengal Tiger and Asiatic Lion of India, and the wolves of Yellowstone National Park. Europe also has become the forebearer of the rewilding movement, with various megafauna making a comeback from the brink, including brown bears, wolves, beavers, and bison. However, rewilding is not limited to only the revival of endangered species.

So, what exactly is rewilding? It is a form of ecological restoration that aims, to not only bolster biodiversity but also restore natural processes. It differs from conventional ecological restoration due to the minimalistic human interventions involved in this process. Rewilding aims to produce dynamic, yet self-regulating and self-sustaining ecosystems with near pre-human levels of species diversity. The movement focuses on the conservation of the “3-C’s” - cores, corridors, and carnivores. Rewilding finds its roots in a continental-scale effort in North America and over the last three decades has expanded across all continents. To learn more about the history and concept of rewilding, do check out the pioneering book “Rewilding: The Radical New Science of Ecological Recovery” by Cain Blythe and Paul Jepson.

On this episode of The Think Wildlife Podcast, I speak to Frans Schepers, the co-founder and Executive Director of Rewilding Europe, one of the leading rewilding organizations globally. We talk about the principles of rewilding, the challenges associated, the role of megaherbivores and the various projects the organization is involved with. We also briefly talk about rewilding in the United Kingdom.

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Listed as “Critically Endangered” by the IUCN Red List, the Eastern Gorilla is under severe threat. Deforestation for both, agricultural and commercial purposes, has led to severe fragmentation of the habitat of the species. Additionally, poaching has also driven much of this decline.

Fortunately, there is still hope. The population of the Mountain Gorilla, one of the two subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla, is on the rise. This is through concrete conservation measures, such as habitat protection, eco-tourism, and effective anti-poaching measures. Another critical measure to conserve the world’s largest ape species is to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases. In this interview, I speak to Dr. Rick from Gorilla Doctors about the types of diseases threatening gorillas, measures being taken to halt the transmission of these diseases, and the great on-field work they are partaking in!

Over the last few decades, the world has witnessed a technological revolution to tackle the climate crisis. However, more recently, there has been a growing consensus about the role of nature and nature-based solutions in tackling, not only the Three Planetary Crisis but also various pressing societal issues, such as poverty.  The goals of nature-based solutions are to restore, protect and sustainability manage both natural and modified ecosystems to  benefit both society and nature.  In fact, over a third of the climate mitigation required to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement can be provided by nature-based solutions.  Annually, flooding damages worth US $57 billion are averted by mangroves in India, China, the US, Mexico, and  Vietnam.

 In this episode, I interview Seth Thomas, a research assistant at the University of Oxford’s Nature-based Solutions Initiative. With projects across Asia, South America, and the UK, the program aims to enhance understanding of the potential of nature-based solutions to address multiple global challenges whilst supporting the health of ecosystems. Additionally, the program aims to involve and respect the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. In this episode, we discuss the concept of nature-based solutions, their challenges, and their potential. Seth also elaborates on his extensive research work which covers the socioeconomic benefits of the legal wildlife trade and a global review of the large carnivore reintroduction, rewilding, and translocation.

The tropics of South East Asia are amongst the most biodiverse regions worldwide. The area also hosts a wide diversity of songbirds! Unfortunately, this taxon, like most in the region, is heavily threatened by habitat loss, particularly driven by the expansion of palm oil. Additionally, the taxa are facing the brunt of the illegal wildlife trade! Songbirds are popular pets in the region. It is estimated that up to 80 million birds have been captured and kept in captivity in the area of Java itself. Various species, such as the Critically Endangered Bali Mynah, are being threatened by this unreasonable demand for songbirds as pets!

In this interview, I dissect the Asian Songbird Crisis with David Jeggo, chair of the IUCN SSC Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group (ATSG). David has had an illustrious conservation career, having working with Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT) for nearly 46 years! David has been the chair of the ASTSG since 2017!

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An estimated 100 million sharks are lost annually to human activities. Much of this catastrophic phenomenon is caused by the excessive demand for shark fin soup. This delicacy is popular in East Asia, particularly China, which has become an epicenter for the consumption of exotic wildlife. A large population of sharks is also lost as bycatch due to industrial fishing.

This is obviously a massive concern as sharks are keystone species. These apex predators are crucial for the health of marine ecosystems, which are already facing the brunt of climate change and marine pollution.

In this episode, I speak to Andrea Richey, the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Shark Foundation. Tune in to learn more about shark conservation and the great work being done by HKSF!

Climate change and the loss and degradation of natural habitats are major drivers of species extinction globally. This is especially the case for species in tropical mountain ranges. These species are thermally sensitive and adapted to small environmental niches, hence making them susceptible to extinction. .

On this episode, I interview Dr. Umesh Srinivasan from the Centre for Ecological Studies at the Indian Institute for Science, Bangalore. His lab studies how forest degradation combines with climate change to impact Himalayan biodiversity at multiple levels, including geographic range shifts to behaviour and demography. Most of their work is based in Arunachal Pradesh, where they have been studying bird populations across primary and logged forests for over a decade. 

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A prominent challenge faced not only by conservationists, but most scientists, is the communicating their research without much jargon. Fortunately, there are various conservationist groups making a conscious efforts to dissiminiate ecology for the layman. One such group is Current Conservation, launched by  2007 by Kartik Shanker, Meera Anna and Ankila Hiremath, with a small grant from the Duleep Mathai Nature Conservation Trust.

In this episode, I interview Devathi Parashuram, who is the Executive Editor of Current Conservation. Other than the story of Current Conservation, we also talk about the role of art in conservation.

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