Dear First name / friend,

 

August has been a month of exciting milestones for all of us at CWS! We celebrated World Elephant Day with the latest news about these magnificent creatures and field stories highlighting our dedicated Elephant Program.

 

Wild Shaale celebrated its 6th anniversary, a testament to our ongoing commitment to conservation education.

 

In this edition of Into the Wild, dive into the latest updates and stories. Explore our Wild Science blogs and catch up on inspiring news from across our programs. From new grant recipients to community initiatives, there is much to discover and celebrate this month!

 

We are excited to share National Geographic Society's press statement celebrating the 6th anniversary of our conservation education program, Wild Shaale. To read, click here.

 

Since its inception in Nagarahole National Park in 2018, Wild Shaale has grown exponentially. From reaching 70 schools and 4,000 students in its first year, the program now has connected to 1,000 schools and inspired 50,000 students across India. Dr. Gabby Salazar and Dr.Krithi Karanth write about this journey in the latest education blog for National Geographic Society here.

Ishika Ramakrishna, Doctoral Fellow at CWS, is one of 7 awardees of the 2024 Impact Grant by The Explorers Club. Part of the first class of this program, Ishika is a doctoral candidate in primatology. She is investigating the human-non-human interactions among 25 primate species - some of them endangered - in Assam. To know more, click here.

 

Dr Krithi Karanth, Chief Executive Officer, CWS, was invited to give a lecture at the Indian Women Scientists’ Association (IWSA) on 10th August 2024. Her talk titled, 'Living with Wildlife: Insights from Research, Conservation and Education in India', talked about human-wildlife conflict in India, and how it prompted two decades of research into conflict patterns and mitigation. This research led to the creation of conservation programs at CWS like Wild Seve, Wild Shaale, and Wild Surakshe, which helps communities protect lives and livelihoods while promoting coexistence with wildlife.

 

Dr. Narendran Kodandapani delivered a lecture titled 'SDG 15 and biodiversity conservation in India' at the UGC – Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre, University of Calicut, as part of the 17th Faculty Induction Programme on 26th July 2024. The audience included more than 25 faculty members, from various colleges and universities across India.

 

In the aftermath of the devastating landslides that struck Mundakkai and Chooralmala in Wayanad District, Kerala, the region has been grappling with significant challenges. Among the numerous relief requirements officially listed by the Kerala Government, a critical shortage of masks was identified, complicating efforts to protect those affected by the disaster. Recognizing this need, CWS has delivered relief material including 1,000  N95 and 3-ply masks and 200 face shields to the District Family Welfare Office in Kalpetta, Wayanad on 7th August 2024.

 

The article talks about programs in India that are helping to reduce conflict between humans and tigers, highlighting CWS and its programs. Titled 'Learning to Live Beside Endangered Tigers May Be the Jey to Saving Them', the article talks about the different ways in which programs at CWS works with communities and their interactions with these big cats. To read more, click here.

 

Muthanna PM, Associate Director, Field Conservation at CWS, has written an article about the landslide in Wayanad titled, 'ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಬೇಡ ಹುಡುಗಾಟ, ಈಗಲಾದರೂ ಕಲಿಯೋಣ ಪಾಠ'  in the Kannada Newspaper Prathinidhi. The article covers the impact of unplanned development activities in the Western Ghats, in the context of the recent landslides and floods reported in Meppadi in Wayanad, Kerala. The article emphasizes the need for controlling tree felling, encroachments, line development projects, and mining, while reinforcing the importance of protecting ecological fragile areas through clear policies. To read the article, click here.

An article in The Hindu titled "With sustainable model of forest conservation, India can manage 15,000 tigers", covers Dr. Ullas Karanth's talk ‘Saving Wildlife in Changing India’ organized by the INTACH Mangaluru chapter on Aust 7, 2024. Dr. Karanth emphasized that India can potentially manage 15,000 tigers through sustainable forest conservation models. Currently, the country has 3,000 tigers in about 4% of its forest cover. He proposed two conservation models: one where agriculture and conservation coexist, and another where economic growth occurs without increasing environmental pressure. He also expressed concern over shrinking forest cover due to factors like increased farming, timber clearance, wildfires, and livestock expansion. To read the full article, click here. Another article titled "ಹುಲಿಗಳ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆಗೆ ಸರ್ಕಾರ - ಸರ್ಕಾರೇತರ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆ ಮುಂದಾಗಲಿ: ಡಾ. ಉಲ್ಲಾಸ್ ಕಾರಂತ್" (Government and Non-Government Organizations Should Take the Lead in Tiger Conservation), talks about the same event. To read the full article, click here.

“The Western Ghats, celebrated for their remarkable landscapes, are equally renowned for their rugged and challenging terrain. During our fieldwork for the Elephant Program at CWS, we navigated some of these landscapes with help from two members of the Malasar tribe.

 

The Malasar tribe is an indigenous community from the Western Ghats, particularly the Anamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu. As one of the many tribal communities in this region, the Malasars have honed a deep, instinctual connection with the land and its wildlife.

 

For our treks deep into the wild, we relied on their innate sense of direction in the dense forests that proved indispensable. Their profound understanding of the local wildlife, especially elephants, was a critical asset to our work. They could effortlessly spot even the most well-camouflaged hump-nosed pit viper, which we would have completely missed. The Malasars’ remarkable skills - whether in navigating treacherous terrain, maintaining constant vigilance, or expertly climbing and descending steep slopes - are deeply woven into their cultural heritage, passed down through generations. Their agility in crossing streams and scaling heights, combined with their unmatched knowledge of the land, continually amazed us and ensured our safety in these challenging terrains.”

 

-Aishwarya Anilkumar, Doctoral Fellow

"During Wild Shaale's 4th module at GUPS Karachal, while playing a board game on wildlife and human interactions, a student named Muhammed Nabeel TR shared a story about a video he saw on social media showing an elephant being killed by a train in Assam. Through the game, Nabeel understood that the railway track was built across the elephant's natural migration route, which it used for years to find food and shelter. This realization helped him see how human infrastructure disrupts wildlife habitats, leading to fatal encounters.

 

Nabeel's story underscored the impact of our lessons, as students connected the game's scenarios to real-life wildlife conservation issues. This interaction reassured me of the importance of the Wild Shaale program in raising awareness and empathy for wildlife among young minds."

 

- Abhinand Krishna, Wild Shaale Educator

 

India is home to 60% of the world's wild elephants, many residing in Karnataka's Western Ghats. Their habitats have shrunk significantly due to human activities. This study mapped elephant distribution across 38,000 square kilometers of the Western Ghats of Karnataka and revealed that elephants occupy 64% of the available habitat. The study used advanced statistical models to account for detection variability, highlighting human activities as primary habitat determinants. With threats like illegal hunting and development pressures, the research underscores the urgent need for managing human impacts. This work sets a benchmark for future conservation efforts, offering crucial insights into the spatial patterns of these majestic giants. To read more, click here.

 

In Assam, northeast India, elephants roam the tea estates and cross paths with people. As both protagonists navigate these complex challenges, what perspectives drive the notions people have of elephants? What nuances can be identified to better understand these interactions? How can these complexities aid in the creation and engagement of conservation programs?

 

To know more about these interesting encounters, and the ways in which they can shape conservation programs, read our latest blog here.

Wild Shaale has reached a monumental milestone this month and we wanted to share it with you first. Our program has now reached 1000 schools! Here is a glimpse of our 6 year journey.

 

Since our launch in 2018, Wild Shaale has been all about sparking a love for wildlife in children, who will one day grow up to protect it. To bring Wild Shaale to 100 new schools in the Eastern Ghats, we need your help. We need to raise Rs. 85,00,000 ($100,000) by 5th September.

 

To support Wild Shaale, visit cwslnk.co/wildshaale 

As this busy month draws to a close, we trust you have found the latest issue of Into the Wild engaging. Our passion for safeguarding India’s wildlife drives us, and we hope it resonates with you too. Wishing you a joyful and lively September!